New Delhi, Aug 04: Air hostesses will seek review of the recent Supreme Court judgement upholding Air India's decision to bring down their flying age from 58 to 50 years with the option for ground duty till the age of retirement, their counsel Ram Jethmalani said today. "In another couple of days a revision petition against the apex court judgement on the issue would be filed," he told reporters while criticising the policy of early grounding of the women air crew.

The Supreme Court on July 11 had set aside a Bombay High Court judgement allowing the air hostesses in Air India to fly till their superannuation age at 58 years.

The former law minister claimed that government had supported the petition of the air hostesses in the high court for striking down the discrimination practised against the fair sex but in the special leave petition (SLP) in the apex court opposed the judgement and succeeded.

"There was contradiction in government's attitude before the Supreme Court and high court. The present attitude amounts to talibanising the air services in India," he said contending that it was gross discrimination on the ground of sex where women are being treated as an object of exploitation.
Jethmalani said that he had taken up the issue with the new aviation minister, who heard the grievances of the air hostess' delegation with "attention and sympathy".

Bureau Report