WestJet Completes Narrowbody Cabin Reconfiguration in 2026

WestJet has finalized the interior reconfiguration of its former Swoop and Sunwing Airlines narrowbody aircraft, marking the operational end of its all-economy fleet and standardizing the passenger experience across its mainline operations.

In a press release issued on August 18, 2026, the Calgary-based carrier confirmed the completion of the cabin updates. The milestone follows the integration of its ultra-low-cost and leisure subsidiaries and coincides with the early completion of a legroom restoration project that reduced capacity on select Boeing 737 aircraft from 180 to 174 seats.

Standardizing the narrowbody passenger experience

WestJet spent the past three years consolidating its operations, absorbing ultra-low-cost carrier Swoop in 2023 and leisure operator Sunwing Airlines in 2025. The aircraft inherited from these subsidiaries previously operated with high-density, all-economy layouts. With the reconfiguration complete, these airframes now match the mainline WestJet standard.

The updated cabins feature a multi-class configuration that includes Premium seating, an expanded Extended Comfort section, and standard Economy. The airline also installed modernized charging ports, device holders, and Wi-Fi presented by TELUS.

Samantha Taylor, Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer for WestJet Group, stated in the release that unifying the narrowbody fleet is a critical step in delivering a reliable and welcoming experience. She noted the milestone creates a stronger foundation for the airline’s teams to focus on service delivery.

Reversing the 180-seat configuration

Alongside the integration of the subsidiary aircraft, WestJet addressed passenger dissatisfaction stemming from a recent densification initiative. In September 2025, the airline introduced a 180-seat configuration on 14 Boeing 737-800 aircraft by adding an extra row of seats.

The high-density layout generated significant passenger backlash regarding reduced legroom. In response, WestJet reversed the decision and initiated a retrofit program to remove the additional row, returning the affected Boeing 737-800 aircraft to a 174-seat standard. The airline completed this legroom restoration project in June 2026, ahead of its planned fall schedule.

Legacy fleet refurbishment timeline

With the subsidiary aircraft fully integrated into the mainline cabin standard, WestJet is shifting its focus to its older mainline airframes. The airline scheduled the refurbishment of its legacy narrowbody aircraft to begin in September 2026.

The legacy fleet updates are expected to be completed by the end of 2027. WestJet also set a target date of late 2026 for all aircraft in its fleet to feature the carrier’s standard teal and navy exterior livery.

AirPro News analysis

The completion of this cabin reconfiguration marks the final operational chapter of WestJet’s experiment with segmented airline brands. By folding Swoop and Sunwing back into the mainline operation, we see a clear strategic pivot toward product consistency over market fragmentation. The rapid reversal of the 180-seat Boeing 737-800 configuration demonstrates the limits of cabin densification. While adding a row of seats improves per-seat carbon efficiency and lowers unit costs, the resulting passenger friction proved too costly to brand equity. Returning to the 174-seat standard indicates that WestJet is prioritizing yield and customer retention over maximum capacity.

Sources: WestJet