Air India is Reserving Seats for Females Traveling Alone

Remember when the creepy guy next to you on the plane insisted on sharing the middle armrest a bit too comfortably? Or when you had to listen to the weirdo who keeps bringing up his divorce and flirting with the flight attendant? It happens to us all, but Air India wants to help.

The state-run carrier will soon be saving six seats on each of their flights for females traveling alone. This measure is being taken to ensure the utmost safety and comfort for women after a recent incident in which a sleeping female passenger was assaulted by a man seated next to her.

The reserved seats will be in economy class and do not cost any extra fees. This gesture, though good intentioned, has sparked controversy across the web. Many say this only furthers gender discrimination rather than eliminating the actual problem: creepy men who think it’s ok to touch a woman without her consent.

Grace Williamson is a travel intern with Paste and a freelance writer based out of Athens, Georgia.

Photo courtesy of Air India