The days when you could recline your seat on a flight without a second thought seem to be over. Canadian low-cost airline WestJet is introducing a fee for both reclining and non-reclining seats, ushering in a new, controversial model of “comfort for a fee” in the skies.
The airline is gradually transforming its Boeing 737-800 and 737 Max into what it calls a “modern cabin experience,” with 12 “premium seats” per aircraft, in which passengers will be able to enjoy reclining, for an additional fee, of course.
But WestJet isn’t stopping there. It’s also creating a second class, the “Extended Comfort Section,” where the seats don’t recline, offering more legroom. But that option will cost more. The company claims that the design has been designed to offer a friendly experience for every “pocket”, as stated by Samantha Taylor, Vice President and Chief Experience Officer of WestJet.
In regular economy class, however, the reality changes towards… narrower: less legroom, fixed backrests and an extra row of seats.
Critics of the company’s plans estimate that what was previously offered at the regular price now has to be paid for additionally (“Extended Comfort Seat”). And at the same ticket price as before, there is less legroom.
Reclining seats on flights have long been a concern for passengers as they create problems for the traveler in the back seat, especially when a meal is served.
Some airlines have now completely eliminated reclining seats, mainly to save time and therefore money on cleaning the aircraft. In the US, for example, this is the case with the low-cost airline Spirit Airlines. In Europe, Ryanair uses fixed seats without a reclining function on its Boeing 737-800s. This means that the seatback always remains in a fixed position.
