In 2025, Canadian airline WestJet began rolling out a new configuration for its Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 fleets. WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, is generally considered to be a hybrid carrier, blending elements of the low-cost business model with a generally superior passenger experience compared to that of a budget airline. This is especially true when flying aboard one of its Boeing 787-9s, while its domestic Boeing 737s are more bare-bones, but do include a premium cabin.

The carrier does operate subfleets of its 737s in an all-economy layout, which came from either Swoop, Sunwing, or Lynx Air. It is reconfiguring these all-economy planes into its standard two-class layout, but the new configuration has been extremely controversial. Mainly, the concerns are due to space as well as a lack of basic amenities. The project has received so much public backlash that the carrier has paused reconfigurations temporarily, but what is it about the reconfiguration that’s causing backlash?

Overview Of The New WestJet Cabins

WestJet operates a subfleet of all-economy Boeing 737-800s and 737 MAX 8s. These aircraft were previously operated by either Swoop, Sunwing, or Lynx Air, and with 189 seats, these aircraft are configured right to the 737-800’s/737 MAX 8’s exit limit. WestJet has reconfigured 22 aircraft into a two-class layout to match the rest of its 737 fleet. The rest of its Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 fleet features 12 business class seats along with 162 economy seats, for a total of 174 seats. The new configuration, however, features an extra row of economy seats.

WestJet is installing the Collins Aerospace MiQ for business class, a popular seat model for short-haul business class and long-haul premium economy. The seat model is extremely similar to the Recaro CL4710 that’s used on the rest of WestJet’s fleet. Economy, meanwhile, features the Collins Meridian, another extremely popular seat model for narrowbody economy. WestJet previously installed the Recaro BL3520. WestJet does not offer seatback screens on any of its narrowbody aircraft.

Legroom for business class is a standard 38 inches (96.52 centimeters) on all aircraft, and the carrier is installing Starlink throughout its fleet, widely considered to be the best Wi-Fi system in the airline industry. The newer Collins Meridian seats also feature USB-A and USB-C ports, along with a four-way headrest and a personal device holder. As a whole, it’s a standard reconfiguration project with additional charging options and a more modern seat model compared to the Recaro BL3520.

What’s The Problem With The New Configuration

WestJet is installing an additional row of economy seats compared to its standard 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 layout. These aircraft will feature 180 seats as a result, compared to 174 on the rest of the 737 fleet. This is a fairly dense configuration, given that it includes 12 business class seats. This was accomplished by decreasing legroom in economy from the standard 30 inches (76.2 centimeters) present on the rest of the 737 fleet in economy.

The first six rows (four to nine) of the economy cabin feature 34 inches (86.36 centimeters) of legroom, while the next three rows (10 to 12) retain the 30-inch (76.2 centimeter) seat pitch. The next two rows (13 and 14) are exit rows with roughly 38 inches (96.52 centimeters) of legroom. Rows 15 to 19 feature 29 inches (73.66 centimeters) of legroom, roughly the same as that of many budget airlines. Rows 21 to 31, meanwhile, feature just 28 inches (71.12 centimeters) of legroom, among the worst of any airline in the world.

Not only do a majority of the aircraft’s seats feature below-average legroom, but most of them will no longer include recline. Only rows four to nine will include a reclining function, while the rest of the economy seats will be « pre-reclined ». This is not unprecedented, as many ultra-low-cost carriers install non-reclining seats, but this is a new change for WestJet. Removing the reclining function reduces purchase price and saves weight, but it does decrease passenger comfort.

Why Are These Changes Being Met With Controversy

None of these changes is unprecedented in the airline industry. Budget airlines, particularly in Europe but also in North America, are notorious for installing dense configurations with non-reclining seats. This is done by Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, Spirit Airlines, Flair, Frontier, and other ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCC). It’s a generally accepted reality of flying with ULCCs. The problem is that, while WestJet’s decisions align with those of ULCCs, WestJet itself is not a ULCC. This creates issues regarding market position, as well as managing customer expectations.

WestJet has gradually moved upmarket for years as it seeks to fill a unique niche between true ULCCs, such as Flair, and Air Canada, a full-service carrier. Its strategy is similar to that of Alaska Airlines. The carrier now also operates a fleet of Boeing 787-9s, and although they feature small premium cabins, the onboard experience is essentially the same as on a full-service airline. Economy seats feature standard legroom and screens, while there’s also a standard premium economy section. In addition, there are 16 Collins Super Diamond reverse herringbone seats, which feature a lie-flat bed and direct aisle access.

Customers booking with Flair will generally not be bothered by limited legroom or a lack of recline because tickets are cheap and Flair is known to be a ULCC. Guests booking with WestJet, however, expect the onboard experience to be more similar to a full-service airline, and WestJet prices are often close to those of legacy carriers. As such, WestJet’s attempt to cram extra seats into its 737s and remove the recline function clashes with what its customers expect, hence the backlash.

Similarities To A US Airline’s Strategy

In 2017, American Airlines began taking delivery of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with new interiors, and subsequently launched Project Oasis. The idea was to reconfigure the interiors of its 737-800 fleet to match that of the 737 MAX 8, while also streamlining its Airbus A321-200 fleet (which had two layouts for short-haul routes). The 737-800s previously had 160 seats, but would receive two extra rows of economy seats. The legacy US Airways A321-200s went from 187 to 190 seats, while the legacy American Airlines A321-200s went from 181 to 190 seats.

The most controversial aspect of the Oasis retrofits was that American actively removed in-flight entertainment screens that were already installed on these aircraft. The argument was that these displays were heavy and passengers preferred using their own devices, but industry trends in the United States since then have shown a clear preference for seatback screens. In addition, the Boeing 737s were originally intended to feature just 29 inches (73.66 centimeters) of legroom in economy. Due to public backlash, American added an extra inch to all rows by removing a row of Main Cabin Extra.

American’s focus was towards lowering costs with Project Oasis, but rivals Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have instead favored moving upmarket. Their Boeing 737s are less dense than those operated by American, while also offering seatback screens and more extra-legroom seating across their entire narrowbody fleets. The premium brand image is a major component as to why Delta and United have become two of the world’s most profitable airlines, while American has fallen behind.

Where Will WestJet Go From Here?

WestJet has already reconfigured 22 aircraft with these new interiors, but has paused the project due to public backlash. The carrier is becoming a larger threat to Air Canada, with a growing fleet and a general move upmarket, away from its budget airline roots. The decisions made by the carrier in regards to its 737s, however, move in the opposite direction. Excluding recline and reducing legroom shows that WestJet is closer to being a budget airline than a full-service carrier, which will decrease its competitiveness against Air Canada.

Canada is a challenging market due to the country’s immense size and low population density. It’s expensive to operate in, and Air Canada is the nation’s dominant carrier. It’s natural that WestJet, an airline that is already focused on keeping costs low, will seek to improve margins further by lowering weight and adding seats. However, the question becomes whether this would harm its brand image and lead to lower revenue, which could negate the cost benefits.

WestJet has paused its retrofit program, but there still remain 22 aircraft with these seats. For WestJet to send these planes back into the hangar shortly after reconfiguring them would be expensive and potentially embarrassing as well. Likely, discussions are being held on whether the remaining all-economy 737s should feature this new layout. It’s far less likely that the already refurbished planes will be sent back to receive reclining seats and more legroom.