Summary IndiGo introduced seat selection based on gender for female passengers for a more comfortable flight experience. The option has been mostly well-received, particularly by female travelers who have felt uncomfortable sitting next to male passengers in the past. While some view the feature favorably, others argue for a larger discussion on women's safety in public spaces.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, doesn’t shy away from trying out new offerings to improve customer experience. A few months ago, the airline introduced an option for its female-identifying passengers to be seated next to passengers of the same gender in case they wished to avoid sitting next to a male-identifying traveler. The decision has been welcomed by many female travelers in light of several cases of sexual misconduct on flights.
However, there are some who argue that this only treats the issue on a surface level and that a larger discussion is required around women’s safety in public spaces. Option to choose seats based on gender A few months ago, IndiGo introduced a new feature in pilot mode that allowed women to choose seats next to other female passengers. The airline said that this was done after market research and was intended to make the travel experience of its female passengers more comfortable.
The feature allows women travelers to see the genders of the passengers occupying seats on the aircraft during web check-in, so that those who wish to avoid being seated next to a man can.