Is it considered rude to lean your seat back on the plane?

[Earstou]

What I've noticed in the past, is that once someone reclines their seat, it's like a domino effect. Everyone else behind them starts reclining their seats to try to regain that little bit of space they just lost to the person in front of them!!!

 

[BostonRob]

What I've noticed in the past, is that once someone reclines their seat, it's like a domino effect. Everyone else behind them starts reclining their seats to try to regain that little bit of space they just lost to the person in front of them!!!

That's true. I generally recline my seat in response to the person in front of me reclining theirs.

To be honest though, I'd rather the person in front of me just go ahead and recline, than if they asked me if they could. Because if somebody asks me if they can, I'm going to say 'yes', because i don't have any good reason why they shouldn't. But honestly, I'd rather they didn't because of my own selfishness about my space. So I'd rather somebody just do it on their own than to have to give my 'blessing' to it.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Ellen DeGeneres does a funny bit about airline seats and reclining. Here's a clip:

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/galleries/video/index.html?=ellenstandup1

 

[Miss Mickey Mania]

This is an interesting thread! Here is my 2 cents (or pennies as I'm Scottish).

My flight to Fl lasts around 8.5 hours. By the time I'm on board, I will have already waited 90 minutes at my local airport to be flown from Scotland to London - another 80 minutes, and then had another 2.5 hour wait for the USA flight. So before I even start, I'm not at my best .

I have some infrared sensor, I think on my forehead, which prompts every person who has ever sat in front of me to recline their seat for the entire 8.5hours! This can be the only explanation for this curse which haunts me.

In truth, it only annoys be at mealtimes and at restroom breaks. I will usually gesture to the cabin crew member as I'm being served food that I do not have space to eat. They always have a quiet word with the offending person.

Now at restroom breaks, it's a case of doing some nifty La Nouba style moves to vacate my chair. Somehow, that chair in front always seems to be in the way, and it always gets a hard thump as I go past. No idea how that happens .

I don't find reclining my chair any more comfortable. I will very occasionally do it on my flight home as it's an overnighter and EVERYONE reclines then. I always have a quick peep at the person behind me to see what they are doing but so far, they have always had theirs reclined too. Then I don't feel bad about doing mine as well.

Whoever thought I could ramble on so much about a reclining seat?

 

[kirbsam]

Sometimes I recline and sometimes I don't. I am 6'4" and I always hope the person in front of me doesn't recline, but if they do I just shift and I am usually ok. I do not think it is rude to recline, and I would prefer not to be asked. I think it is your right to recline your seat. Never think twice about it.

 

[bavaria]

Just one more word on this, and I am wearing a flame retardant suit: some people take sleeping pills on flights. I'm talking about heavy duty ones like Ambien (I don't, but over on flyertalk.com a long of long haul flyers do that regularly)

I am often so tired that I don't wake up doing meal service (not that I would eat most airline meals!) I'm sure (and embarassed to say) that I have been reclined during a meal service or two in the past.

If the FA wakes me, I always move my seat forward. If they don't, then my apologies to the person behind me who had to suffer - it was unintentional.

What is just as rude, in my opinion, is the passenger who kicks me or bangs me awake - why not just a tap on the arm, etc?? I'm always willing to move my seat up if it bothers you - just be polite about asking, please.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Being tall, I have little space to spare. If the person in front of me wants to recline their seat, it helps so much if they do it S-L-O-W-L-Y and at least look back to give me a moment to move my knees and not get hurt when they recline. I have had so many people quickly recline as though they are the only ones on the airplane and my knees are literally pinned and bruised from their actions.

I personally NEVER recline because I know how much I dislike have the seat in front of me reclining.

But I do agree that the person has the "right" to recline.

On one plane trip, we had our son with us and he was younger at the time (pre-teen). He wanted to sleep so he attempted to recline his chair. Behind him was a business man who literally stretched out his arms and pushed my sons chair back up each time my DS tried to slowly recline. My husband even helped him recline one time and before long the man behind him had pushed our son's chair back to upright....now I truly think the man BEHIND my son was rude because the chairs ARE made to recline.

 

[shamrock30]

I never recline my seat, and I do find it a little rude to recline it fully for the entire flight. This has happpened to me many times on long flight to Europe, and it really makes it hard at meal times.

 

[magicmouse2]

One flight back from Orlando to the Uk - evening/night flight I put my seat back. The teeange girl behind purposely kept kicking it. I had work the next day and needed to sleep anyway to cut a long story short, she was from a large group of 'travellers' I had the supervisor involved who warned her but these type of people have no fear of authority. The rest of the 'family' got involved too, and made threats. They couldnt move us cos the flight was full and they copuldnt move her either. At the end of the flight our family had to be transported quickly through the airport by the airport police for our own safety from this group. So, be careful when you put your seat back!!

