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WestJet Airways introduced Friday that the Canadian air provider will reverse its choice to reconfigure planes with tighter seats, after movies went viral exhibiting annoyed vacationers’ knees urgent towards the seat in entrance of them because of cramped areas.
Within the reconfigured structure, which rolled out in late October on choose Boeing 737s, house between rows was diminished to twenty-eight inches to accommodate an additional row of seats. WestJet additionally made economic system class seats non-reclinable, providing passengers the choice to pay further for adjustable seats.
In a information assertion, the corporate stated it would reverse what it referred to as the “densified seating” by eradicating the extra row of seats.
“Following a evaluation of operational information and suggestions from company and WestJetters, the airline will return to its prior commonplace seat pitch for economic system cabins on these lately reconfigured plane by eradicating one row of seats,” the corporate stated.
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WestJet’s Boeing cabin reconfiguration included three-seat courses on dozens of planes. (Westjet / Fox Information)
The airline added that the corporate will “start to transform all 180-seat plane to 174-seat layouts, with timelines for completion nonetheless being decided.”
WestJet’s rollout of the reconfigured seats has sparked widespread outrage amongst vacationers and even crew members.
Reuters reported that pilots and flight attendants have raised issues over the brand new configuration’s consolation and security, particularly whether or not passengers may safely evacuate the aircraft in an emergency as a result of confined seating.
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A WestJet 737 airplane arrives at Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, on September 9, 2025. (Mike Campbell/NurPhoto/Getty / Getty Pictures)
Alia Hussain, president of the union native representing WestJet cabin personnel, stated on Friday that she is happy with the airline’s choice to reverse course, Reuters reported. Flight attendants reportedly confronted quite a few complaints from annoyed passengers and, in some instances, needed to change seats for taller vacationers whose legs didn’t correctly match inside.
“It created a hostile working surroundings for us as cabin personnel,” Hussain stated.
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Two WestJet Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 737-700, are pictured at Calgary Worldwide Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on August 6, 2025. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto / Getty Pictures)
Whereas the non-reclinable seats have been supposed to assist passengers protect private house whereas sustaining inexpensive journey choices, WestJet stated it acknowledges the necessity to “align product selections with the wants of the visitor.”
“WestJet tried seat pitches which are common with many airways across the globe as they serve to supply inexpensive airfares,” WestJet Group Chief Govt Officer Alexis von Hoensbroech stated. “As an entrepreneurial airline based on making air journey inexpensive to Canadians, it’s in our DNA to strive new merchandise. On the identical time, it’s simply as necessary to react rapidly in the event that they don’t meet the wants of our company.”
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The airline stated reconfiguration plans have been paused in December and that the corporate is accelerating its analysis of the brand new inside structure.
FOX Enterprise reached out to WestJet for extra info.
Reuters contributed to this report.
