In a swift reversal, Canadian airline WestJet has announced it is halting a controversial new seat configuration that crammed an extra row onto many of its aircraft, leaving passengers with severely reduced legroom. The decision came after intense criticism from travellers and employees alike.
Viral Video Sparks Public Outcry
The new seating layout gained widespread attention after a video posted on Reddit went viral. The clip showed a couple squeezed into the notoriously cramped space, with their knees pressed against the non-reclining seatbacks in front of them. The visual evidence of the extreme lack of space fueled immediate and significant backlash online and among the travelling public.
Initially, WestJet responded to the criticism with an internal memo stating the configuration would proceed on 22 aircraft "for the time being." However, the negative feedback persisted, ultimately leading the airline to scrap the plan entirely. In a statement issued on Friday, the company cited feedback from travellers and airline employees as the reason for the about-face.
The Economics Behind the Cramped Cabin
The tighter seating was made possible by a new fixed-recline seat design installed on WestJet's newer aircraft. These seats did not recline at all—unless a passenger paid extra for a premium seat. This design allowed the airline to add one additional row of seats to the economy cabin, a move ostensibly intended to lower base fares.
When the policy was announced last year, Samantha Taylor, WestJet's executive vice president and chief experience officer, defended the design. She stated the cabin was "thoughtfully designed to offer WestJet’s welcoming service at every budget" and reflected a commitment to meeting guest demand for a broader range of product offerings.
Reverting to the Standard Layout
WestJet has now committed to reverting to its previous "standard seat pitch" for the economy cabins on the recently reconfigured planes. The airline stated that once an engineering certificate is received, it will remove one row of seats from the affected aircraft.
This change will see planes that had been converted to seat 180 passengers return to their original 174-seat layouts. The reversal marks a significant win for passenger advocacy and highlights the power of consumer feedback in the competitive airline industry.
