India-based IndiGo airlines’ women-only seating map feature is set to roll out next month. The country’s largest low-cost airline, IndiGo, will soon enable female passengers to avoid sitting next to male strangers.
This initiative, a first in the airline industry, aims to enhance the comfort and safety of solo female travelers.
Starting next month, during online check-in, female flyers will see a special seating map highlighting seats occupied by other women in pink. Male passengers, however, will continue to see the standard seating layout without gender-specific information.
"IndiGo is proud to announce this new feature, introduced based on market research and aligning with our #GirlPower ethos," a representative from IndiGo told The Mirror. "We are committed to providing an unparalleled travel experience for all our passengers, and this is one of the many steps we are taking towards achieving that goal."
The reaction to this initiative has been mixed. Some users on social media expressed support, while others questioned the policy's fairness. "I have no problem with this policy if men are allowed to do this as well," one user commented. Another asked, "What happens when a man does not want to sit next to a woman?"
This initiative comes amid ongoing discussions about male behavior on planes, such as "manspreading" and other encroachments on personal space. Stories of such incidents often circulate on social media, highlighting the discomfort faced by passengers.
