India’s embattled state carrier Air India has invited back former flight hostesses it sacked for being overweight as it seeks to overcome a severe shortage of cabin crew, a spokesman said last week.
The company has approached nine to 10 women who were fired more than a year ago because they did not meet strict weight criteria for staff working in the cabin.
“About three of them have indicated that they would be willing to come back,” the spokesman told AFP, asking not to be named, in line with company policy.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
He stressed that the weight limits were still in force — they are calculated based on height and age — and that the crew would have to be more svelte if they re-applied for their former jobs.
“We are not relaxing our standards,” he said.
Sacked overweight women have unsuccessfully challenged Air India’s policy in Indian courts, which upheld clauses in the group’s employment contracts.
The crisis-hit airline has faced protests from passengers in recent weeks over severe delays to its flights caused by a shortage of cabin crew, endemic absenteeism and problems adapting to a new airport terminal in New Delhi.
The Hindustan Times newspaper reported last week that the loss-making group, which is seeking a new government bailout, will run out of cash in the next few months and be unable to pay staff after March.
(AFP)
印度航空一位發言人上週表示，處境艱難的該公司因為缺乏空服員，而邀請數名因體重過重遭開除的員工回鍋。
印度航空詢問了九到十位一年多前，因未達機艙工作人員嚴格的體重限制而遭開除的人員。
因公司規定而要求不具名的發言人告訴法新社，「她們當中大約有三位表示願意回來。」
他表示，體重的限制依然存在，而且重新申請回鍋必須比之前還更苗條─這限制依照體重與年齡計算。
他說，「我們並沒有放鬆標準。」
遭開除的女空服員訴諸法律，企圖藉此挑戰公司政策，但法庭支持勞資合約的立場，而未對空服員做出有利的裁決。
進日頻遭困難的印度航空飽受空服員短缺之苦，造成乘客因班機嚴重延誤而投訴。除此之外還有該公司特有的員工無故缺勤問題，與他們適應新德里機場新航空站等問題。
印度斯坦時報上週報導表示，這家尋求政府支援的虧錢集團資金於未來幾個月將完全用盡，並於三月份後無法給付員工薪水。
（法新社／翻譯：吳岱璟）
Many consumers are guilty of filling drawers or closets with old laptops, cellphones, fitness trackers and other electronic devices once they are no longer needed. It’s hard to know where to recycle such items, or it seems costly and inconvenient to do so. The world generates millions of tons of electronic waste — also called e-waste — each year. According to the UN’s most recent estimate, people worldwide produced 62 million metric tons of e-waste in 2022, and only about 22 percent of it was properly recycled. The US’ Environmental Protection Agency estimates that less than a quarter of e-waste is
You’re sitting in class when a classmate asks to borrow a pencil. It seems like a small favor, so you agree without hesitation. The following week, the same classmate asks to share your notes. Later, they request help with a group project. You agree each time — after all, you helped out the first time — but before you know it, it has become automatic. This scenario demonstrates the “foot-in-the-door technique,” a psychological concept that shows how agreeing to small, acceptable demands makes it easier to accept larger ones later on. The name for this strategy comes from door-to-door
A: The four-day Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend begins Friday and will run until Monday. Are you going to sweep your ancestors’ tombs? B: I did in advance last weekend, so I can go to Kaohsiung to see the musical “The Phantom of the Opera.” A: Wow, is “Phantom” touring Taiwan again? It debuted in 1986, so this year marks the 40th anniversary of the show. B: And it’s not just touring Kaohsiung starting March 31, but also Taipei starting April 21 and Taichung starting May 26. A: “Phantom” is one of the world’s Four Major Musicals. I’ve seen all of them, except “Les
Dos & Don’ts — 想想看，這句話英語該怎麼說？ 1. 我們很早到達電影院。 ˇ We arrived at the theater very early. χ We arrived the theater very early. 註︰arrive 為不及物動詞，後面如果有受詞要用 at 或 in。例如：They arrived in Taipei yesterday.。一般大地方，如國家、省、大城市等前面用 in，凡小地方城鎮、學校等則用 at。 2. 開車半小時以後，我們到達了海灘。 ˇ After half an hour’s drive, we got to the beach. χ After half an hour’s drive, we got the beach. 註︰come, go, get（來、去、到達）某地時，在表示地點的名詞前面應該用 to，如 go to school, go to Taipei, come to Shanghai 等。如果這些動詞後面所跟的是 here, there, home 等副詞，則不用 to。 3. 明天我會回辦公室。 ˇ I will be back in the office tomorrow. χ I will be back to office tomorrow. 註︰to be back 一語裡的 back 是副詞，不是介詞，所以後面要用 at (the market) 或 in (the office)。 假如假期結束，要回學校上課了則可說： ? Kids will be back
RSS