WestJet announced on January 16 that it will remove an extra row of economy seats recently installed on a subset of its Boeing 737 fleet, restoring the airline’s previous seat pitch. CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said the trial, launched last autumn to keep fares low, "did not meet guest expectations" and would be rolled back immediately. (todocanada.ca)
For corporate travel managers, the reversal alleviates concerns about employee comfort on key domestic corridors such as Calgary–Toronto and Vancouver–Montreal, where the densified cabins had entered service. The retrofit had shrunk leg-room to 28 inches—below the 30-inch North-American norm—and drew sharp criticism from frequent flyers who claimed productivity and health risks on longer sectors.
![WestJet Abandons High-Density Economy Layout After Customer Backlash]()
If upcoming itineraries involve international legs, managers can streamline visa procurement through VisaHQ; its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) delivers quick eligibility checks, tailored document checklists, and end-to-end processing that integrates smoothly with existing corporate booking tools.
WestJet halted further retrofits in December pending a review of operational data. Industry analysts estimate the reversal will cost the carrier approximately $8 million in lost seat capacity and reconfiguration labour but may avert regulatory scrutiny; Transport Canada has hinted at forthcoming guidelines on minimum seat dimensions for safety.
The episode illustrates the delicate balance between low-cost economics and passenger experience. Travellers booked on re-densified aircraft will be automatically re-seated; no action is required, but managers should update traveller-profile seat preferences to avoid inadvertent middle-seat assignments.
For corporate travel managers, the reversal alleviates concerns about employee comfort on key domestic corridors such as Calgary–Toronto and Vancouver–Montreal, where the densified cabins had entered service. The retrofit had shrunk leg-room to 28 inches—below the 30-inch North-American norm—and drew sharp criticism from frequent flyers who claimed productivity and health risks on longer sectors.
If upcoming itineraries involve international legs, managers can streamline visa procurement through VisaHQ; its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) delivers quick eligibility checks, tailored document checklists, and end-to-end processing that integrates smoothly with existing corporate booking tools.
WestJet halted further retrofits in December pending a review of operational data. Industry analysts estimate the reversal will cost the carrier approximately $8 million in lost seat capacity and reconfiguration labour but may avert regulatory scrutiny; Transport Canada has hinted at forthcoming guidelines on minimum seat dimensions for safety.
The episode illustrates the delicate balance between low-cost economics and passenger experience. Travellers booked on re-densified aircraft will be automatically re-seated; no action is required, but managers should update traveller-profile seat preferences to avoid inadvertent middle-seat assignments.
