A row over grooming and uniform policies in the aviation sector has put Indian airlines under the spotlight, with Air India at the centre of the debate. Questions were raised after sections of its cabin crew manual, which reportedly restrict visible bindi, sindoor and mangalsutra while on duty, surfaced online. The issue surfaced following controversy surrounding Peyush Bansal’s Lenskart over its dress code policy. Times Now accessed the documents of Akasa Air and SpiceJet reflect similar grooming policies, stating that cabin crew are not permitted to wear sindoor or mangalsutra while on duty, underscoring that such norms are not limited to one carrier. Air India in its statement, said, “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.” Times Now reached out to both Akasa Air and SpiceJet regarding the matter. While Akasa did not comment, SpiceJet is expected to give a statement on the issue. Industry sources suggest that carriers may review internal guidelines to ensure they are in step with evolving societal expectations while maintaining operational consistency. According to industry insiders, such guidelines are aligned with global aviation safety and service standards. “All of these are align with global safety standard. Food safety, readiness to conduct a safety evacuation, anything that comes in way of that is not permitted onboard. If there is a possibility of a ‘Kada’ of creating a possible hinderance in crew performing duties may not be allowed. It is not india specific, it must be at a global best practices perspective”. A former cabin crew member who has worked with IndiGo, Jet Airways, Vistara, Air Asia, Etihad and Air Asia Malaysia, speaking on condition of anonymity, said grooming standards vary across airlines and are strictly outlined in service manuals. “For example, sindoor could fall into food. Also, any kind of jewelery, including necklaces and bracelets, could get caught during emergency procedures, especially since cabin crew operate in tight spaces inside the aircraft and must move quickly. So airlines often limit all necklaces, not just religious ones.” Meanwhile, a huge section of netizens also slammed Air India over its connection with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which made headlines recently over serious allegations of sexual harassment and religious conversions at its Nashik branch. Both Air India and TCS come under the umbrella of the Tata Group. The IT services firm reiterated its commitment to workplace safety, stating it maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment or misconduct. It added that it is fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities as the matter remains under investigation. “As we have stated before, we have a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of coercion or misconduct. We are focused on supporting our employees and ensuring a safe and respectful workplace across all our locations," the CEO of TCS added. For the Latest news, India News and breaking stories from around the world, visit Times Now for live coverage and in-depth reporting. Shafali Nigam is a Senior Correspondent with the Times Group, covering civil aviation, education, women and child affairs, and politics. With over sev... View More