Days after Lenskart drew backlash over its reported policies, Air India has found itself at the centre of a similar controversy, with alleged grooming guidelines for cabin crew triggering a storm online.
The issue surfaced after social media users shared excerpts from what was claimed to be the airline’s cabin crew handbook. The images suggested that items such as wedding choora, mangalsutra, teeka, and sindoor were not permitted for employees.
“It appears that this problem runs much deeper. Here are some pictures from the Air India Cabin Crew Handbook. Bindi, Sindoor, Tilak, etc., are not allowed. Why are they doing this so blatantly?” a user wrote on X (formally twitter), sharing screenshots of the alleged guidelines.
The post quickly went viral, prompting sharp reactions from users. Some compared the reported rules with practices followed by international carriers, while others questioned why such restrictions would be imposed in India.
One user wrote, “Pakistan’s PIA, Qatar’s Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabia’s airline all Muslim countries have allowed Hijab for air hostess and majority wears that. While its only in India that Hindus are made to feel ashamed of their Hinduness. Time to Change now. No more Hinduphobia.”
Another added, “The whole country erupted in anger when Khulbhushan Jadhav’s wife was made to remove her bangles, Bindi & mangalsutra by pak authorities. Here we have our country’s flag carrier airlines making their staff follow the same diktat. This must stop. Not in our country!”
Amid the growing backlash, Air India issued a clarification, distancing itself from the viral content. “Air India would like to clarify that its employees have the choice to wear bindi. The images being circulated online are from an older manual that is no longer in use,” a spokesperson told DNA India.
