A major airline is trialling a system that allows female passengers to select seats next to other women. IndiGo Airlines is a budget airline in India and one of the most popular carriers. The airline announced the new feature means solo female travellers and those travelling as part of a group can see where other women are seated when booking a ticket and selecting a seat.
Male passengers will be able to select their seats but seemingly do not have the option to see the gender of passengers when selecting seats. IndiGo said it was proud of the new feature and claimed it would make travel better for women. “IndiGo is proud to announce the introduction of a new feature that aims to make the travel experience more comfortable for our female passengers,” IndiGo said in a statement to CNN.
“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.” The update was part of the airline’s “#GirlPower ethos” and the company did not provide further detail about why they introduced the feature. However, gender politics, religion and traditional norms may provide an explanation.
India has made progress in women’s rights in recent decades, however, the country is still largely influenced by traditional attitudes towards women, which could explain an increased desire for privacy and modesty. As a result, women, particularly those from conservative regio.
