WestJet selects Airchair as part of onboard wheelchair program
The Airchair II model will be installed across WestJet’s 787 fleet
WestJet has become the first airline to select the Airchair II, the latest product in the Airchair airline wheelchair range. The Canadian low-cost airline will purchase 22 onboard wheelchairs from Airchair for installation on its 737 fleet. WestJet will also be installing onboard wheelchairs across its entire fleet.
“The purchase of these new onboard wheelchairs will allow us to serve guests with accessibility needs throughout the travel journey, in particular our guests who need assistance in boarding and taking their seat,” said Todd Peterson, WestJet Director of Regulatory Affairs and Accessibility. “Airchair II provides a safe and comfortable option for transferring passengers within the cabin and to their seats, while simultaneously making it easier for our cabin crew to use and stow aisle chairs.”
Sarah McOnie of Airchair said, “We are delighted to begin this programme with WestJet. In a really challenging commercial environment WestJet needed to ensure that they chose an onboard wheelchair that met their accessibility requirements, hence why they settled on Airchair II.”
The Airchair II model, which has been shortlisted for a Crystal Cabin Award 2026, has been designed to comply with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulation 14 CFR Part 382.65, and is the only onboard wheelchair tested to withstand a Suddenly Applied Load of up to 250kg. According to the company, Airchair II is lightweight (6.8kg/15lb), easy to stow, deploy and move around the aircraft cabin.
Airchair recently opened a new and expanded manufacturing facility, near Woking in Surrey, England. The expansion will allow Airchair to scale up production to treble its current capacity to meet the increasing demand for onboard wheelchairs.
At the core of Airchair’s new manufacturing site is the introduction of a smart, single-flow production process. This streamlined method not only boosts efficiency but also allows for agile design adaptation to changing customer and regulatory requirements and guarantees consistent quality.
