Indian airline IndiGo said that its current pilot program, which allows women to prebook seats to sit with other female passengers, has seen a positive response.
In May, the airline launched the program with an aim to make female passengers feel more at ease during flights.
BoeingMan777/Shutterstock
IndiGo said it uses Passenger Name Records to identify female travellers flying alone or with family. When checking in, they can view what seats other women on the flight have reserved and can pick where they would like to sit accordingly.
At the time, the airline said the initiative was being introduced as “basis market research.”
Daily Hive reached out to IndiGo for an update on how the program has been going since its launch.
In a response, IndiGo representative Prateeksha Bhatia said that the airline is currently evaluating the success of the program and will make a decision about if it will continue in the coming months.
“This feature has definitely helped continue to position an Airline of choice for solo women travellers,” said Bhatia.
“Currently roughly 13% of the travellers are solo women travellers.”
Woman share experiences in response to IndiGo’s pilot
IndiGo’s pilot program has received quite a bit of attention on social media, prompting many reactions.
Some were pleased with the decision.
A welcome decision @IndiGo6E 👌🏽
— Radz Talking (@throwball) May 29, 2024
Good decision !
— MoonChild17 (@MoonWalker_1011) August 20, 2024
An interesting move by IndiGo, prioritizing comfort and safety for women travelers. It will be important to see how this option is received by passengers. #WomenSafety #TravelChoices
— Navneet K Singh (@Navneet_K_Singh) August 20, 2024
One comment noted that it was “sad” the airline had to implement this in the first place.
Sad we even have to come to this
— Kavish (@KavishSinghal_3) August 20, 2024
Others seemed skeptical about the pilot or disagreed with it altogether.
Why are we becoming so gender-biased? India’s biggest airline, IndiGo, is now offering women the option to avoid sitting next to men when booking seats.🤔
Do you think men should also have this option?
Are these brands like #Indigo doing it only to capitalize on the recent… pic.twitter.com/WZOIXAcv4t— Akassh Ashok Gupta (@peepoye_) August 20, 2024
Thank you Indigo for further endorsing the stereotype that all men make female co-passengers uncomfortable 😣
— Ankit Nanavati (@ankitnanavati) May 30, 2024
I wish men also given such freedom to choose male co-passengers
— URanj (@URanj2) May 29, 2024
However, a recent post by media company Pop Crave about IndiGo’s program prompted many eye-opening responses from women opening up about their own experiences when it comes to the lack of safety on public transportation.
Warning: some of these responses may be triggering.
tw sexual assault
i think every airline should do this, i can tell you right now it’s terrible to have a man touching you on a plane but feeling too scared to get up because it could get worse by having to get in their face. let’s not get angry at this thanks https://t.co/pynnh0ST88
— becky (@noitsbecks) August 19, 2024
men being angry need to be put on a watchlist or something, as someone who travels alone by flight to delhi multiple times a year, it’s terrifying when a man seated next to you even so much as leans a little into your direction. i hate having to worry abt what he’s gonna do next. https://t.co/inGdM8f15r
— sloppenheimer🍉 (@rajubandarr) August 19, 2024
One commenter noted that they’ve experienced multiple instances of “manspreading” on flights.
I can’t tell you how many times someone manspreading has taken up space in my own seating area and when asked, they “can’t” close their legs. This is great. https://t.co/asVWCGGDGH
— JENNIFER OPAL 🏳️🌈 (@_jenniferopal) August 19, 2024
the last time i flew, i was seated next to a very intoxicated man who put his hand in my lap while he was asleep https://t.co/XRBf08cmUH
— navimjating (@MJoftheday) August 19, 2024
Another person said they felt “anxious” when seated between two men on a flight.
Good cus god forbid i am in the middle seat and there’s a man on both sides i am so anxious and aware when that happens https://t.co/vHmQta1HdW
— Van🇵🇸 (@xiumyeon_nie) August 19, 2024
IndiGo told Daily Hive it has received “a lot of positive feedback from [its] customers, especially female customers” regarding the option.
“This gives more power in the hands of the female customers to choose,” stated the airline.