If economy feels tighter than it used to, you are not imagining it. There is no legal minimum seat pitch in Canada. Airlines set their own spacing, within one hard limit: everyone has to be able to get off the plane fast enough in an emergency.
Canada does not regulate how much legroom a seat must have. No minimum pitch, no minimum width. The only constraint is safety: the cabin layout must allow a full evacuation within the certified time. As long as that holds, the airline decides the spacing.
In practice, economy pitch on Canadian carriers runs from roughly 29 to 32 inches. Premium economy and business add more. The number is a commercial choice, not a legal floor, which is why it has drifted tighter over the years.
There is a seating right worth knowing, and it has nothing to do with pitch. It is about families.
Under the APPR, an airline must seat a child under 14 near their accompanying adult at no extra charge. How near depends on the child's age, with younger children kept closest. The airline cannot use a seat-selection fee to separate a young child from a parent.
No. Canada sets no minimum seat pitch or width. Spacing is the airline's choice, within the safety requirement that the cabin can be evacuated in time. Economy pitch typically runs about 29 to 32 inches. The APPR covers disruptions, not legroom.
Yes. The APPR requires airlines to seat a child under 14 close to their accompanying adult at no extra charge, with closeness based on age. They cannot charge a seat fee to keep a young child near a parent.
Generally no. A tight seat is not a breach of the rules, so there is no legroom compensation. The exception is paying for a seat or cabin you did not receive, which owes a refund of that fee. APPR compensation is tied to disruptions, not comfort.
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