The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that WestJet has paused a move to install non-reclining seats on a big slice of its fleet after pushback from employees and passengers. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe says the airline announced in September it would reconfigure the seating on 43 Boeing 737 jets to install an extra row and divide the cabin into several tiers, some with more space -- and pricier tickets -- than others. Many of the economy seats would have less legroom than the previous layout and feature what WestJet called a "fixed recline design," meaning they could not be tilted back. In a memo, WestJet vice-president Robert Antoniuk told staff that the new configuration will only go ahead on 22 planes "for the time being," with 21 of those already sporting the tighter interior. The notion that passengers would have to pay for a reclining seat generated some blowback from passengers as well as flight attendants over the past few months. "If you're anything over 5 foot 10, your knees are under your chin," said John Gradek, who teaches aviation at McGill University. Last year, WestJet introduced its new "extended comfort" service tier where economy-class passengers can pay for more legroom.