A group of Indian Airlines air stewardesses who were grounded for being overweight have lost a year-long legal battle to be allowed back to work.

The Delhi High Court rejected the women’s argument that their employer’s decision was “unreasonable and demeaning” – and even suggested that they should try to lose some weight.

“If the air hostesses are asked to battle their bulge, control their girth and keep at desired level the affluence of their body weight as per the norms, it is not understood how it is in any way unfair, unreasonable and insulting,” Justice Rekha Sharma said in the ruling on Friday.

“If by perseverance the snails could reach the Ark, why can’t these worthy ladies stand on and turn the scale?” she said.

The ruling came two months after another court ruled that Indian Airlines, the state-run national carrier, was obliged to pay air stewardesses’ salaries in full even if they were grounded for being overweight. Indian Airlines hailed Friday’s ruling, saying that it was simply enforcing its longstanding regulations for air crew. Sheela Joshi, one of 11 air stewardesses who sued the airline, described the court’s decision as “unconstitutional” and vowed to appeal.

She accuses Indian Airlines of trying to replace its older, and heavier, air hostesses with younger, slimmer recruits to try and attract more business.

“This is very disappointing,” she told The Times. “They think the planes have become catwalks and we’ve all got to be models. How does your weight affect your efficiency as a crew member?”

The dispute reflects the growing competition between Indian Airlines and private carriers. One of them, Kingfisher Airlines, openly claims to have India’s most beautiful stewardesses and kits them out with short skirts and high heels.

The legal wrangle began after Indian Airlines grounded some 140 air crew without pay last year for being overweight.

Like many airlines it does stipulate in air crew contracts that staff can be laid off if their weight exceeds a certain level.

In 1990 it said that staff could exceed their maximum natural weight, as defined by company doctors, by up to 10 per cent. A decade later it changed the allowance to 7kg (15lb). It reduced that to 3kg over the next five years, then scrapped it in May last year.

Ms Joshi and her colleagues argued that the airline should revert to the 10 per cent excess allowance to take into account the natural changes in women’s bodies between the ages of 35 and 58. Indian Airlines air crew retire at 58.

“With ladies the problems start from 35 onwards because you have childbirth, menopause and such things,” Ms Joshi said. The airline’s doctors have said that Ms Joshi should weigh between 53kg and 63kg. She was grounded last December for being 67kg.

Ms Joshi says that her natural weight is 66-67kg and she can slim down to 63kg only by going on crash diets that damage her health.

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