WestJet has officially reversed its controversial decision to squeeze an extra row of seats onto its Boeing 737 aircraft.
The Calgary-based airline announced on Friday that it will return its economy cabins to their original layout after weeks of public outrage and viral social media videos showing passengers struggling to fit into the new, tighter configuration.
The airline’s “densification” plan had reduced seat distances to just 28 inches on 22 of its planes. This gave WestJet the tightest economy seating of any major Canadian carrier, prompting safety concerns from staff and passengers about emergency evacuations. The backlash hit a boiling point after a TikTok video showing an elderly couple unable to straighten their legs in the cramped rows surpassed one million views.
The reversal is a significant and costly shift for WestJet, which had already installed the 180-seat layout on 22 aircraft and planned to reconfigure 21 more. Once the airline receives the necessary engineering certificates, it will begin removing one row of seats from these planes to return them to a 174-seat layout. The company touted the new seats as a “cabin refresh” last October, trying to gaslight customers.
“WestJet tried seat pitches that are popular with many airlines around the globe as they serve to provide affordable airfares,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, WestJet Group Chief Executive Officer, in a statement on Friday. “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.”
While WestJet initially paused the rollout in December to evaluate feedback, the airline accelerated its decision after videos continued to go viral, showing 6’3″ and 6’5″ passengers wedged into seats with their knees pressed against the rows in front of them.
The controversial fixed recline design, which prevented seats from tilting back, was also a major point of contention for travellers and the union representing WestJet flight attendants. In a nutshell, WestJet was forcing passengers to pay extra to get seats with recline.
Despite the reversal on seat density, WestJet says it will continue with other planned cabin upgrades, including refreshed interiors and enhanced amenities. For now, however, the airline is prioritizing the return of standard legroom to ensure its product aligns with guest expectations.
This is a major SNAFU for WestJet, at a time when airlines in Canada already have a poor reputation with travellers.
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