Ladies can now keep away from sitting beside males on flights supplied by India’s greatest airline, courtesy of a brand new reserving characteristic.
Whereas touring with IndiGo, girls will probably be proven a pink icon throughout on-line check-in indicating the place different girls are sat.
Consequently they’ll tailor their seat choice to keep away from being sat beside a person. The characteristic is barely seen to feminine passengers.
IndiGo’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, mentioned this system was based mostly on suggestions from prospects in addition to rising know-how permitting the characteristic to turn into a actuality.
Elbers defined to CNBC’s Road Indicators Asia: “A part of our philosophy actually is a courteous and hassle-free service.
“We introduced it up as a take a look at … and truly it has resounded very, very nicely. I feel it speaks to the innovation of IndiGo and the truth that we transfer forwards and never solely have inexpensive and low prices, but in addition put a number of emphasis on our buyer expertise.”
Whereas Elbers mentioned the corporate doesn’t at present have information on what number of girls are utilizing the characteristic, he cited robust particular person reactions from prospects.
IndiGo, which operates round 2,000 flights a day and flew 28 million prospects in its most up-to-date quarter, instructed CNBC the options is designed to “make the journey expertise extra snug for our feminine passengers.”
IndiGo, which dominates the market for home flights in India, added the characteristic is at present in pilot mode and aligns with the corporate’s “#GirlPower ethos.”
IndiGo didn’t instantly reply to Fortune’s request for remark.
Is that this coverage wanted?
On X, the Elon Musk-owned platform previously often called Twitter, opinion is split. Whereas some folks respect the characteristic, saying they’ve felt “discomfort” on flights for that reason, others requested whether or not it was needed.
Based on the U.S. State Division, girls face the next degree of risk to their private safety whereas touring in India. It writes: “Don’t journey alone, notably in case you are a lady.”
The state division directs additional enquiries to its recommendation for ladies vacationers, which incorporates notes akin to not utilizing a title whereas reserving lodging and discovering close by police stations and hospitals in case of an emergency.
Whereas girls are warned to train warning whereas on the bottom, proof suggests they need to additionally concentrate on dangers within the air.
Information about sexual assault on flights is troublesome to come back by: The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) retains a tab on ‘unruly’ passenger studies however doesn’t specify the character of those incidents.
This information peaked in 2021 following the COVID pandemic at 5,973 studies for the yr, subsequently falling to 897 for the yr 2024 thus far.
Likewise following the institution of the Nationwide In-Flight Sexual Misconduct Job Pressure (Job Pressure) in 2019, information illustrates the variety of incidents almost doubled from 2017 (63 incidents) to 2020 (119).
Whereas details about incidents previously 4 years is much less accessible, the FBI warned in April of this yr that the “severe federal crime” is on the rise.
An FBI examine in 2022 outlined the issue.
“Usually, sexual crimes are dedicated by males, and the identical holds true after they occur on airplanes.
“Most frequently, an assailant sits instantly subsequent to the sufferer and takes benefit of this proximity. Victims doubtless sit in a center or window seat, with the offender nearer to or on the aisle, successfully barricading her so she must stroll previous the perpetrator to get out,” writes Particular Agent Wess Brooker.
Whereas some might question how doable it’s for a person to commit an assault in a intently monitored surroundings (planes filled with different passengers and flight attendants) in a brief time frame (flights final a matter of hours), Brooker factors out this merely accelerates the grooming and assault course of.
One instance, Brooker notes, is when a person assaulted two feminine passengers by sitting beside them in unassigned seating. Each the assaults occurred on a flight underneath two and a half hours, indicating the topic’s “expertise with recognizing a goal and appearing shortly.”