Viral Video Calls Out Airline's New Cramped, Cost-Cutting Seats

It's no secret that when flying, one can get stuck in a tight situation with little leg or shoulder room to spare. However, according to some passengers, one airline is taking this cramped approach to another, even more uncomfortable level than usual. This issue was brought to light by TikTok user @amanda_rae.13, who recorded the seating on a WestJet flight. They highlighted the unusual lack of legroom and the general tight squeeze passengers have to endure for the duration of the flight. Those in the comments quickly expressed their surprise at the layout, even questioning the safety of such seating. Perhaps unsurprisingly, WestJet wants to charge passengers more to recline their seats, as well.

@amanda_rae.13

@WestJet do better. My poor dad. The seats should at least fit normal sized humans. Shout out to Yamy who was THE BEST flight attendant and did everything she could to make the flight more comfortable ♥️

♬ original sound – amanda_rae.13

The video of the cramped seating ultimately took social media by storm, prompting WestJet to answer questions about how and why such tightly packed seats have become a reality. The official WestJet account on X shared that this tight seating style came about after a company-wide aircraft reconfiguration. Another row of seats was added to this and 20 other WestJet aircraft, specifically Boeing 737s. To make the seats fit, the pitch was varied between 38 and 28 inches. The airline explained that the goal is to keep travel costs low and that passenger comfort and safety remain important considerations. WestJet also welcomed guest and employee feedback in the wake of these changes.

Not long after sending out this social media response, WestJet revealed that it's reversing course. For the benefit of future passengers, these tight, uncomfortable seats will be done away with.

All of the online chatter regarding WestJet's added seating and the space it took away to do so has been taken seriously by the airline. As reported by Fox Business, just a few months after rolling out these modified aircraft, WestJet intends to do away with its cramped seating layout by removing the problematic additional row. The company is getting to work bringing its current 180-seat aircraft back to 174-seat layouts, though, as of publication, it has yet to share when passengers can expect to have their previously lost legroom restored.

Speaking of legroom, WestJet isn't the only airline that has made efforts to make in-flight comfort a higher priority. For example, in October 2025, Southwest Airlines unveiled the Extra Legroom Experience, with 5 inches of extra legroom on 737-700 aircraft and 3 inches extra on the 737-800/MAX 8 for seats at the front of the plane. This seating option also grants passengers new food and drink options and faster boarding. Spirit Airlines also gave customers a chance at more legroom in 2025. With that said, added legroom on its flights is a premium option and does come at a higher price.

When considering whether flying with a cheap airline is actually worth it, one might expect legroom to be limited. Still, taking some of it away, even on a budget flight like WestJet, is bound to turn heads and cause passengers to speak up. Fortunately, the company took the response to its reduced legroom to heart and is setting things right for the sake of passengers and staff alike.