 

[PURTYPAT1]

Our Family flies quite often.

I find it quite inconsiderate when the person in front of me, put's there seat back.

My husband is 6"3 and has no wear to put his legs when this happens.

I always, speak up durning snack time, or restroom breaks.

Does anyone know the name of the device for the seat to reframe from going back?

I am glad this subject has been brought up.

 

[DVC-Don]

I have a little wedge thing I drop down into the seat in front of me hinge. Then when they try to recline, they think it's broken.

 

[BostonRob]

I have a little wedge thing I drop down into the seat in front of me hinge. Then when they try to recline, they think it's broken.

That is so wrong.

 

[Gary M]

I never recline my seat on a plane. I hate it when the person in front of me reclines, so I don't want the person behind me to be more crowded and go through what I dislike. I'm about 6' 2" and 220 lbs. and there isn't much room to spare in the seat area I'm assigned.

I'm waiting for the day that they allow the use of cell phones on flights. I
can see it now, the person in front of me reclines the seat, talks loud on the cell phone and the kid behind me kicks the seat. That will be my luck.

 

[cbrfan]

Just one more word on this, and I am wearing a flame retardant suit: some people take sleeping pills on flights. I'm talking about heavy duty ones like Ambien (I don't, but over on flyertalk.com a long of long haul flyers do that regularly)

I am often so tired that I don't wake up doing meal service (not that I would eat most airline meals!) I'm sure (and embarassed to say) that I have been reclined during a meal service or two in the past.

If the FA wakes me, I always move my seat forward. If they don't, then my apologies to the person behind me who had to suffer - it was unintentional.

What is just as rude, in my opinion, is the passenger who kicks me or bangs me awake - why not just a tap on the arm, etc?? I'm always willing to move my seat up if it bothers you - just be polite about asking, please.

I'd hate to be seated next to these people in an emergency! I'll bet they're REAL easy to climb over! Personally, I like to assume a little responsibility for my own safety. I just can't imagine taking anything as strong as Ambien when flying.

 

[jenelope]

I don't lean my seat back because I don't like it when people lean on me. As others have noted, it's really not more comfortable than sitting upright. I usually get a window seat so that I can lean on the wall and stay upright. That works for me. I'm not especially tall, but I have very long legs. Coach seats are uncomfortable to begin with. Add in a reclined seat in front of me and I may as well say goodbye to my carryon, because I'm not going to be able to see it for the rest of the trip.

 

[OntFamily]

The most annoying part was that he sat upright throughout most of the trip, so I have no idea why he put his seat so far back for the entire flight.

That is the height of all rudeness. I have experienced this also. What is especially rude is when they leave their seat (to go to the washroom, etc) and leave their seat reclined.

I'm not overly tall (6 feet), but as most airlines are squeezing the space between the rows, any recline of the seat in front of me, makes my space very small.


I sometimes need to work on the flight, putting my laptop on the meal tray. This is almost impossible to do.


On average, I find most (not all) peole who recline their seats are infrequent travellers. Most (not all) frequent travellers -- who I'm defining as take an air trip every month or so -- rarely recline their seat while in coach, as they know the problems this causes for the person behind them

 

[beattyfamily]

Add in a reclined seat in front of me and I may as well say goodbye to my carryon, because I'm not going to be able to see it for the rest of the trip.

That is SO true. As soon as that seat is reclined, I can no longer access my carryon bag by my feet. The only way I can is if I ask my DD to get out of her seat and get it for me!!

 

[LoveToDisney]

I'm waiting for the day that they allow the use of cell phones on flights.

YIKES! May that NEVER happen on airplanes! We'll never get any rest!

 

[goofyforlife]

Would you ram your front passenger seat into the legs of the person behind you just because the seat is "designed" to go that far?

I think it would be very polite to ask/consider the other person before reclining.

Could you imagine if someone reclined their seat into a small child sitting on the lap of the person behind them?

 

[Hippychickali]

I have a little wedge thing I drop down into the seat in front of me hinge. Then when they try to recline, they think it's broken.

Now that is the epitome of rudeness!! What gives you the right to decide whether or not someone can recline their seat?

Coach travel is uncomfortable. Period. You get what you pay for. However, I don't think it's rude to recline your seat. I don't because I rarely have a need to but I certainly wouldn't think twice if the person in front of me did.

And if someone asked me if they could recline their seat, I think I would feel a little uncomfortable. What's the point? It's not like I'm actually going to say "no". I'm not the boss of the airplane seats!

Ali