A family recently shared a video that highlights the cramped conditions they experienced on a flight, sparking criticism of a Canadian airline’s seating arrangements on social media.
On December 26, Amanda Schmidt and her parents embarked on a WestJet flight from Edmonton to Toronto, heading to the Dominican Republic. During the journey, they encountered issues with their seats, which were notably tight and non-reclining.
The video, posted on Reddit, features Amanda’s father and mother visibly struggling to fit comfortably in their economy seats. The Reddit user pointed out, “WestJet changed their seats, and this is how much legroom basic fares get.”
WestJet’s UltraBasic fare, introduced in 2024, is designed as a budget-friendly option for travelers seeking a cost-effective flight experience. It offers a no-frills service, allowing passengers to customize their journey according to their preferences.
While passengers with an UltraBasic fare board the plane last and cannot bring a carry-on bag, they do have the option to purchase additional services, such as reserving a specific seat or checking a bag.
Though ‘ultra-basic’ passengers are the last to board the plane and are not permitted a carry-on bag, they can, however, choose to add certain extras like reserving a seat in advance or adding a checked bag.
One-way tickets for journeys across the United States start at $300 (around £223), according to WestJet’s website.
In the footage, captured by the couple’s daughter, the pair can be seen in a visibly cramped position with their knees unable to stretch out under the seat in front.
A family has shared footage of their tight squeeze while seated on a recent WestJet (pictured) flight in December 2025
Amanda Schmidt had been travelling with her father Manfred Schmidt and his wife (pictured), who can be seen visibly cramped in their UltraBasic seats
Amanda Schmidt had been travelling with her father Manfred Schmidt and his wife (pictured), who can be seen visibly cramped in their UltraBasic seats
In the clip, Amanda asked her father if he was able to stretch out his legs, to which he replied, ‘It’s impossible to straighten out my knees to the front’.
Her mother claimed to be even more cramped, as she remarked, ‘Well I’m going to be sharing my leg space with him’.
A bewildered Amanda quipped: ‘New planes… you have to pay for the other leg.’
Social media users also chimed in with their thoughts, as one said: ‘Seat’s a coffin, price is a joke. WestJet’s lost the plot.’
Another wrote: ‘WHAT!? I have more seating area in my Mini Cooper. I’d have an anxiety attack!’ while a third added, ‘There is not even enough room to brace yourself for impact if something goes wrong’.
Some questioned the legality of the aircraft’s seat design, as one wrote: ‘This should be illegal. This is opposite of safe flying’, while another added, ‘This is safe? It should be made illegal.’
Another shared: ‘People discovering WestJet’s new economy seats with 28-inch pitch, 2 inches less than before.
‘WestJet charges full service carrier pricing with low cost carrier amenities, legroom and service and hidden fees everywhere. Awful.’
After asking her father whether he was able to stretch out his legs, Mr Schmidt said to his daughter: ‘It’s impossible to straighten out my knees to the front’
Amanda’s mother claimed to be even more cramped, as she added, ‘Well I’m going to be sharing my leg space with him’
But some viewers were less empathetic, as one person quizzed: ‘Why would you buy budget seats on a budget airline then complain?’
Another said: ‘The only way to stop the pain is to refuse to board the plane. If you can’t drive to a place, don’t go. They need coach passengers to fill up the planes.’
A third suggested: ‘Why don’t they at least make the seats higher then? Bar height seats would at least give more legroom. Still wouldn’t be very comfortable but maybe better than that.’
A spokesperson for WestJet told the Daily Mail: ‘WestJet pioneered making air travel available to more Canadians, through our ability to keep costs low and to offer affordable airfares – to continue to do so, we need to try new products, these aircraft accommodate an extra row by varying seat pitch between 38 and 28 inches.
‘These pitches are in line with what you’ll find across North American airlines.
‘We have 21 aircraft in this configuration at this time. 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.’
They added: ‘As part of the reconfiguration, the aircraft underwent an extensive safety and certification process. All modifications were completed in accordance with Transport Canada’s rigorous airworthiness standards and WestJet’s own high internal safety requirements.’
