The Supreme Court ordered on Thursday maintenance of status quo till November 19 while taking up a petition challenging the Delhi high court's judgement allowing appointment of female cabin crew members as in-flight supervisors in the national carrier Air India.
For the last three decades, the posts of IFS has been reserved for flight pursers (male cabin crew members).
A bench headed by Justice H K Sema ordered status quo till November 19, the date on which a bunch of petitions in the matter is scheduled to come up for hearing.
Challenging the eligibility of female crew members for appointment as IFS, Air India Cabin Crew Association and others submitted that the two cadres -- air hostesses and pursers -- cannot be compared and seniority cannot be merged or equated.
The petition said the disparity with regard to service existed prior to 1997 when air hostesses were appointed between the age of 18 and 24 with just secondary school qualification whereas the flight pursers were required to be graduates and were appointed at a much older age.
The petition said flight pursers started their services three incremental levels below the air