WestJet has paused a move to install non-reclining seats on a big slice of its fleet after pushback from employees and passengers.
The airline announced in September it would reconfigure the seating on 43 Boeing 737 jets to install an extra row and divide the cabin into several tiers, some with more space—and pricier tickets—than others.
Many of the economy seats would have less legroom than the previous layout and feature what WestJet called a “fixed recline design,” meaning they could not be tilted back.
In an internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press, WestJet vice-president Robert Antoniuk told staff that the new configuration will only go ahead on 22 planes “for the time being,” with 21 of those already sporting the tighter interior….