Terminating ‘overweight’ flight supervisor discriminatory, group tells MAS

The Women’s Aid Organisation has condemned Malaysia Airlines for reportedly terminating a flight supervisor for supposedly being overweight.

The women's rights group also expressed disappointment that Industrial Court chairperson Syed Noh Said Nazir had ruled in MAS’ favour when the former flight supervisor, Ina Meliesa Hassin, had sued the airline for unlawful dismissal.

It said the case amounts to weight discrimination against Meliesa and urged the Human Resources Ministry to include provisions against discrimination of this type in the Employment Act as soon as possible.

“The onus is on MAS to prove that its weight criteria for flight attendants are indeed a bona fide or indispensable requirement of the job.

“Merely asserting notions of ‘image’ and ‘safety’ is not enough. After all, how does weighing an additional 0.7kg affect one’s job performance?

“The ability of flight attendants to provide excellent customer service ultimately lies in their interpersonal skill rather than on their body weight,” the WAO said in a statement today.

The Edge reported on Wednesday that Meliesa has filed a suit under Section 20(3) of the Industrial Relations Act against MAS for unfairly dismissing her after working 25 years for the airline.

Syed Noh, however, reportedly ruled that there was just cause for MAS’ decision to dismiss her.

“The court is convinced that the company had provided the claimant with ample opportunities and chances to comply with the company’s policy and that despite the many opportunities the claimant had consistently failed to achieve her optimal weight,” he was quoted as saying.

He also added that the airline had adequately explained its weight policy. The judgement was reportedly handed down on Feb 14.

According to the report, Meliesa’s weight was found to be in excess of her body mass index as stipulated in MAS’ cabin crew grooming manual.

It said that Meliesa is 160cm tall which meant that her maximum permissible weight was 61kg. She weighed 61.7kg at her last official weigh-in on April 10, 2017.

She was subsequently grounded and not allowed to perform her primary duties as flight supervisor. After repeatedly failing to meet the weight requirement under a weight management programme for 18 months, she was terminated.

The airline also reportedly told the court that it had given Meliesa numerous opportunities to meet the weight requirement and she was even provided an aviation doctor but she repeatedly failed to attend scheduled weigh-ins.

Meliesa’s lawyers, meanwhile, reportedly countered that the claim excess weight posed a safety risk was frivolous.

They highlighted that other airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM and Qantas which did not impose BMI requirements on their cabin crew did not encounter safety risks.

The WAO said MAS should respect its staff if it aspires to be a respected airline.

“Behind all the talk about ‘maintaining its image as a premium airline’ lies the degrading and dehumanising idea that flight attendants are mere eye candy, an idea that is bolstered by sexist and unrealistic beauty standards,” it said.

It also expressed disappointment that the Industrial Court failed to challenge MAS’ rationale for its weight management policy.

“Judges need to be trained on gender discrimination so that they are equipped to utilise provisions in the law to address such cases of discrimination.

“Tackling discrimination will ultimately help us create workplaces that are more inclusive and diverse,” it said.