Air India fires 'fat' hostesses

NEW DELHI, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Nine airline hostesses say they will appeal their termination from Air India for being overweight.

The hostesses first were grounded from flight duty and assigned office jobs, which the airline now is terminating, the BBC reported Tuesday.

"They haven't been flying for two to three years for being exceptionally overweight," said Jitendra Bhargava, who claims the hostesses are between 24 pounds to 70 pounds overweight and present a safety issue.

India's Supreme Court currently is considering the hostesses' appeal of a lower-court ruling last June that said the airline had the right to ground them over weight issues, the BBC reported.

Air India hostesses wear traditional Indian saris and the airline is facing competition from other airlines with younger flight crews who dress in skirts, the BBC said.

Air India has previously said it would not consider job applicants who have acne or bad teeth, the BBC reported.