This Airline Will No Longer Let Women Have The Middle Seat On Flights

Let’s face it. We all hate the middle seat, but one airline is helping female solo travellers escape the dreaded thing, and here’s why.

The middle seat – a thing of dread, a thing of hate, a thing worse than the pits of Mordor. We all want the coveted aisle or window seat, but once we realise we’ve been plonked in between, the tears start to flow.

Yes, you’re jetting off to the best place in the world, but is it worth the years of therapy? OK, dramatic, but an Indian airline is helping you avoid the rip off psychiatric fees forever – if you’re a woman, that is.
The Telegraph newspaper reports that New Delhi-based airline Vistara is giving female solo travellers the chance to not only pick their own seat, but also get help with their baggage and transport needs. It’s all thanks to their free Women Flyer service. The perks? It basically means all the women flying with the airline get to choose where to rest their tush before or after booking their flight. According to the Telegraph, the airline claims it will ‘ensure only a window or aisle seat is assigned at check-in.’

Once female travellers arrive at their destination, they’ll be greeted by employees waving placards saying: ‘#VistaraWomanFlyer Arrivals Assistance.’ They’ll then help you with your luggage and all your other needs – sounds fab, right?
Between 75 and 100 women use the service each day, and whilst it may seem a little too much, it aims to improve female traveller safety in the country after a string of high profile incidents and growing concerns over safety, overall. It’s not only planes though, India has also recently introduced women-only train cars and a women-only cab service in Delhi.
No travel warnings have been issued for India, but the the U.K. government has warned all of its female citizens that: ‘Women should use caution when travelling in India. Reported cases of sexual assault against women and young girls are increasing; recent sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas and cities show that foreign women are also at risk.’
If in doubt, check your relevant foreign office for the latest travel warnings and updates.
Want more travel news? You can now fly all the way to Europe for just $99!
And in other airline news, our Travel Editor looks at why they don’t know how to deal with sexual assaults on flights.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.