Air India Offers Special Seating to Solo Female Travelers
Traveling solo is a freeing sort of feeling, as it leaves you open to be completely flexible and go where the day — and destination — take you, with the added perk of not having to consult on every little decision with a traveling companion. While one-person vacations are on the rise these days, there are certainly a few drawbacks — safety being one of them, particularly for solo female travelers. In an effort to cater to those concerns, Air India recently announced it will reserve one row of each flight — the third row in economy — as a special, female-only section.
"We feel, as national carriers, it is our responsibility to enhance [the] comfort level to female passengers," Meenakshi Malik, the airline's general manager of revenue management, told The Hindu. "There are a lot of female passengers who travel alone with us and we will be blocking a few seats for them."
While female-only transportation options are nothing new to India — special sections can be found on trains and buses and there's even a fleet of women-only pink rickshaws — Air India's announcement marks the first time an airline has tried it. And it's coming as what seems like a response to a few recent in-flight occurrences that have made headlines and raised eyebrows around the world, including one in December when a woman charged that she was groped by a fellow passenger after she fell asleep on a flight from Mumbai to Newark.
Though the airline's intention seems to be in the right place, the new policy isn't sitting well with everyone. Jitendra Bhargava, Air India's former executive director and the author of The Descent of Air India, called the plan a "misplaced priority" and told The Hindu that, "Planes are not unsafe for women passengers. In case of unruly behavior, the airline crew are authorized to take action as per the law." Other critics have taken to social media to call the airline out on its decision, describing it as both "ridiculous" and "shockingly sexist."
The airline has yet to release more details on the seating plan, including, perhaps most importantly, how it will be enforced. But this surely isn't the last we'll hear about it. It certainly doesn't help that Flightstats recently named Air India the third worst airline in terms of operational performance.
H/T: Quartz
What do you think about Air India introducing female-only sections on planes? Sound off below.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.