Low-cost airline charges passengers for reclining seats, causing controversy

(Dan Tri) - WestJet, Canada's largest low-cost airline, has attracted attention after announcing that it will charge passengers if they want to recline their seats. The new regulation is said to be aimed at "upgrading the flight experience", but has received many reactions.

According to the New York Post , Canada's largest low-cost airline has just announced a change in its seat policy on its flights. Accordingly, passengers will have to pay extra if they want to recline their seats.

WestJet said it is reconfiguring its entire fleet of Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 aircraft, aiming for a “more modern cabin experience” with new tiered seating classes, in which only customers who choose premium seats are allowed to recline.

The airline called the move a move to “optimize space and comfort” for passengers, but the decision has been controversial.

For decades, reclining your seat on an airplane has been a divisive topic, with some seeing it as a legitimate right and others viewing it as rude and offensive.

The New York Post cited examples of fights that broke out just because passengers reclined their seats too much during long flights.

Economy class seats are designed with a fixed recline and cannot be further customized (Illustration: Westjet).

Under the new plan, WestJet will divide its passenger cabins into three categories: Premium cabins with spacious, comfortable reclining seats; Extended Comfort with extra legroom and some amenities, but limited recline angle; Standard Economy with no reclining seats unless passengers upgrade and pay an additional fee.

A WestJet representative said the change was “to ensure equal comfort and reduce conflicts between passengers.” However, many people were upset, saying that the airline was “turning a basic right into a paid service.”

Some people commented on X (old Twitter): “So now we have to pay to stretch our backs?”. “Every day, airlines think of more and more ways to make travel more expensive,” another person wrote.

WestJet has begun rolling out the new configuration on some domestic flights, before rolling it out fully next year.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/hang-bay-gia-re-thu-tien-hanh-khach-khi-nga-ghe-gay-tranh-cai-20251012113744568.htm