WestJet is scrapping its tighter seat pitch on Boeing 737 jets after passengers revolted on social media and crew warned of rising in-flight conflict.
At a Glance
- WestJet will remove one row of seats it added under a densified layout introduced last September
- The decision follows viral TikTok clips showing passengers struggling to fit in ultra-slim seats
- Cabin-crew union says the tighter layout triggered more onboard confrontations and staff strain
- Why it matters: The reversal underscores growing pushback against ultra-low-cost seating that sacrifices comfort for fares
The Calgary-based airline announced Friday, Jan. 16, it will restore the previous seat pitch on recently reconfigured 737-8 MAX and 737-800 aircraft. The move halts a program that had already been paused in December 2025 while WestJet reviewed feedback.
Under the now-canceled plan, WestJet installed ultra slim-line seats that freed up space for an extra row, shrinking legroom. Olivia M. Hartwell reported for News Of Los Angeles that the carrier promoted the change as a way to keep fares low while boosting capacity.
A TikTok video by user Amanda Schmidt crystallized public anger. In the clip, Schmidt’s father tries to wedge himself into the new seat; the post has topped 1 million views and thousands of comments slamming the configuration.
“If they’re selling a seat for a human, it should fit a human,” Schmidt told CBS News. “It’s inhumane, basically, to make people travel like this.”
WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech acknowledged the backlash in a release, saying the airline will revert to the earlier layout “following a review of operational data and feedback from guests and WestJetters.”
The carrier had originally intended to finalize its evaluation in mid-February but “accelerated the review to address feedback and provide clarity sooner,” according to the statement.
CUPE 8125, the union representing more than 4,700 WestJet and Encore cabin-crew members, praised the about-face. President Alia Hussain said crews bore the brunt of passenger frustration.
“Our members have been telling us very clearly that these reconfigured aircraft led to increased tensions onboard, more frequent escalated interactions with guests, and significant physical and emotional strain,” Hussain said.
She added that the reversal signals “a shift toward a more collaborative dialogue” and noted that when frontline realities are taken seriously “everyone benefits: the operation, the guest, and the workforce.”
WestJet’s website lists service to 19 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Canadian federal rules do not mandate a minimum seat pitch, the CBC noted, leaving carriers to balance density with comfort.
The airline did not disclose how many planes had already received the tighter layout or the expected cost of removing the extra row.
