Squeezed and Exploited: WestJet’s Legroom Nightmare is a Metaphor for Corporate Greed in Canada

WestJet, once a symbol of affordable Canadian air travel, is increasingly resembling the budget airlines it sought to differentiate itself from. Reduced legroom, increased fees, and packed flights are becoming the norm. They aren’t alone. This isn’t simply an airline issue; it’s a symptom of a broader trend: the relentless pursuit of profit at the expense of customer well-being, and frankly, human dignity.

The calls for government regulation sparked by this video are absolutely justified. We can’t rely on the goodwill of corporations to do the right thing. The market has spoken and the market is saying “squeeze them dry!” It is the duty of our federal government to step in and ensure that basic standards of comfort and safety are maintained. This isn’t about coddling passengers; it’s about recognizing that air travel is often a necessity, not a luxury, and that Canadians deserve to be treated with respect, not like cattle.

But the legroom debacle goes beyond mere comfort. It speaks to a deeper malaise in our society. We’re constantly bombarded with messages telling us to consume more, produce more, and accept less. Workers are facing stagnant wages, rising costs of living, and precarious employment. Is it any wonder that people feel squeezed, both on airplanes and in their daily lives?

And while we’re talking about being squeezed, let’s not forget the environmental cost of these increasingly packed flights. More passengers per plane means more fuel consumption per person, contributing to the climate crisis. It’s all connected. This relentless drive for efficiency, for squeezing every last drop of profit, has consequences for our planet and our future.

While seemingly unrelated, the relentless pursuit of maximizing profit, ignoring basic human comfort and environmental concerns, echoes a dangerous trend we’re seeing globally. A disregard for the common good, a willingness to exploit and dehumanize for financial gain – these are the hallmarks of something far more sinister. We must push back against this erosion of basic decency, this normalization of corporate greed. We must demand better from our corporations, our government, and ourselves.

So, the next time you’re crammed into an airplane seat, remember that it’s not just about the lack of legroom. It’s about a system that prioritizes profit over people, that values efficiency over empathy. It’s about the need for a more just and equitable society, where everyone has enough space to breathe.