According to regulations issued by the DGCA in 2014, a BMI of 18-25 is normal for a male cabin crew, while for a female it is 18-22. A BMI of 25-29.9 for male crew is considered overweight and 30 and above is obese, while for females BMI of 22-27 is overweight and 27 and above obese, as per the regulations.

In 2026, most major airlines have moved away from strict "maximum weight" numbers in favor of a Body Mass Index (BMI) range, typically between 18 and 22 or 25. For example, carriers like Air India and IndiGo often specify a strict BMI range of 18–22 for female candidates during recruitment. Middle Eastern giants like Emirates and Qatar Airways do not always publish a specific number but require crew to be "medically fit" and have a "proportionate weight to height" to ensure they can move easily in narrow aisles and perform safety duties. The functional requirement is that you must be able to fit comfortably into the jumpseat harness and pass through the emergency exit window during drills. While grooming standards have modernized, maintaining a BMI within the "healthy" category remains a standard prerequisite to ensure the physical stamina required for 14-hour long-haul shifts and the high-altitude environment, where excess weight can increase the risk of health complications.