Airhostesses working with budget carrier SpiceJet protested at Chennai airport on Saturday morning, alleging that the airline’s security personnel had strip-searched them, NDTV reported. The cabin crew claimed that they had been strip-searched over the last few days after deboarding flights, and have also been asked to remove sanitary napkins they were wearing.

The airhostesses alleged that they were strip-searched on the suspicion that they were swindling cash collected from the sale of on board items, PTI reported.

The cabin crew reported to work only after the SpiceJet management assured them that a high-level meeting would be held at the company’s Gurugram office on Monday to resolve the issue.

SpiceJet issued a statement denying that its personnel had strip-searched the cabin crew. However, the airline admitted that it conducted “random pat-down searches” on the night of March 28 and March 29. The airline claimed these searches were part of security and safety standard operating procedures.

“One of the objectives of this search is to ensure that there is no pilferage of company money or goods, smuggling or any illegal activity that an employee may be lured into,” an unidentified SpiceJet spokesperson told PTI. “This also ensures security and safety of our passengers, employees and assets.” The spokesperson claimed that the search was of the same kind that passengers undergo at any Indian airport.

The spokesperson added that the airhostesses were searched according to established procedures in closed rooms “by well-trained employees of the same gender”.