What happened
WestJet has finished converting former Swoop and Sunwing 737-800s to a 174-seat cabin with 30-inch pitch in Standard and Preferred, keeping a 1.5cm fixed-recline seat that does not move. The airline had planned 180 seats with 28-inch ultra-slimline seating.
Prince of Travel counts 21 of 27 economy rows as non-reclining. WestJet will apply the same Standard seats to legacy mainline 737-800s starting in September, aiming to finish by the end of 2027. Legacy economy seats currently recline about 5 centimetres. Premium has 12 seats at 38 inches of pitch with 13 cm of recline. Paid Extended Comfort has 36 seats at 34 inches with 8 cm of genuine recline. Preferred is the same non-reclining seat as Standard, only farther forward.
Prince of Travel's seat impressions come only from flights of about two hours with no seatmates. The slimline seats were found acceptable on those flights. Online complaints about the slim seats on longer flights were noted.
Pay for Extended Comfort or Premium to get recline on WestJet 737s as non-reclining Standard seats spread through 2027.
- Numbers
- 174 seats: cabin count after the extra row was removed
- 30 inches: restored Standard and Preferred economy pitch
- 180 seats: original denser cabin plan
- 28-inch inches: ultra-slimline pitch in the original plan
- 1.5cm centimetres: fixed recline on the new Standard and Preferred seats
- 21/27 rows: economy rows whose seats do not recline
- 5 centimetres: current recline on legacy mainline 737-800 economy seats
- 12 seats: Premium cabin size
- 13 cm centimetres: Premium recline
- 38 inches: Premium pitch
- 36 seats: Extended Comfort cabin size
- 8 cm centimetres: Extended Comfort recline
- 34 inches: Extended Comfort pitch
- 38 inches: exit-row pitch
- Takeaway
- If you want recline on WestJet, pay for Extended Comfort or sit in Premium, and expect the same non-reclining Standard seats as more 737-800s are refurbished.