Air India is in the process of hiring up to 500 new cabin crew after a change in government regulations which means more crew are required to operate on long-haul flights. The airline says it is looking for experienced cabin crew who already have at least one year of flying experience and are up to date with SEP qualifications.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Air India was quoted as saying that the “Directorate General of Civil Aviation has put in place new norms…flights, particularly on the ultra-long-haul routes should have a higher number of cabin crew.”
The airline rep also said it needed to bolster its cabin crew numbers because it was expanding its fleet with new Boeing 737 and Airbus A320NEO single-aisle aircraft, as well as because of natural attrition of current crew.
Air India has been very open with some its minimum requirements that would never be allowed in a Western airline. For example, the airline will only accept applications from unmarried candidates and its even stipulated the number of male and female staff it plans to hire – 337 women and 163 men in case you want to know.
The government-owned airline, which has been battling mounting losses, is preparing to be sold on to a private bidder under plans made by India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi. Air India’s current debt is estimated to be in the region of $8 billion USD.
The idea created by the Modi government is to spin off Air India into four separate entities – with Air India and Air India Express going as one unit. Ground handling, maintenance and the regional airline, Alliance Air would be split into the remaining three businesses.
Last year, the Indian government tweaked legislation to allow foreign companies to bid for Air India. There are rumours that Doha-based Qatar Airways is considering its options, given that it has signalled its intent to start an Indian airline anyway.
For cabin crew looking to join Air India during this current recruitment, they’ll have to meet a long list of minimum requirements. Along with the marital status, candidates have to be aged between 18-35 years old and eyeglasses are NOT allowed.
Female candidates will have to be at least 160cm tall and have a BMI of between 18-22. For male applications, the minimum height is 172cm, with a BMI of between 18-25. A healthy BMI is generally considered to be between 18.5 – 25 but takes no account of things such as muscle mass.
Positions are open in the Northern Region, Delhi and Western Region, Mumbai on a fixed term contract which will be initially set at 5-years. Interested candidates can apply for the position via Air India’s official careers website. Before applying, you’ll need a medical certificate which confirms your height and BMI.
