WestJet pauses controversial plan to make passengers pay for a seat that reclines
December 16, 2025
Canadian airline WestJet has reversed course on its plan to install non-reclining economy seats across a large portion of its fleet, pausing a further rollout to gather feedback from passengers and employees before deciding on the future of cabin configuration.
The Calgary-based carrier announced in September that it would reconfigure 43 Boeing 737 aircraft with a new variable seating layout that included “fixed recline” economy seats—seats that cannot be tilted back—while offering adjustable seats at a higher fare.
The plan sparked immediate criticism from travellers and airline staff, prompting WestJet to rethink its approach.
Pay for a seat that reclines or endure 28″ of pitch
WestJet’s configuration followed a broader industry shift toward denser cabins and unbundled services — including charging extra for more comfortable seats — to boost ancillary revenue.
The proposed seat redesign featured a mix of seats with varying pitch and features, optimising the airline’s cabin revenue by charging a premium for more comfortable seating with added legroom and recline.
The narrowest 28” pitch on WestJet’s new Boeing 737 cabins only applies in the last twelve rows of the aircraft, which is offered to passengers paying the lowest fares. It is on the tighter end of pitch for North American carriers, though on par with the seat pitch on other low-cost airlines, including Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit.
Non-reclining seats avoid passengers impeding on other passengers’ limited space and feature an ergonomic design that supports the body in a ‘fixed recline’ position.
The new cabin configuration drew criticism from passenger rights advocates and airline workers who raised concerns about the impact of fixed-recline seats on passenger comfort and crew welfare.
In particular, concerns were flagged that reduced legroom and lack of adjustability could be particularly challenging for passengers with mobility needs, families with car seats, and employees who travel as deadheading crew.
WestJet has already installed the new cabins on half its aircraft
According to WestJet, approximately half of its all-economy fleet will be fitted with new cabins featuring non-reclining seats at the back by mid-December. The airline halted further installations after December 15 to support operational needs during the peak winter travel season.
“We will also be monitoring guest feedback and assessing the operational performance of the reconfigured aircraft to learn more about how this product is performing in the market,” the airline said in a statement reported by Reuters.
WestJet indicates that the rollout could resume in spring 2026, following this review.
WestJet could resume its ‘pay to recline’ refit in the New Year
An internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press and reported by CityNews Montreal gives insight into how the airline is framing the pause to its own employees.
In the memo, WestJet Vice-President Robert Antoniuk tells staff that the new cabin configuration will be implemented on only 22 aircraft “for the time being,” with most of those already featuring the new interiors.
Antoniuk wrote that the airline will “continue to gather feedback from guests and employees.”
The airline’s pilots had previously objected to the new non-reclining seats and interior configuration, arguing that these were uncomfortable and noting that they also flew as passengers.
The memo makes it clear that WestJet is not abandoning the redesign entirely. Still, for now, its revised plan limits the installation of non-reclining seats to a smaller subset of the fleet.
Passengers booked on WestJet flights will see a mix of configurations in the coming months, with further clarity on its future cabins expected once the carrier completes its review next spring.
Featured Image: Markus Mainka / stock.adobe.com
