Airline experiences keep getting worse.
Budget airline WestJet is reconfiguring seats on its fleet of Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 aircraft. Travelers who fly the carrier will lose reclining seats in coach; to keep that feature, they will have to upgrade to a premium seat category.
The Canadian carrier has economy-class seats on all its aircraft, but the overhaul will introduce a premium section with 22 new seats with “ergonomically contoured seat cushions, reclining seat backs and a large headrest with four-way adjustment capability,” it said in a press release. There will also be 36 seats in the Extended Comfort Section with extra legroom, and then the economy cabin. If you’re in the rear seats, you won’t have much room; seats in the front will have the most space in the economy cabin.
It also said the layout change, with ultra-slimline seats, has allowed an additional row to be added and “caters to guests’ diverse preferences.” Samantha Taylor, WestJet executive vice president and chief experience officer, said in a statement, “Whether they opt for Premium seating with extra amenities and legroom or for more affordable ticket prices with less space, we’re excited to introduce this range of products for our guests to enjoy.”
Aviation expert John Gradek, a lecturer at McGill University in Montreal, called it a cash grab. “They’re trying to somehow, some way, you know, create another echelon of service that would allow them to charge more.”
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Some passengers might welcome the change. For years, seat reclining has been a contentious topic. Passengers are divided into two camps: those who recline and those who do not. It’s unpleasant when your knees press against the seat in front of you. Seat reclining has also caused altercations and fights on board, with passengers spilling drinks or dropping laptops due to another passenger’s sudden maneuver. But for some, it is more comfortable to have that extra space and get some shut-eye during a long flight, especially as seats shrink. The etiquette stressed by fliers is that a passenger should ask before pushing the button and do it slowly and responsibly.
Related: This Is Why I NEVER Recline My Plane Seat
WestJet is hardly the first airline to try this. Many carriers have introduced fixed seats—seats that don’t recline—or reduced recline to avoid passenger conflict, save money and encourage people to pay for more space in the premium cabin. Allegiant Air and Spirit have used fixed seats for more than a decade. Airlines have saved on maintenance costs and fuel because nonreclining seats are easier to configure and maintain and weigh less. Delta reduced recline in economy from 4 inches to 2 inches in 2019 to protect passengers’ personal space.
Some European airlines also don’t offer recline. Finnair introduced nonreclining seats in its business class last year, but passengers can lie flat using a footrest.
WestJet, however, is drawing flak for charging more for the option to upgrade without offering much in terms of amenities. It’s not its first move: last year it introduced an UltraBasic fare that stripped passengers of carry-on bags, priority boarding and loyalty points.
As Gradek put it, now you pay more for what you had. “The imagination of airline marketers never stops to astound me. The depths they will go through kind of give people an impression that if I pay more, I get more.”
Airline seats in the economy cabin have been shrinking for years. Legroom has shrunk from about 35 inches to as little as 28 inches, and seat widths have also been reduced. More people are being squeezed into aircraft. You now have to pay for everything—from a seat to a suitcase to a meal—and airlines frame it as a choice for passengers to opt out of services they might not need.
The last champion of free checked baggage, Southwest, has also changed course. This year it introduced a $35 fee to check a bag after 50 years of allowing passengers to fly with two checked bags. Airlines in the U.S. took in $7 billion from baggage fees last year, and Southwest wants a piece of that revenue.
