Days after Lenskart grabbed headlines for its policy, Air India has landed in a controversy over its cabin crew rules and regulations. Recently, Air India’s internal grooming guidelines surfaced online and went viral for objections against sindoor, choda, mangalsutra and more.
Air India Cabin Attendant Grooming Policy
“Tikkas, sindoor of any color on the forehead is not permitted,” as the viral airline cabin crew manual states. The viral posts also claimed that there are strict rules regarding accessories and jewelery for the uniform. Only white or yellow gold bangles without any pattern or stones are allowed, while bangles, mixed metal bangles or bangles with embellishments are not allowed.
He further added that employees are prohibited from wearing wedding choora, religious or black threads, beads on wrists, ankles or forearms.
Chains, necklaces or religious articles like mangalsutra, taali, threads or beads are not allowed around the neck. Similarly, nose pins are not allowed, as are toe rings, anklets, sindoor, braces, birthstones, colored stones, mehndi and liquid vermilion.
Netizens react
Netizens expressed their displeasure in response to the claims.
Among them, one user in the comments wrote: “All Muslim countries have allowed hijab as a flight attendant and most wear it (sic). Another wrote: “We can look at the guidelines of all airlines including Indigo, Akasa, Spicejet etc as I don’t remember seeing airline flight crew with bindi and sindoor (sic).”
Another commented: “We are turning a blind eye to this idiotic corporate culture. Every company’s guidelines need to be reviewed now and such companies must be boycotted (sic).”
Someone else said: “It means you are not allowed to practice your religion… it is called pseudo-secularism… if you support it you are intellectual, liberal and modern (sic).
Read also | After bindi, tilak row, Lenskart relaxes dress code allowing religious symbols
Air India responds
Meanwhile, Air India has responded to the viral manual.
An Air India spokesperson told Hindustan Times that the airline’s crew members are allowed to wear bindis. Responding to the document on social media, a spokesperson called it an “outdated manual.”
“Air India would like to clarify that its employees are allowed to wear a bindi. The images circulated online are from an older handbook which is no longer in use,” the spokesperson added.
The Lenskart Controversy Explained
Earlier, Lenskart faced heat for a similar issue. Controversy erupted over its policy of allowing staff to wear the hijab on duty, but not allowing bindis or kalawa.
Read also | Lenskart shares up more than 3% as Motilal Oswal puts ‘Buy’ call up 25%
Later, the eyewear company released a new style guide for in-store employees.
“We heard you. Clearly and openly. Over the past few days, our community and customers have spoken – and we’ve listened. Today we’re standardizing our in-store style guide and sharing it publicly and transparently: https://lenskart.com/style-guide-lenskart-stores.
“These guidelines explicitly and unequivocally welcome every symbol of faith and culture that our team members wear – the bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, hijab, turban and more. Not as exceptions. It’s who we are. Lenskart was built in Bharat, by Indians, for Indians. Our 2,400 stores are run every day by their identity, which is not something they bring to their jobs. Whenever we ask someone to leave the front through the door,” the company added.
