The public council of a major airline has defended its decision to offer 'overweight' cabin crew lower-paid routes.

Aeroflot, Russia's largest airline, was taken to court by two female crew members who claimed their weight affected what flights they were allowed to work on.

They said bosses moved them from international routes to lower-paid domestic flights.

Despite denying the allegations, a spokesman from Aeroflot's Public Council, who Aeroflot later claimed did not represent them, said passengers expect to see crew members of a particular appearence.

In a press conference on Tuesday, he said: "Aeroflot is a premium airline and part of the reason people pay for tickets is the appearance of its employees.
Evengia Magurina said staff were measured and even weighed in some cases under the pretext of fitting for new uniforms (
Image:
TASS)
Evgenia Magurina has taken the airline to court claiming her weight meant she has been offered lower-paid routes (
Image:
TASS)

"92% want to see stewardesses who fit into clothes sizes we are talking about here."

One of the complainants, Evgenia Magurina, claimed the airline photographed, measured and in some instances weighed crew members, according to the Guardian .

She said: "We were all photographed en masse and measured - some were even weighed.

"This was done under the pretext of company rebranding and ordering new uniforms for staff. My life changed in the middle of August."
A spokesman for the airline said passengers pay for their crew to have a particular appearance (
Image:
Aeroflot)
Nikita Krichevsky, a member of the airline's public council, said overweight crew should be grateful their bosses care about their health (
Image:
Aeroflot)

Nikita Krichevsky, another member of the airlines public council, said the lower salaries should be seen as an incentive to lose weight rather than a punishment.

He accused the women of “trying to blacken the name of the state air company”, adding they should be pleased the company cared about their health.

Krichevsky said if they didn’t like the conditions they should resign.

He went on to reveal details of his personal weight loss journey, saying: "I myself used to weigh 103kg, and now I weigh 80kg.
Only five of the 25 members on the airline's public council are female (
Image:
Reuters)

"I just corrected my eating habits and lost weight. I don’t understand why the request to be a particular size is unrealistic."

The airline’s website lists Krichevsky as a member of its 25-person public council, responsible for "explaining Aeroflot’s positions to a wide audience".

Only five of the 25 council members are women.

An official statement from Aeroflot said: "Aeroflot does not apply geographical restrictions on where members of cabin crew may fly. The member of cabin crew cited by RFE/RL, Evgenia Magurina, serves passengers on international and domestic flights, including to the US (for which she has a valid visa).

"Aeroflot has thoroughly investigated Ms Magurina’s claims and has found no evidence to support her allegation.

"Cabin crew contracts include no geographical restrictions. Hundreds of Aeroflot’s cabin crew are aged over 40 and regularly work on international flights to destinations in North America, Europe, Japan, China and elsewhere.

"Aeroflot has exacting requirements for all staff based on the specific demands of their duties, where the priority is the comfort and safety of passengers. The principal selection criteria are communication skills, a friendly and approachable nature, knowledge of foreign languages and neat and tidy self-presentation."