WestJet Retracts Cramped Seating Plan After Passenger Backlash
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 22 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Passenger Backlash: WestJet's decision to retract its cramped seating plan highlights the need for airlines to carefully consider economy passengers' comfort when pursuing higher-paying travelers, as strong public opposition emerged following the announcement.
- Seating Configuration Changes: The airline's reconfiguration of part of its Boeing 737 fleet to add six economy seats and reduce seat pitch from 30 inches to 28 inches resulted in increased discomfort for passengers on long flights, drawing significant media attention and public dissatisfaction.
- Industry Cautionary Tale: Independent airline analyst Robert Mann emphasized that WestJet's experience serves as a cautionary tale for other carriers, indicating that there is a limit to what economy passengers will tolerate before seeking alternatives.
- Safety Concerns Arise: Concerns from flight attendants and passengers regarding the new seating arrangement's impact on emergency evacuation efficiency prompted regulatory scrutiny from Transport Canada, which conducted a risk assessment despite confirming that the configuration met federal safety standards.
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Analyst Views on BA
Wall Street analysts forecast BA stock price to rise
16 Analyst Rating
14 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 207.320
Low
150.00
Averages
269.14
High
298.00
Current: 207.320
Low
150.00
Averages
269.14
High
298.00
About BA
The Boeing Company is an aerospace company. Its segments include Commercial Airplanes (BCA), Defense, Space & Security (BDS), and Global Services (BGS). Its BCA segment develops, produces and markets commercial jet aircraft principally for the commercial airline industry worldwide. Its family of commercial jet aircraft in production includes the 737 narrow-body model and the 767, 777 and 787 wide-body models. Its BDS segment is engaged in the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for strike, surveillance and mobility. Its BGS segment provides services to its commercial and defense customers worldwide. It sustains aerospace platforms and systems with a range of products and services, including supply chain and logistics management, engineering, maintenance and modifications, upgrades and conversions, spare parts, pilot and maintenance training systems and services, technical and maintenance documents, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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