A popular airline is rolling out a new service that gives women the chance to avoid sitting next to men during a flight.
The new feature from IndiGo, India's biggest budget airline, allows female passengers to see a special seating map when they check in that designates where other females are sitting with a pink seat, CNBC reported.
On the other hand, male passengers will see all available seats without any gender designation.
The initiative, a first of its kind for an airline, is intended to make women feel more comfortable while flying. A company representative told CNN the new booking feature, available to women traveling solo or as part of a family, aligns with its "#GirlPower ethos."
"IndiGo is proud to announce the introduction of a new feature that aims to make the travel experience more comfortable for our female passengers," the rep said in a statement. "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."
Reactions to the new feature have been mixed.
Some applauded the move, saying they've been subjected to unwanted touching or a "manspreading" seatmate encroaching on their space -- when a male sits with their legs spread wide apart. Others say the feature is sexist and discriminatory, arguing that men should be privy to the same information when they check in for a flight.
The service is currently in pilot mode and is available on all IndiGo flights, according to reports.
IndiGo operates more than 2,000 flights daily, covering 85 domestic destinations and 32 international destinations.