WestJet’s new seating targets business travellers

MONTREAL — WestJet Airlines is accelerating its pitch for business and wealthier leisure travellers by offering European-style seating with more room.

The carrier will enhance its Plus premium economy service starting Monday by leaving empty two middle seats in the first three rows of its Boeing 737 aircraft. The change will allow WestJet to collect a premium, which it says will more than offset the lost revenue from six empty seats.

“The value proposition is such that for the costconscious business traveller we believe this is a killer product,” Bob Cummings, executive vicepresident commercial, told a Cowen and Company transportation conference in Boston.

WestJet will cover the empty seats with work consoles on all narrowbody jets over the coming months.

The Plus seating is about 31 to 59 per cent more expensive than regular economy fares. However, it is substantially cheaper than Air Canada’s business-class fares.

WestJet’s premium economy fare was launched more than a year ago with features such as free checked bags, no charge for changing flights, extra legroom, advanced boarding and seat selection, priority security clearance and free food and beverages.

Chris Murray of AltaCorp Capital said the product will likely appeal to businessman for whom price is a key factor, rather than flight frequencies or connections.

“I would describe it more as evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary,” he said in an interview.

On WestJet’s new Boeing 767s, the Plus section will include 24 larger seats in four rows separated by two aisles.

The first of four of the widebody planes will fly between Toronto and Calgary. The others will offer winter service between Alberta and Hawaii, along with Toronto to Jamaica before international service is added in May.