Airline to let women choose the gender of who they sit next to

It is hoped female passengers will feel safer

IndiGo, India’s largest low-cost airline, revealed it would allow female passengers to check the gender of the person sat next to them ahead of flying.

It is hoped the new measure will allow women to feel safer and more secure by giving them the option of booking seats next to other women if they don’t feel comfortable being sat next to a man.

However, male passengers will not be able to view the gender of their seatmates and will only be able to see available seats.

The changes will come into effect from August 2024 on all of its flights.

In a statement IndiGo said: “IndiGo is proud to announce the introduction of a new feature that aims to make the travel experience more comfortable for our female passengers.

“This has been introduced based on market research, and is currently in pilot mode aligning with our #GirlPower ethos.

“We are committed to providing an unparalleled travel experience for all our passengers and this new feature is just one of the many steps we are taking towards achieving that goal.”

According to the Daily Mail, the new initiative was developed following a survey that asked female passengers what would make travel more comfortable for them.

Though it is a global first for the aviation industry, similar schemes on local trains and buses already exist in India.

Many welcomed the news on Reddit with one user saying: “Smart move that is sure to build customer loyalty. Especially given the increase in news stories of creeps being caught on flight.”

However, another shared their sadness at the scheme: “Feel really sad that it has come to this. Women should be and feel safe regardless of the people sitting next to them.”

The airline, which is a codeshare partner of Qantas, was founded in 2006 and operates more than 2,000 domestic and international flights per day in India.