It’s seen by many travellers as one of the most frustrating experiences on an airplane.
You’ve just got yourself nice and comfy, your film has started playing and you’re nibbling on a packet of peanuts.
But all of a sudden, the chair in front of you moves back, crushing your legs in the process.
For decades, moving your seat back has been a social faux pas – and a trigger for some seriously fierce in-plane confrontations.
But now, budget Canadian airline WestJet has announced that customers will have to pay extra for reclining seats on their planes.
The airline has said it is reconfiguring its Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 aircraft to offer a ‘modern cabin experience’ with new seating options, according to the New York Post.
Economy seats will have a fixed recline design to help passengers ‘preserve personal space’.
Fixed recline seats have a slight recline, but cannot be adjusted.
Budget Canadian airline WestJet has announced that customers will have to pay extra for reclining seats on their planes (file image)
There will also be a premium cabin on the new planes, with 12 adjustable seats that have reclining seat backs, a large headrest with four-way adjustment capability and ergonomically contoured seat cushions.
WestJet is requiring passengers to pay extra for these, as these aren’t in the economy cabin.
However, WestJet adds the 36 seats in economy will have extra legroom and will be separated by a cabin divider.
‘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.’
The new seat layout will allow the airline to add one seating row compared to the prior layout, which will ultimately reduce the cost per seat.
‘The layout for our refreshed cabin caters to our guests’ diverse preferences,’ Taylor said.
‘Whether they opt for premium seating with extra amenities and legroom or for more affordable ticket prices with less space, we’re excited to introduce this range of products for our guests to enjoy.’
WestJet said they are reconfiguring its Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 aircraft to offer a ‘modern cabin experience’ with new seating options
According to WestJet, the seats in the back of the cabin, rows 20-31, will have the least space. There will be slightly more space in rows 15-19, and the seats in the front of economy will have the most space within that cabin.
An airline passenger rights advocate told Canadian national broadcaster CBC that this move is asking people to pay more for a feature they already had and now lost.
‘The imagination of airline marketers never stops to astound me: the depths they will go through kind of give people an impression that if I pay more, I get more,’ John Gradek, an aviation lecturer at McGill University, said, per the New York Post.
‘Right now, it’s like you pay more to get what you had.’
Share or comment on this article:
Budget airline to start charging passengers for reclining seats
Source link
CHECK OUT: Top Travel Destinations
READ MORE: Travel News
