Much ado over ‘women’s seats’ on an Indian airline

I read a figure which said that in 2016 around 10 crore people would have travelled across the country by air. I don’t see how one row of seats will cater to fifty percent of this. The process of reservations in buses or trains work because other methods of recourse are poor anyway. There is no further action taken against perpetrators either. Delhi metros have now given up and have told women to carry their own knives. The solution can go in two directions: you can either protect yourself, or you can reserve seats. But it is a bit more complex with flights. To me it seems like a bandage being put on sexual assault rather than a permanent legal fix for it. When in air, the concept of jurisdiction also becomes tricky, because of the jurisdiction issue, because geographies are fluid. In the US, such cases are handled by the FBI. As a woman, I would like to know what legal recourse I can take, rather than be relegated to a section reserved for me. It doesn’t matter where the harrasment happens — legal action taken often fizzles out.
Nisha Susan, author and blogger

I am lucky that I have never been subjected to sexual advances on long haul flights, but I do like the idea of having the option of flying with other women. I am conflicted on this one, while safety always comes first, I don’t know how I feel about the idea of reserving seats, be it for government officials, or any one for that matter.
Rina Dhaka, fashion designer

We had requests from women, so we thought it would be a good idea to have some seats for them. They are released 90 minutes before the flight takes off anyway. It is not like anyone is forced to sit there, they are just for those who are single or traveling alone who may want to avail of an added benefit.
Ashwani Lohani, CMD, Air India

When I first read about this, I found the idea very regressive. While the intention may not have been to be patriarchal, the idea that women need to be protected from the male gaze is, well, inherently patriarchal. Instead of targeting women and keeping them separate like cattle, because the problem is not addressed. I actually think there should be a separate section for men who look like they would be up to something shady. By putting the onus on women, the mindset of men in this country will never change. Instead of giving them separate seats, women should be handed pepper spray: affirmative action. How many women will be able to claim the seats anyway?
Meghna Pant, journalist and author