WestJet reverses plans to “densify” seating amid passenger backlash
One of Canada’s major airlines is reversing its plan to cram more seats onto its planes after passengers and online critics slammed the idea.
One of Canada’s major airlines is reversing its plan to cram more seats onto its planes after passengers and online critics slammed the idea.
WestJet initially planned to reduce legroom, prompting the airline to alter its “cabin-configuration approach” which included “densified” seating.
However, after public feedback and a now-viral social media video from an unsatisfied passenger, WestJet says it will return to its prior “standard seat pitch” for economy cabins.
The airline also intends to remove one row of seats to convert its 180-seat planes to 174-seat layouts.
“WestJet tried seat pitches that are popular with many airlines around the globe as they serve to provide affordable airfares,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of WestJet Group, in a release 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.”
However, non-reclining seats remain in the majority of the cabin’s economy section, with plans to further configure planes that do not yet have them.
WestJet has faced criticism not only from passengers but also from the union representing the airline’s flight attendants, who were upset they were not consulted before the reconfiguration.
“The ultimate obligation of the airline is to provide a seat that the passenger can fit into. That’s the fundamental legal obligation. It’s not a question of inches or whether it’s comfortable, but the passenger has to be able to fit into the seat,” Gábor Lukács, founder of Air Passenger Rights, told media earlier this month.
In a statement, WestJet said it is “still evaluating other aspects of the new layout, while broader cabin reconfiguration investments, including refreshed interiors, enhanced amenities, and modernized design, will continue as part of its commitment to improving the guest experience.”