Canadian airline WestJet has announced that will eliminate the ability to recline standard economy seats on 43 aircraft in its fleet. In this way, passengers who want to put the backrest back they will have to pay an extra to access premium cabins or “extended comfort” seats.
What exactly changes. The measure affects less than a third of WestJet’s narrowbody fleet, specifically the Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 from the defunct airlines Swoop, Lynx and Sunwing. On these planes, basic economy seats will have a “fixed recline,” meaning they will not be able to move. The first reconfigured aircraft will enter service at the end of this month, and the remaining 42 will be ready in early 2026.
The airline’s justification. WestJet defend the change arguing that half of the passengers who participated in its user tests prefer a fixed backrest to “avoid feeling invaded by other passengers,” according to declared to ABC News. The company maintains that this reconfiguration seeks to “create a cohesive look and feel” in its aircraft, with a renewed design that promises a “bright and spacious environment”, although with less space between seats.
What if you want to recline the seat?. Travelers who prefer to maintain the ability to recline their seat will have two payment options. The first is the premium cabin, which will incorporate 12 new seats of the same model as those of the company’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The second is the “extended comfort” section, with 36 seats that offer additional legroom, ergonomically designed cushions and reclining capabilities.
Criticisms of the model. The decision has generated some controversy among experts in the sector. John Gradek, professor of aviation management at McGill University in Montreal, qualified the measure of “strategy to raise more money”, according to statements collected by CBC. “The imagination of airline marketers never ceases to amaze me,” said Gradek, who believes WestJet is trying to “create another tier of service that allows them to charge more” for something that has traditionally been standard in the Canadian market.
In Europe it is not surprising. On the continent, this practice is quite common among cheap airlines. The main European low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet or Wizz Air They have been operating for years with seats that do not recline at all, while WestJet is removing a feature that its passengers took for granted and making it an exclusive feature of premium fares.
low-cost Canadian. WestJet, a pioneer in offering affordable fares to Canadian travelers, operates flights to 19 US states, including Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Washington DC The airline justifies these changes as part of its strategy to keep costs down: “We need to be willing to try new products and see how they work for Canadians,” their spokespersons explained.
Cover image | Suhyeon Choi
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