Air India grounds 125 flight attendants for being overweight

NEW DELHI (FOX 11) - Too fat to fly?

Air India has asked 125 flight attendants to lose some weight or prepare for ground duties, CNN reports.

The airline said the decision is based on fitness guidelines laid out by India's civil aviation regulator.

The regulator mandated a body mass index (BMI) of 18 to 25 for male crew members and 18 to 22 for female crew members. Men with a BMI of 25 to 29.99, and women with a BMI of 22 to 27, were classified as overweight.

"It is an opportunity for them to bring themselves back to the (required) fitness level. If they cannot because of any medical reasons, they will be offered ground duties," Air India spokesman G.P. Rao told CNN on Tuesday.

BMI is calculated based on height and weight. However, some say the index is not always an accurate indicator of a person's health and body fat percentage.

Air India said the decision was based on safety concerns and not about appearances.

Tap here to read the full report by CNN.