Passengers vow to 'never fly again' with airline following decision to charge for basic feature

Your choice of airline is important to us, and while some of you are loyal to a specific carrier whenever you go away, others will hunt around for the best deal before they buy a ticket.

Although the likes of Florida's IAero Airways, Alaska's Pacific Airways, and Nevada's aha! have all gone bust in recent years, the airline market couldn't be more competitive. While American Airlines rules the roost with 20% of the U.S. domestic market, there's stiff competition from the likes of United, Delta, and Southwest.

All come with their pros and cons, like American Airlines being recently called out for a policy change when it comes to carry-on luggage. Turkey’s Civil Aviation Authority is clamping down on people who rush off planes, while Frontier Airlines has been praised for introducing an 'all you can fly' pass that sounds too good to be true.

We all know that booking your flight is far more complicated than simply picking a seat on the plane, with airlines constantly bombarding you with upgrade options, meal choices, and a variety of different seats.

Even as people dash to book seat 11A in the aftermath of Vishwashkumar Ramesh being the sole survivor of 2025's tragic Air India crash, others simply want to sit wherever, put on an eye mask, and recline as they fly in peace.

That might be a problem when it comes to WestJet, as the Canadian airline is now charging people to recline. You'll now have to pay more for the privilege of reclining thanks to reconfiguring its 43 Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 and a "refreshed range of seating options."

The airline confirmed that regular economy seats will have a "fixed recline design," which means they're locked into position. If you want to adjust, you'll have to upgrade to the new premium area, with CBC reiterating that only 12 of them exist per plane.

Promoting the change, WestJet said: "The modern cabin experience will offer a bright, airy atmosphere with an upgraded design that features new seats, adjustable headrests and enhanced cushion and back support with a fixed recline design in Economy that helps preserve personal space."

The airline has defended the decision and says it "caters to our guests' diverse preferences" and wants to keep ticket prices affordable for those who only want the basics. Others have called out the move, with John Gradek, a faculty lecturer in supply networks and aviation management at Montreal's McGill University, telling As It Happens' Nil Kӧksal: "I would say it is a cash grab. They're trying to somehow, some way, you know, create another echelon of service that would allow them to charge more."

WestJet's 'premium' seating is said to include "ergonomically contoured seat cushions, reclining seat backs and a large headrest with four-way adjustment capability."

Behind premium is the 'extended comfort' section with 36 reclining seats and more legroom than economy, and then separated by a divider is the economy section, with no additional legroom or reclining seats.

In a statement, the company reiterated: "WestJet has always been a pioneer in making air travel available to more Canadians, largely through our ability to keep costs low and to offer affordable airfares."

"To continue to do so, we need to be willing to try new products and see how they work for Canadians."

One angry Redditor raged: "Yep and I’ll never fly WestJet again because of it."

Another added: "Things like this instantly move the airline from 'Yeah I might fly them' to 'only if it's the last option'."

A third concluded: "I don't know how Canadians can put up with this sh!t airline."