Passengers disembarking from IndiGo in Madhya Pradesh, India. Photo by Niharika Kulkarni/NurPhoto via Getty An airline’s new policy that allows female passengers to choose the gender of the person seated next to them has divided social media users. IndiGo, India’s largest low-cost airline, announced the change for all its flights starting in August.
Women can now see the gender of other passengers who have already selected seats – with women marked in pink – during online check-in to help them decide where to sit. Men are not shown this information and can only see available seats. Social media users have had mixed reactions to the introduction of the booking policy.
One X/Twitter user said: “It’s about time women had the option to choose who they sit next to on a flight. Personal space and comfort matter, especially in a confined space like an airplane.” “Crazy that measures like this have to be taken because some men just can’t control themselves and invade women’s spaces.
all for it tho,” added another. Several others commented agreeing that “every airline should do this”. However, some replied calling the initiative “unfair” and questioned why men “can’t choose not to sit next to women”.
A man posted: “That’s discrimination. Should offer men the same choice.” Another social media user called the move a “regressive step” and said the airline was “going back in time”.
The airline said in a statement that it was proud to intr.