Kazakh airlines promise not to charge passengers for reclining seats
Tengrinews.kz — While some foreign airlines are introducing fees for reclining seats, Kazakh carriers say they have no plans to follow suit.
The discussion began after Canadian low-cost airline WestJet announced that passengers would now have to pay extra to recline their seats — a move that quickly sparked debate worldwide.
Tengrinews reached out to Kazakh airlines to find out whether they might adopt a similar policy.
In Scat Airlines, representatives said that no such changes are planned. Qazaq Air also confirmed that they are not considering any tariff adjustments in the near future.
FlyArystan, Kazakhstan’s leading low-cost carrier, noted that the idea of charging extra for seat recline is not under consideration.
“FlyArystan operates under a low-cost model. The ticket price includes only the seat and hand luggage up to 5 kilograms. Additional services such as checked baggage, meals, and seat selection can be purchased separately. Currently, we offer two fare types — ‘Value’ and ‘Flexible’ — which differ in refund and change policies,” the airline stated.
International context
WestJet’s new seating concept divides the cabin into three categories:
Premium — wider seats with full recline and headrests (12 seats)
Extended Comfort — slightly more legroom, partially reclining backs (36 seats)
Standard Economy — non-reclining seats
The airline claims the denser layout will make flights cheaper, but aviation experts remain skeptical.
“Airline marketers have an endless imagination — they make passengers feel privileged for paying extra for something that used to be standard,” said John Gradek, aviation management professor at McGill University.
Similar “fixed-back” seats are already common among European and American budget carriers such as Ryanair, EasyJet, and Spirit Airlines.