MISS LENA KHAN vs UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

The Supreme Court dismissed the petition challenging the retirement age disparity between Air India employees of Indian origin and those of foreign origin, holding that such differentiation does not violate Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution. The Court reaffirmed its earlier decision in Air India v. Nargesh Meerza, establishing that Air India, as a State instrumentality under Article 12, must not discriminate against Indian employees. The Court found that the duties of Deputy Chief Air Hostess do not constitute a separate class, and the policy to phase out foreign-origin Air Hostesses aligns with the goal of uniformity in retirement age.