WestJet execs tried cramped seats on flight weeks before viral video sparked backlash
WestJet execs tried cramped seats on flight weeks before viral video sparked backlash
WestJet execs tried cramped seats on flight weeks before viral video sparked backlash
WestJet execs tried cramped seats on flight weeks before viral video sparked backlash
43 Comments
> On a calm, cloudy day in Calgary last November, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech stepped onto a plane bound for Toronto along with five other executives, the chairman of the board and several union representatives to try out the new, super-tight seating at the back of the cabin.
> Sitting in rows 27 and 28 out of 31, the group gathered on the Boeing 737 at the request of unions officials who cited concerns around a new seat configuration that featured less legroom than ever on most economy seats — and went on to draw national attention after a video showcasing the tight fit for passengers went viral.
> **Most executives who were on board “acknowledged that the seating configuration would present challenges”** on longer trips and night flights due to the limited comfort and mobility,” the union executive told members in a bulletin on Nov. 26 and obtained by The Canadian Press.
give an inch, they’ll take a mile. they need to suffer for this extra greed
I will be checking for leg pitch now when I book. If you can’t tell me the number I won’t book. That simple.
I won’t be booking Westjet anytime soon. I don’t want to risk getting crammed into one of those seats.
Even Ryanair, a true discount carrier, has a 29” pitch, more than the 28” WestJet is moving to. It’s completely ridiculous. WestJet had a 30” pitch before the change.
What we really need are those pods from The Fifth Element.
$$$$$$
Next they’ll just cram passengers into the overhead compartment. I’m sure they’ve at least explored that option in the past. “Hey is it possible to amputate passengers legs and then reattach them after the flight? We could sell more tickets if so!” Scumbags
Air Canada gives you Bloody Mary’s. Westjet gives you blood clots.
Westjet attempting to figure out every which way to seek financial oblivion.
When will they introduce the standing space airfare? It is probably closer than we think
I’m over six feet tall. My family and I now can’t trust Westjet for any flights. Great work, assholes.
It’s really kind of sad to see how far WestJet has fallen. They were such a magnificent alternative to Air Canada initially.
Recently, I have been flying almost exclusively with Air Canada as a result of WestJet’s bullshit, and the truth is, I have very little to complain about. Everyone loves trashing Air Canada for some reason, but compared to this WestJet nonsense, they’re a lot better.
Porter all the way.
A company doing this does not surprise me but Transport Canada approving this change just disappoints me.
If this was barred from Transport Canada this would have been a non issue and the minister should be publicly scrutinized over their approval.
” More spacious rows are also available at a higher price.”
So where are the discounts for these flights?
As far as I can tell all ticket prices are the same on the website.
Boycott airlines in Canada till they realize it’s not what we want. Make them bend by letting them know with our wallets.
Dear WestJet. You used to be so wonderful. A breath of fresh air in the notoriously unfriendly skies. But you have become a terrible airline. I will fly my last flight with you on my remaining points. I have already cancelled my WestJet Mastercard. You have lost a lifelong customer.
It’s more important that a few narcissist executives at a company live in extreme wealth than a few million passengers have humane conditions while flying.
The execs must have a median height of 4”9
Serious question. Any lawyers on here care to chime in if there’s a case against WJ or Transport Canada for letting this happen?
Class action? Discrimination?
It’s not about money. It’s about putting the hurt on WJ and our government for letting companies get away with this crap. Because it’s not going to end with WJ.
Consider this the litmus test for the rest of the industry. They’re all salivating over WJ getting away with this BS.
I’m literally on an air transat flight right now, and I think they are the best Canadian airline. Huge plane, only about 2/3 full and they are letting people in rows of 3 move to their own empty row.
They’ll end up losing a huge demographic, anyone tall or overweight will no longer fly WestJet
Does anyone know how many additional seats they were able to cram into the planes by giving no legroom? 6?
My bf and I used to fly westjet to Mexico all the time, but decided to book with AC vacations this year instead. Can’t risk getting one of these new configurations jets.
WestJet: Ryanair service at Air Canada prices
PR nightmare and lost demographic all for maybe a row or two extra seats.. don’t ever tell me baggages are overweight when they seem to dgaf adding more people and luggage in for the sake of profit.
Shameful that they approved it. They clearly must think of regular people as plebs.
I’m 6’6” and my legs are already touching the seat in front of me…
I just flew a 777-300ER on Korean Air. It had 291 spacious seats. Felt very comfortable on a long haul flights. Air Canada flies that same plane with 440 seats. I know this isn’t the same airline but thats reprehensible. Hey, if the flight was half price, fine. But Korean was cheaper and has way better service and Food(bad entertainment). What’s my point? I dunno but its lame.
They really need to open up to foreign competition. Like is it really so important that Canadians only be abused by majority Canadian owned companies on domestic flights? I can’t get yelled at by a Delta employee to save a few bucks and get an extra inch of leg room?
Reminder that westjet is owns by a private equity firm and private equity only has one goal and it’s increase profit
And all they saw were dollar signs
Private Equity destroying yet another business.
Tried it for 5 mins or On a 4 hour flight!
What a PR disaster. Business students will one day study this to show how one photo going viral can undo months of bean counter plans and cost you millions of dollars in lost revenue.
Can’t wait to watch the YouTube video a couple of years down the line “what ever happened to WestJet? – The rise and fall of WestJet”
I’m avoiding Westjet like the plague. I will pay $100-200 more a flight with Air Canada or Porter to avoid them. Westjet used to be such an amazing alternative to AC. Now they’re leading the charge on making customers lives difficult during flights.
Westjet is budget airline with ultra premium prices.
Never. Ever. Will I fly WestJet again.
As someone who’s 6’4 and barely fits in normal economy , good work westjet I’ll never fly with you again
I can just imagine these “execs” did not sit in these seats for more than half an hour. Unless there is proof of them traveling in these seats for 5 hours+ their acknowledgement and resulting decisions will not be nearly good enough unless they received the full treatment. But good for them for advertising the optic.
As others have pointed out, I very much doubt that they experienced the seats for very long, and or didn’t experience them in real world conditions. This is laughable.
I’d heard this was to get an extra 8-9 seats per flight. So maybe a few thousand dollars a flight. I’ll never fly WJ again if they’re this crap now. Good time for puts.
Hopefully they fire the CEO.