Hel2979

Hi,
we are over in Canada in Feb and are booked on a westjet flight at around 9am from Toronto to Vancouver. We are looking into paying the extra to make sure we are sat together. Is this necessary? Are the flights busy? I've been told they are more like a bus service over in the UK.....regular and not packed. So any info is appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Hurlabrick

I have flown WestJet quite a bit, both nationally and internationally, including the Toronto to Vancouver flight. Part of the booking process is to select your seats, so that is when you can choose to sit together. WestJet is not like Ryanair with no set seating if that is what you are thinking.

To call it a 'bus service' isn't right IMHO, sure you only get food if you pay for it and for entertainment you need either your own tablet with the WestJet app loaded or borrow one of their tablets on the plane, but other than that, it is like any other airline. Our TO to VYR flight was I would say 3/4 full. I am sure you are already aware that this is a 5 hour plus flight, so I would suggest comfort would be a prime consideration. We flew the WestJet 'plus' class and loved it, but yes, it is a fair bit more.

Hel2979

That's great info. Thanks.

scrubbedexpat091

If you dont pay for a seat assignment in advance, prepare to possibly not sit together and/or end up in a middle seat, waiting for check in to get a seat is gambling, may work in your favor, may not.

Atlantic Xpat

Toronto to Vancouver is a busy route. If you want to sit together I strongly advise paying for seats together. Cheapest fare class on both WJ and AC require additional fees to preselect seats. You can choose not too but then don’t be surprised if you are sitting apart (& in middle seats rather than aisle or window!)

Hel2979

Hi,
yeah that's the worry. Just wanted to check see what others thought. We'll pay and confirm I think!

Hel2979

will get booking! Thank you

Snowy560

What you can do on some Westjet flights is select so called "less desirable" seats for no fee. I think these are either ones which don't recline or may not be exactly next to a window. I'm sure we've done this and I've not even noticed the difference although it might have been on a shorter Vancouver to Calgary flight. I can't recall. Either way, I always reserve seats of some descripton or another, and I'd agree with others, for a 5 hour flight there's no way I wouldn't do this. Every Vancouver/Toronto flight I've been on has been practically full.

Hel2979

Thanks for info. We've reserved.

PETEMJ

We usually book our seats 24 hours before the flight using the on-line check in, we have always managed to get reasonable seats together. It doesn't cost extra.

dbd33

My wife and I have been on WestJet numerous times including Toronto to Vancouver and back direct and with stops. I don't remember what seats we had or if they were together, I do remember reading a book and trying to ignore the other passengers; same as with all the other airlines. I do think the experience is very much like being on a long distance bus except that aeroplane passengers tend to be on downers and bus passengers on uppers, giving the bus a frisson lacking in air travel. In the case of Vancouver, of course, there's little choice as the bus no longer goes there.

goegregentry

In my experience it really is variable, quite hard to predict. I don't usually pay and often get a seat with my gf on internal Canadian flights together 24 hours prior to flight. If you take this route of not paying, i advise checking in as soon as online check in comes available.

neilcumming

On Westjet you can reserve your seats 24hrs before take off for free but it can be a hit or a miss if there are 2 seats together left. Flying in Feb I wouldnt think the flight would be full so for me I would take the chance and if we missed out we would ask someone travelling alone if they wouldnt mind changing seats .

scilly

My daughter and young grandson are flying WestJet from Halifax to Vancouver and return in March, with a change in each direction. Her travel agent will phone WestJet as soon as the online site opens and reserve her two seats on each leg. For her return trip, daughter has to phone the travel agent 2 days before to remind her that this has to be done.

On all previous trips, whether WestJet or Air Canada cheap seats, she has reserved seats herself by phoning early in the morning of the day before. She rarely has a problem!

Atlantic Xpat

A top tip with Westjet is that at T-24 you can sometimes buy an upgrade to Plus seats (more legroom at the front of the aircraft, better food if I recall) for a discounted price. I used to do this flying from St John;s to Gatwick & it was like $100 for a 4.5 hr flight so well worth it.