Two British Airways cabin crew are facing the ax for mocking a 15stone colleague about her weight in a WhatsApp group.
The flight attendant, in her early twenties, was shocked after she saw a friend’s messages because she was not in the chat herself.
And furious colleagues urged her to take the messages to their bosses after the woman, from Wiltshire, was left terrified to return to work.
The pair have now been withdrawn from service, while the flights are short-staffed as cabin crew services are increased while they are off.
They can now be fired if found guilty of misconduct.
The flight attendant, in her early twenties, was shocked after she saw a friend’s messages because she was not in the chat herself. Pictured: stock photo of a BA flight
The pair have now been withdrawn from service, while the flights are short-staffed as cabin crew services are increased while they are off. Pictured: stock photo of BA flukes
Now another five members of the same WhatsApp group are under scrutiny by the airline after their behavior came to light.
“The poor victim of the brutal fat jokes has been left completely bereft,” a source said The sun on Sunday.
‘She had no idea her colleagues had so much contempt for her. The cruel comments made her afraid to leave the house. She felt like a victim. This was abhorrent bullying.”
They added that the woman had hired a personal trainer and joined a gym in an attempt to lose weight in the lead-up to the abuse.
This is because airline staff must be within a height and weight range so that they can fit on the seats and reach the upstairs lockers.
They must have a height between 2.01 m and 1.575 m. There is no specific weight requirement, but it has previously been reported that this should be in proportion to their height.
British Airways said: ‘We have a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying and always fully investigate any allegations brought to our attention.’