Airline becomes world's first to let women refuse to sit next to men

An Asian airline has this week made history by implementing a rule which allows women the opportunity to refuse the sit beside a male passenger.

The new measure - which is first of its kind across the globe - hopes to see female passengers feel increasingly more comfortable onboard the firm's planes in cases where random seat allocation has placed them beside a male passenger.

The policy will come into play from August. (Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

As such, women will instead be given the right to immediately switch seats to enable them to sit beside another female flyer.

In a practical sense, whilst purchasing a flight, amending their travel itineraries or requesting a particular seat via the website, only female passengers will be able to see where different genders are located across the flight.

Female passengers will be marked in pink by the airline across the site to distinguish them from male flyers.

In turn, they'll be able to move to a different available seat if uncomfortable sitting beside a man.

Alternatively, male flyers using the website will not be shown this information, and will only be permitted to see which seats are available.

The groundbreaking change will been implemented by IndiGo - India's largest low-cost airline, which operates 2,000 domestic and international flights per day - from August 2024, and applies on every future journey.

IndiGo is the first airline to implement the policy. (Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The change came as a result of a survey recently conducted by the airline - which is also the largest airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size - after passengers were asked what would make them feel more accommodated for.

In a statement subsequently released by IndiGo representatives to CNN, the firm claimed it is 'proud' to announce the rule's introduction, which they say 'aims to make the travel experience more comfortable for our female passengers'.

"This has been introduced basis market research, and is currently in pilot mode aligning with our #GirlPower ethos," the statement continued.

"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 policy follows legislation in India which already allows women to book seats on the likes of trains and buses beside other women.

The move is aimed at making female passengers feel more comfortable. (VladTeodor/Getty)

Since the news was announced earlier today, thousands of regular female flyers have expressed their appreciation of the policy.

Taking to Reddit to discuss the news, one penned online: "There’s an automated system for this in Indian railways which has been rather helpful, keeping me around women whenever I am travelling."

A second continued: "It’s great that they are offering us choices. Once I was travelling and my seat was in the middle of two men. The space between them was nil. I was too shy to ask for the crew to let me change my seat.

"Thankfully, one crew lady asked me to change and occupy the empty emergency seat."