Viral WestJet video sparks debate over shrinking legroom

A viral video filmed aboard a WestJet flight departing Edmonton has ignited a national debate over airline legroom, passenger comfort, and whether carriers are squeezing in more seats at the expense of travellers.

The clip, which has amassed more than one million views across social platforms, shows a man struggling to fit his legs behind the seat in front of him. His knees appear pressed firmly against the seatback, leaving virtually no room to move.

“Dad, can you just straighten out your legs there?” a woman is heard saying in the clip.

The video has prompted a wave of frustration among travellers, who say flying has become increasingly cramped — and, in some cases, unbearable. Online comments range from calls to boycott the airline to broader criticism of the industry’s trend toward tighter seating configurations.

Gábor Lukács, founder of Air Passenger Rights, says the video highlights a regulatory gap in Canada.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have any regulations governing the amount of legroom available on flights,” he said in an interview with CityNews. “However, passengers do have to be provided with sufficient space to allow them to actually sit on the plane.”

Airlines must design spacious seats for passengers, advocates say

WestJet acknowledges that its standard seats offer the least legroom on its aircraft, with more spacious options available at an added cost. The airline recently reconfigured parts of its Boeing 737 fleet, adding an extra row of seats and introducing slimmer seat designs to maximize capacity.

Lukács argues that while airlines are free to design their cabins as they see fit, they still have a responsibility to ensure that seats are usable.

“A seat doesn’t have to be nice, it doesn’t have to be comfortable,” he said. “But it has to be big enough that a passenger can sit down in it. If a seat is too small and WestJet knows it to be too small, then it’s selling a service it knows it cannot deliver. That is called fraud.”

Passenger rights advocates say the lack of federal standards for minimum seat pitch or legroom leaves travellers with few options when comfort is compromised. Lukács says the issue ultimately falls to lawmakers.

“The airlines are taking advantage of the government’s inaction,” he said. “If you don’t like what you’re seeing, you have to ask for an in-person meeting or a video meeting with your federal member of Parliament and give them an earful. Just being angry and complaining is not going to help.”

In a statement, WestJet said the aircraft in question accommodates an additional row of seats by varying seat pitch between 38 and 28 inches. The airline says 21 planes currently use this configuration.

“We are closely monitoring guest and employee feedback to assess the product’s performance, comfort and suitability, while ensuring our unwavering commitment to safety remains at the forefront of every decision we make,” the statement reads.