In late 2025, a flight attendant reported safety concerns regarding WestJet’s reconfigured seating layout to Transport Canada. The alert was prompted by an incident on November 29, 2025, when a passenger, Rob Noble, who stands at 6’3″, was unable to fit into his seat during a flight from Cancun to Regina. This reconfiguration had added an extra row of seats, reducing legroom from the original 180-seat configuration to 174 seats.
The flight attendant described the seating arrangement as a “hazard” and noted that it posed an “imminent risk” to passengers. Following the incident, a five-page safety hazard report was submitted to Transport Canada on December 5, 2025, detailing the risks associated with the new seating layout.
During the flight, Noble became physically trapped in his seat and was unable to self-evacuate. His mother, Lindsay Noble, expressed her frustration, stating, “It was not safe for him to be sitting in that seat.” This incident raised significant concerns about passenger safety and the adequacy of the seating arrangements.
In response to the growing concerns, WestJet announced plans to reverse the seating layout on January 16, 2026. The airline emphasized that all modifications had been completed in accordance with Transport Canada’s airworthiness standards and its own internal safety requirements. However, it remains unclear if the investigation into the complaint from the WestJet employee has been completed.
Transport Canada has stated it will monitor WestJet’s management of the risks associated with the seating configuration. Notably, the agency does not specify a minimum seat pitch in its national aviation regulations, which raises questions about the criteria used to assess safety in such configurations.
As of now, WestJet plans to convert the remaining reconfigured planes back to their original layout by the end of 2026. The situation highlights the critical balance between maximizing passenger capacity and ensuring safety and comfort during flights.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the investigation’s status and why Transport Canada did not intervene sooner after the safety risk was flagged. The ongoing scrutiny of WestJet’s seating arrangements underscores the importance of passenger safety in the aviation industry.
