Air India reserves seats for solo female travelers

This comes after one of their female passengers fell asleep on a flight and was assaulted by a male traveler.

“We will be reserving the third row—six seats—in the economy class of the aircraft for female passengers traveling alone,” Meenakshi Malik of Air India stated in an interview with The Hindu.

According to the airline, women will not be charged additional fees for these seats. However, this comes with bad reviews as unhappy passengers are concerend with the potential increase of gender discrimination.

"When I saw this article I was beyond happy. I know that to some, it may seem like a ridiculous idea, but even in 2017, women deal with weird things purely because, well, we are a woman. 

To travel alone can be frightening at the best of times, to travel alone as a woman comes with an array of different issues. I experienced this a few years ago when  I took a flight to the USA alone. I was sitting in the front of the plane at the window, keeping very much to myself. During the flight I had put my pillow against the window, and was as asleep as you could be on a plane

Next thing, I feel something on my hair, I 'brush' it off as nothing. But then it happens again, seemingly now more intentional. I pick my head up to see the American man behind me running his fingers through my hair. I shot up and asked what he was doing?

He was super casual and, as if it wasn't a big deal at all, tried to impress me with the details of his last fishing trip and how I could have a better life with him in America. I felt so 'weirded' out. I don't even remember if I moved seats or if he just stopped but  I got off that plane promising I would never fly on my own again. 

Obviously, I did fly alone again,  but I do feel more vulnerable as a woman travelling alone, and I am so grateful to Air India for offering this to women to ensure their comfort and encourage solo travel. Yay for moving forward. " - Keri Miller

Did the airline do the right thing following the assault incident or is it offensive to women?