A video that has spread rapidly across social media, showing a passenger visibly struggling to fit into his seat on a WestJet flight, is igniting a fierce debate about passenger safety, comfort, and corporate responsibility in Canada's aviation sector.
The Viral Incident That Sparked Outrage
The clip, posted on TikTok, depicts a man seated diagonally because he cannot position his legs forward due to severely limited legroom. By Wednesday afternoon, the original video had garnered over 1.1 million views, with a flood of comments from concerned users. Many questioned how such a configuration could possibly meet emergency safety standards. "How are you supposed to put your head between your legs for emergency landings?" one user wrote, while another demanded federal regulations on minimum space, stating, "I can’t see how this is safe."
WestJet's Response and Reconfiguration Plans
WestJet confirmed the video features one of its 21 newly reconfigured aircraft. The updated layout adds an extra row of seats, a move the airline says is part of its effort to keep fares affordable for travellers. In a statement on X, WestJet said it is "closely monitoring guest and employee feedback" and emphasized that safety guides all its decisions. The airline asserted that the reconfigured layout underwent an extensive safety review and was completed in full compliance with Transport Canada’s rigorous airworthiness standards and the company's own internal safety requirements.
The incident relates to a broader fleet update announced in September 2025, where WestJet planned to reconfigure 43 Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 aircraft to add an extra row and introduce fixed-recline seating. The airline temporarily paused work on about half of those planes in December 2025, with plans to resume reconfiguring its all-economy fleet in the spring of 2026.
Advocate Questions Legal and Safety Obligations
Air passenger rights advocate Gabor Lukacs argues the viral footage raises critical questions about whether WestJet can fulfill its basic contractual duty to provide a seat a passenger can reasonably occupy. "The ultimate question is: does the passenger fit into the seat?" Lukacs said. "If it’s not possible, the seat is too small, and the airline is in breach of their (contractual) obligation."
Lukacs also challenged the safety logic of the tighter layout, highlighting potential dangers for seniors and passengers with mobility issues who may need to evacuate quickly. "It doesn’t make sense to me," he stated, underscoring that public scrutiny is essential to hold airlines accountable. The incident has become a flashpoint for the broader discussion on where the line should be drawn between airline profitability and fundamental passenger rights and safety.
