In a groundbreaking move, India’s largest budget airline, IndiGo, has introduced a pioneering booking feature that allows female passengers to choose seats away from male travellers.
This innovative feature, a first in the aviation industry, displays pink seats on the seat selection page to indicate female occupants, but only to female bookers. Male passengers will not have access to this information.
IndiGo’s system relies on passengers identifying their gender during ticket purchase, enabling the airline to control access to this data.
The feature, launched in May on a trial basis, is now available on all flights. Although it’s not yet visible on IndiGo’s website and mobile app, the initiative has garnered positive feedback on social media.
CEO Pieter Elbers praised the response, saying, “Technology has enabled us to introduce this feature, which has resonated well with our customers, both domestically and internationally.”
Why do women want to avoid sitting next to men?
IndiGo’s innovative booking feature aims to make flying more comfortable for female passengers, allowing them to choose seats away from male travellers.
The move has received widespread praise on social media, with many sharing personal experiences of harassment and discomfort during flights.
Some users appreciated the initiative, citing instances of men sitting with their legs wide apart or touching them inappropriately.
However, not everyone is pleased. Some critics argue that the feature is discriminatory and sexist, questioning how the airline will handle cases of men identifying as women.
IndiGo’s representative emphasized that the feature is based on market research and aligns with their #GirlPower ethos but didn’t directly address whether recent in-flight incidents involving men prompted the service.
Incidents like a drunk man urinating on a female passenger during an Air India flight and a male passenger inappropriately touching a female passenger on an IndiGo flight highlight the need for such measures.
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