Where WestJet Went Wrong

"WestJet: Flying high while we sink to new lows."

Canadian comedy sketch show "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" recently aired a skit skewering WestJet, which came under fire for its plans to introduce a new seat configuration that would squeeze an extra row on board many of its planes at the cost of passenger legroom.*

You can watch the video below, have yourself a laugh, and forget all about it if you'd like.

But if you're a brand owner, you might want to consider the following: how many mistakes does a brand have to make before a show like "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" chooses to parody a brand this savagely?

And once it does, is it possible to salvage your reputation and regain the trust of your customers?

All of us who aren't flying with the airline have the luxury of laughing at the absurd parody.

But for WestJet's senior leadership team and shareholders, this is no laughing matter.

At one point, not so long ago, WestJet was considered a best-in-class airline.

Then came the strained labour relations. Unreliable operations and disruptive cancellations. Poor handling of passenger rights and legal challenges over compensation. Cost pressures.

WestJet didn't do one thing catastrophically to lose its enviable reputation as a best‑in‑class, people‑focused, low‑cost carrier.

They made many (many!) poor decisions over the course of a decade, the sum of which ultimately led to a loss of consumer trust.

That's where WestJet went wrong.

Fortunately, there's still time for the airline to correct its course.

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* Due to significant consumer backlash, WestJet is reportedly reversing its decision.