IndiGo, one of the world’s largest airlines, has introduced a new feature that allows female passengers to select seats next to other women. Currently in its pilot phase, the initiative enables women to view the gender of other passengers on the seating chart during check-in, aiming to enhance comfort and security for female travelers.
When checking in, women will see pink seats on the selection page, indicating that the adjacent seat is occupied by another female passenger. This feature is exclusively available to those who identify as female during booking, ensuring that male passengers cannot access this information.
This move comes in response to growing concerns about in-flight harassment and assault. For instance, last year, a female passenger on an IndiGo flight reported that a man seated next to her lifted the armrest and groped her. Similarly, in 2023, another woman reported being groped by a drunk man while waiting to board an IndiGo flight.
These incidents are not unique to IndiGo. In the U.S., similar cases often lead to lawsuits. For example, Delta Airlines is facing a lawsuit after a man allegedly sexually assaulted a woman during a flight, with the airline accused of overserving alcohol and failing to protect passengers. Other U.S. airlines like Alaska, American, Spirit, and United have also faced similar issues, with reports of passengers being groped or inappropriately touched mid-flight.
While reliable statistics on in-flight sexual assaults are scarce, there have been numerous reports of such incidents, often involving intoxicated passengers. In 2014, a bill was introduced in Congress to track sexual assaults on flights, but it failed to pass. Despite these reports, it’s important to note that the majority of the millions who fly daily do so without incident.
IndiGo’s new seating feature is part of the airline’s broader commitment to empowering women, aligning with its #GirlPower ethos. The airline is also known for having one of the highest percentages of female pilots globally. These groping behaviors are not new. Two decades ago, the former leader of Hawaii’s House of Representatives resigned after charges that he touched the crotch of the woman seated next to him. And, almost a decade ago, a Catholic priest was sentenced to six months in federal prison after fondling the breast of the woman in the next seat.
Unfortunately, there are no reliable statistics on how often this happens. In 2014, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced a bill to track sexual assaults in the skies, but it did not pass. Although there are numerous accounts of groping, it’s important to note that almost 3 million people fly each day, and the vast majority of men behave respectfully towards their fellow passengers.
Most of the accounts of groping involve intoxicated passengers. Other airlines concerned about this issue may want to review their policies on serving alcohol.
An Indigo representative said the new program was introduced after market research and “is currently in pilot mode aligning with our #GirlPower ethos.” The airline has made other efforts to empower women and girls and touts that it has one of the highest percentages of female pilots of any airline in the world.