Over the years, airlines have figured out more and more ways to nickel and dime their passengers. So nowadays for every little thing that’s considered more desirable, there’s potentially a charge:
- Checked baggage
- Being able to choose your seat
- Having a seat with a decent amount of legroom
- Being closer to the front of the plane
- Food and drink beyond a Biscoff cookie and a can of soda
I mean, by this point, we should probably feel “lucky” that there’s still padding in the seats. Although many airlines have already removed some of that padding, replacing it with newer Recaro seats.
And those new seats? Yeah, they don’t recline. But most seats on most airlines – the ones that aren’t low-cost airlines – thankfully, still do.
But get this – last week, WestJet, which is not a low-cost airline, introduced the ability to recline as something passengers may have to pay for.
Yep, the Canadian airline announced that it was reconfiguring 43 of its Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 planes to have what it’s calling a “refreshed range of seating options.”
By this point we know that any time something is “refreshed” on a plane, it can’t be good. And nope, WestJet’s plans are not good. “Refreshed range of seating options” means if a passenger wants a seat that reclines, they’ll have to pay for it.
WestJet’s “Refreshed” Cabin Plan
According to a press release from the airline, economy seats on the retrofitted planes will have “back support with a fixed recline design.” That means those seats won’t have the ability to recline, à la Spirit, Frontier, etc.
The Premium section at the front of these planes will have “ergonomically contoured seat cushions, reclining seat backs and a large headrest with four-way adjustment capability.”
Of course, you’ll have to pay a premium for those.
And in between those two classes of fares will be 36 seats that will also have reclining ability, along with extra legroom.
You can get those seats for a fee, too.
“The cabin has been thoughtfully designed to offer WestJet’s welcoming service at every budget,” said Samantha Taylor, WestJet Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer, “It reflects our commitment to elevating every aspect of the travel experience and meeting guest demand for a broader range of product offerings” adds Taylor.
Isn’t that nice of them?
So meanwhile if you’re going to want to recline on these planes, you’ll have to pay for it.
WTG, WestJet.
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