Cabin Crew interview process ended based on weight - discrimination?

[CityCommuter]

I feel sorry for a friend who has always wanted to be a flight attendant / part of cabin crew for as long as I can remember. She applied and got as far as the first interview phase having already submitted a detailed application form. The form states that 'weight must be in proportion to height'.

She believes that the interview panel judged her when she walked into the room by the way they looked at her (UK size 18, height 5'5"). Obviously weight wasn't mentioned but she didn't get approval for the next interview phase. She thinks it's discrimination on their part and that it shouldn't matter even if she was a size 24! She doesn't even look like a size 18 btw but more like a 14. I'd like to advise her to lose a few pounds but can't as she has always been very sensitive to any weight related conversation even if talking about someone else! What advise would you give her?

Surely height / weight in protection means a healthy BMI , which your friend cannot possibly have at a size 18 and 5’5” .

Your title is very misleading. Her failure to get to the second round of interviews had nothing to do with her answers to any of the questions asked at interview I suppose - just her perception that they discounted her based on her weight?

If you’re a size 12 you probably wouldn’t get the job, relative is on a permanent diet, in that role.
And why are they interviewing new people, they’ve sacked and furloughed thousands of people ??

@namechange842

It's because cabin crew need to be able to squeeze past a trolley in the aisle if needed.

Or maybe evacuate a plane or lift passengers in an emergency.

I am a larger person but accept absolutely that the cabin crew are working in confined spaces, you also would not be able to do that job in a wheel chair, on sticks, with certain medial conditions etc, there are some jobs where reasonable adjustments are not possible.

@Overthebow airlines have traditionally picked cabin crew to promote the brand though - the red virgin girls for example and even control what colour lipstick you can wear. So yes being unfit and too big to manoeuvre safely is an issue but the airlines ALSO hire for brand representation and part of that is weight.

@unfortunateevents

Your title is very misleading. Her failure to get to the second round of interviews had nothing to do with her answers to any of the questions asked at interview I suppose - just her perception that they discounted her based on her weight?

She sounds deluded; thinking she was discounted because of her weight whilst insisting that her weight is no issue. A size 18 cabin crew member would be ballast.

If she wants to be air cabin crew that much then she'll lose weight. It's a job where size matters - you have to zip up and down narrow aisles. She knows this already. Everyone knows this. You don't get to pursue your dreams without putting any effort in and then blame other people. That's not how careers work.

My friend was a flight attendant and put a lot of weight on. Not sure of her dress size but she said she was 15 stone and around 5.5.
She had to have regular medicals and was very worried about one of them. They did pass her but flagged her weight up. She said they could have 'grounded' her for safety reasons meaning she would have to work a desk type job and lose out on her flight bonuses if they considered it unsafe for her to fly.

@Foobydoo

My friend was a flight attendant and put a lot of weight on. Not sure of her dress size but she said she was 15 stone and around 5.5. She had to have regular medicals and was very worried about one of them. They did pass her but flagged her weight up. She said they could have 'grounded' her for safety reasons meaning she would have to work a desk type job and lose out on her flight bonuses if they considered it unsafe for her to fly.

15 stone??

I am a size 24 and weigh over 18 stone and I do not feel offended by this. I can completely understand why you would need to be smaller in order to qualify as an air stewardess especially in case of emergencies. If your friend is dedicated then she can always lose weight and reapply, but I don't see it as discriminative, just a necessity for the job as it requires squeezing through small gaps, being quick in an emergency etc.

I wanted to be cabin crew when I was younger but I stopped growing at 5ft. They've lowered the height restriction a bit but even so, I can't comfortably close an overhead locker on a plane and (I assume) couldn't comfortably reach other equipment in an emergency. It's discrimination but for a genuine reason. The weight is a similar issue.

Sorry but I don't feel that this is discrimination. They have very good reasons for stipulating weight in ratio to height, its a much more challenging role that people sometimes realise

May have been weight in which case could be reasonable. Friend could ask for feedback though. There may be other issues. She can then decide whether she wants this career and can make any necessary changes whether losing weight, being fitter or something else.

She’s assuming that it’s because of her weight.

I used to work for v well known airline both as crew and recruitment. We had 1000 applicants for every job. Making cuts was brutal. We would reject for:
Wrong sized envelope
Blue not black ink
Photo attached with staple not paper clip
Etc
And that was just first sift.
So many people want to do it that you can afford to lose people for the most minor of reasons.

The weight thing is a safest issue. We were more likely to sift out underweight than overweight though as they’re too light to open the cabin doors. Over weight is a danger in the aisles as can’t get through easily. She may be amazing but if she’s too big she won’t get the job.

It’s not discriminating it’s a role requirement. You need to be healthy and be able to be fast on your feet, and be able to walk down the aisle multiple times including past the trolley. It’s also the uniforms as most of the uniforms are tight fit. I was a size 12 when I joined my airline and I’ve dropped to a 10 now. If she wants it that much she’ll loose the weight.

[quote Peppallama]@Overthebow airlines have traditionally picked cabin crew to promote the brand though - the red virgin girls for example and even control what colour lipstick you can wear. So yes being unfit and too big to manoeuvre safely is an issue but the airlines ALSO hire for brand representation and part of that is weight.[/quote]
You can be fit and a size 18 🤣

I've got much slimmer friends with frankly appalling cardio fitness who get out of breath walking up gentle hills on country walks !

I’m more surprised that any airlines are actively recruiting right now in the current climate ?

But yes aside from that the height and weight thing is well known for cabin crew.

Minimum height requirement is in order to be able to safely and properly reach and close overhead lockers .

Weight / proportion sizes will be due to the narrow aisles and v small working quarters , ie tiny galley kitchens and areas for hot food prep and trolleys.

Of course size and weight matters for cabin crew. I thought it was pretty well known that they have weight restrictions for the role. I'm not being overweight is a protected characteristic so it's not discrimination.

They can't be tiny short either they have to be able to reach a certain height, it's a health and safety issue.

@CareBear50

Sorry but for this job I don't see it as discrimination.

Air stewards need to be quick on their feet in case of emergency, and able to squeeze past passengers if necessary. Being a size 18 would hamper the ability to do that.

And I say that as a v overweight person myself.

Completely agree with this

It's a job where safety is paramount and involves tight spaces, small doorways, small fold down seats with low maximum weight limits.

It's not actually about appearance.

I know that when I hit a size 18 I almost had to go down airplane aisles sideways...as crew passing up and down umpteen times an hour that is really not practical. So as much as I'd like to say they shouldn't discriminate based on size I think there are fair grounds for this.

My niece got turned down for cabin crew because of her height. Is that discrimination?!
No. She couldn’t reach the overhead lockers without standing on tiptoe.
Size 18 is too big for cabin crew.

I’m more interested in who is interviewing for cabin crew right now!

Plenty of trained height/weight proportioned crew on furlough.