British Airways suspends two employees for “fat-shaming” a 100 kg stewardess in a WhatsApp group

Two British Airways crew members have been suspended after allegedly making fun of a colleague’s weight in a private messaging group.

The two are said to have made cruel comments about her behind the back of a 100 kg stewardess in a WhatsApp chat in which she did not participate. A shocked colleague brought their comments to the attention of BA bosses.

As The Sun reports, the messages, the accuracy of which has not been independently verified, targeted the 95kg flight attendant in a series of “merciless” messaging exchanges.

British Airways has reportedly suspended the two employees accused of bullying while the airline investigates the case.

A statement said: “We have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and always fully investigate all allegations that come to our attention.”

The job of a flight attendant involves many manual tasks, including reaching overhead bins at the luggage rack and opening aircraft doors.

BA states that all employees must be of the required height and reach at least 2.01 m.

There is no indication that there is a maximum weight limit for the crew as long as they can perform all tasks.

“To meet the range requirement, you will likely need to be at least 5 feet 10 inches tall,” a statement on the company’s website said.

“We measure your diagonal reach because this is needed to manually activate an emergency slide in an emergency.

“You will be asked to hold a handle with your right hand and reach down with your left hand to touch a label on the floor. Your right arm will be at approximately 2 o’clock and your left arm will be at approximately 7 o’clock. You will squat a little while doing this, so make sure your clothing allows you enough room to bend.”