Air India moves to reserve seats for women, sparks outrage

India's national carrier Air India will now be reserving six seats in the front rows of domestic flights for women, The Hindu reported.

In the past, buses, trains and even auto-rickshaws in India have reserved seats for women, but this is the first time an airline has implemented such a policy.



“We will soon reserve two rows (or six seats) for women passengers only,” Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani told The Hindu. The airline will not be charging any additional fee for blocking such seats for women passengers.

“We feel, as national carriers, it is our responsibility to enhance comfort level to female passengers. There are a lot of female passengers who travel alone with us and we will be blocking a few seats for them,” said Air India general manager-revenue management Meenakshi Malik.



The announcement comes a week after a business-class passenger aboard a US-bound flight from Mumbai to Newark allegedly grabbed a female passenger’s breasts while she was asleep on Air India flight AI-191.

According to reports, the man was travelling in business class when he requested to be moved to a vacant seat in economy class, next to a female passenger. Soon after the woman fell asleep, the man, 40, groped her. It was then that the woman woke up hysterical, and complained to the cabin crew.



The policy will take effect on January 18. But many people, unhappy with the ‘discriminatory’ policy, took to Twitter to criticise it.

Dear @airindiain. As a woman, this is insulting. My gender doesn't make me an invalid. This is what modern day sexism looks like https://t.co/BydLuz5vMt

— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) January 12, 2017

This is the dumbest, most stupid, most moronic Ive heard in recent times.. What is with dumbos at @airindiain https://t.co/ZdYJ0XF4fS

— MediaCrooks (@mediacrooks) January 12, 2017

Pregnant Women or Disabled person should be the criteria for reservation,not the gender. Don't discriminate women @airindiain
With Regards.

— Lazy Cat (@uPoliticat) January 12, 2017

why this ?? As a woman I don't want it. Why this bias & discrimination? ?? Are you trying to tell us we are weak ?

— Kalpana 🇮🇳 (@kkalpu) January 12, 2017

why this ?? As a woman I don't want it. Why this bias & discrimination? ?? Are you trying to tell us we are weak ?

— Kalpana 🇮🇳 (@kkalpu) January 12, 2017

How will reserving 6 seats on an airplane ensure women safety?! #clueless @airindiain

— Anu (@NobodysDamsel) January 12, 2017

Dear Air India,

I don't want reserved seats. I want cleaner seats. Please look into it.

Yours truly,
Disgruntled Passenger

— Sohini M. (@Mittermaniac) January 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/4nti_smart/status/819518594954297344

https://twitter.com/4nti_smart/status/819518594954297344

I agree, makes no sense at all! I can understand giving priority to patients etc, but why this? @airindiain @Ashok_Gajapathi

— Siddhesh Bhobe (@siddheshb) January 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/_eaniman/status/819518330138664960

https://twitter.com/Mahir_Bhatt/status/819522718676713472

.@ShefVaidya @airindiain Discrimination is so deep within our psyche that we can't believe, perceive, think and behave with all equally.

— शिवोहं (@dk12bm) January 12, 2017

Idiots running Air India may follow it up with reservation of seats for SC/ST & OBC.

— Rajendra Asthana (@Bhaktavatsulu1) January 12, 2017

@jayantsinha crazy decision by @airindiain to reserve seats for women. What nonsense is this? @Ashok_Gajapathi

— Madhav (@madhavamenon) January 12, 2017

#AirIndia is 3rd worst in the world apart from being sexist.

— Salil S (@Soul_Kadhi) January 12, 2017

This article originally appeared on The Hindu.