rude airplane couples?

[Lewisc]

A person stuck in a seat that doesn't recline, near an exit row, in an airline with a small distance between seats might be very uncomforatable. Obviously the seat won't literally be in their lap but it could be enough so the tray couldn't be lowered.

People a lot smarter than me have posted that when the legacy airlines increased the number of seats they should have restricted the ability to recline the seats. The problem seems to be seats that were designed to be reclined when the pitch was larger.

Let's see where I actually questioned the accuracy of what anyone wrote. I wrote, "It is inaccurate to say that seat backs recline onto the laps of the person sitting behind. Seat backs in economy recline about 5 or 6 inches at the top of the seat."

If you are aware of any airline with economy seats that actually recline onto the laps of the person sitting behind (rather than moving a limited distance of 5 or 6 inches at the top of the seat), please post the details.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

A person stuck in a seat that doesn't recline, near an exit row, in an airline with a small distance between seats might be very uncomforatable. Obviously the seat won't literally be in their lap but it could be enough so the tray couldn't be lowered.

I agree that a seat that doesn't recline can be very uncomfortable when trying to read, rest, or sleep. That's why most airplane seats recline.

A properly functioning tray table will fold down equally well regardless of whether the seat back is in the upright position, the reclined position, or somewhere in the narrow range in-between. There are many times when the seat in front of me is reclined, but my seat isn't, because I'm working at my laptop. (When the seat is reclined, there is less space above the tray table, so I have to move my laptop closer to me.)

 

[auntpolly]

I agree that a seat that doesn't recline can be very uncomfortable when trying to read, rest, or sleep. That's why most airplane seats recline.

I was stuck in that seat...what do you call them.....in middle of a 767....just before where the restrooms are.....??? Anyway, the seat didn't go back.....the whole way to Europe......and the people in front of me slept (it's a nighttime flight). I could use my tray the whole time, but it wasn't the most comfortable trip I ever took.

I had booked a nice, reclining seat, but agreed to change so a honeymooning couple could be together.

Travel can really suck sometimes.

 

[Lewisc]

I agree that a seat that doesn't recline can be very uncomfortable when trying to read, rest, or sleep. That's why most airplane seats recline.

A properly functioning tray table will fold down equally well regardless of whether the seat back is in the upright position, the reclined position, or somewhere in the narrow range in-between. There are many times when the seat in front of me is reclined, but my seat isn't, because I'm working at my laptop. (When the seat is reclined, there is less space above the tray table, so I have to move my laptop closer to me.)

I'm talking about the airlines that added row(s), reducing the seat pitch without adjusting, reducing, the recline. Think about first class recline with economy seat spacing. Not usually that extreme but those are situations with legitimate complaints.

Kind of like a movie theater that subdivided an auditorium but didn't re angle the seats.

 

[robinb]

I had booked a nice, reclining seat, but agreed to change so a honeymooning couple could be together.

That was so nice of you! I was stuck in the non-reclining seat next to the bathroom on a domestic flight. A couple with a lap baby had the seats and there were only two oxygen masks over those seats. The FA asked if someone could move and my DD and I volunteered. The look of relief on the FA and family's faces was worth it. Plus, I had to "Pay it Back" for my previous flight where I had to beg someone to give up an aisle or window seat to allow my 5 year old to sit next to me. Our seat assignments were messed up by the airline and we were all seated in middle seats. All the men looked at my like I was crazy, but a woman ended up switching with us. It would have served one of those guys right it he had to sit next to my DD for a whole flight, LOL!

 

[tlbwriter]

 

[goofy4tink]

Horace, we usually agree....but not here. Here's the scenario. Dh, 6'4" (36" inseam), myself 5'8" (33"inseam) and dd 5'1" (about 28"). Now, dh sits on the aisle, me in the middle with dd on the window. You say that the tall person who is feeling cramped can angle his/her legs. But, dh can't do that because my legs are angled. And with not as much space to put my feet under the seat in front of me, that puts me in a really bad place!!! So, what do you do when the person in front of you crams, and I do mean crams, the seat down onto your legs?? This woman did just that to my dh. When her seat didn't recline as much as she thought it should, she tried it again, and again, and again!!! At least 5 times. Finally, dh leaned over and said.."I don't care how many times you try, it probably isn't enough to break my legs. They aren't getting any shorter! Please stop banging them." SHe was more than a little miffed. The FA passed him at this point and just winked at him.

But you can get someone like my ds. He is 6'1" and has an inseam of about 28"!!! They used to call him Stump in high school. He and dh can sit in the same seat and be almost the same height. But put their pants next to each other and it's a joke!!! I wish I could sit in front of my ds on every flight!!!

I guess we can all agree to disagree on this one. Just because you have never gotten whacked with the reclining seat in front of you, doesn't mean it doesn't happen to others. Yes, the airlines should do something about it. We flew PanAm several years ago and it was wonderful. Well, from a comfort aspect it was wonderful. Nothing else was!!! Maybe it's time to start taking out a few rows of seats in these cattle car planes. I would be happy to pay a bit extra if I could be more comfortable.

 

[SueM in MN]

Like I said, you can ask, but the bottom line is, if the person declines and wants to for, whatever reason, be back the whole way, the airline intends for them to be able to do that, and that's just the way it is.

So, I guess some people don't care if their seat being reclined all the way is hurting the person behind them.

That's one of the problems.
And one of the reasons that people have come up with products like like the device that blocks the seat from reclining.
The people who want to recline all the way say it is their right because the seat is able to recline. They say that once reclined, that space "belongs" to the person who reclined into it.

BUT, while the seat in front is upright, the person in the seat behind has their legs in the space and sees that space as "belonging" to them.

What I've been trying to point out is that it is shared space the same way that the armrests between the seats are shared.
The space does not belong to the person in the front seat any more than it belongs to the person in the seat behind. I think many people understand that and will try to cooperate/compromise (but, obviously not all people).
But just because you can recline the seat all the way does not mean you always have a right to. If the person behind doesn't care, great. But, no matter what people are saying - you do not have the right to claim that shared space if you hurt the person behind you.
In a similar situation, the person in the middle seat could spread their arms over both armrests, preventing the people in the window and aisle seat from using them - he could claim that the airline "intends" him to use that space since the armrests are on both sides of his seat and the people in the aisle and window seat each have one armrest all to themselves. Most people would not like that and would think the middle person was "hogging" the space.

I don't think it's right for the person in the back seat to prevent the person in the front seat from reclining at all. But, it's also not right for the person in front to recline all the way if they know that is making the person behind them uncomfortable.
I don't think the airlines "intend" for the person in the front seat to recline all the way back if it makes the person behind them uncomfortable. I think they intend for the people to act like reasonable human beings and come to a compromise.

 

[PCFriar80]

SueM -
Please shut this thread down!! You got sucked right into it! And your're a Moderator!! We've got a national disaster in LA/MS and these people are worried about "their space". Personally, I'm disappointed in DIS for letting this go on. We've got bigger problems to worry about!

I'm about done with this board as it has turned into "can you top this" or "I'm a lawyer and knows what's right". Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but please let some things go.