WestJet Retreats After Seat Space Backlash
WestJet has reversed a cabin change that drew heavy criticism online after videos showed economy passengers struggling with restricted legroom. The carrier had begun introducing seats that did not recline, alongside a tighter seating plan that reduced seat pitch to 28 inches instead of around 30. The revised layouts were meant to add one extra row to selected aircraft, increasing capacity during busy travel periods.
The airline originally defended the changes by saying they would "preserve personal space" and help keep fares lower. Many flyers, however, described the seating as cramped and uncomfortable, with posts spreading quickly across social media. WestJet confirmed on Friday that it would restore its previous configuration, with chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech noting that the airline had tested layouts used by low-cost carriers elsewhere but that feedback prompted a rethink.
As an entrepreneurial airline founded on making air travel affordable to Canadians, it’s in our DNA to try new products. At the same time, it is just as important to react quickly if they don’t meet the needs of our guests.
The idea of fitting more passengers into the economy is not unique to WestJet. Budget airlines such as Spirit have used non-reclining seats since 2010, and Frontier promotes "pre-reclined" seats to avoid disputes between rows. Other major carriers have tried slimmer designs or reworked cabins to increase density. Seat pitch, the distance between seat rows, has steadily fallen across the sector, with some aircraft offering as little as 28 inches in economy.
Seat Pitch at a Glance
- Typical economy pitch historically: ~35 inches
- Current average on many carriers: ~31 inches
- Lowest common pitches tested: 28 inches
For the average flyer, the U-turn means WestJet will keep using seat layouts similar to most major North American airlines, instead of adopting the tighter setups seen on some ultra-low-cost carriers. It also preserves longer sectors linking Canadian cities with destinations in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, where even small differences in legroom can shape comfort.
WestJet’s retreat lands during a wider conversation about space on board. Consumer group FlyersRights has pressed regulators to set minimum seat dimensions, pointing out that seating has grown smaller even as cabins have become fuller. The outcome in Canada shows that passenger pushback can influence fleet decisions, and may encourage more scrutiny of comfort trade-offs when airlines look to boost capacity without raising fares.
