To recline or not to recline...

[mnrose]

My thought is- the airlines need to add a forward slide to the recline, such that the back of the seat doesnt recline back.. rather the seat part of the seat slides forward. Thus when you recline, you are taking up your OWN leg room.

If I am on a long flight, or am tired/want to sleep I'll recline my seat a smidge.. an inch or so, maybe 1/4 of how far the seat can actually recline. Makes it more comfortable, but doesn't take much space from the person behind me.

The only time I've interacted with a passenger over reclining was on a flight about 5-6 years ago. I had my tray table out, with my laptop sitting on it. The person in front of me suddenly reclined very fast, and the top of my laptop screen got "pinched" between the tray table latch area, and the tray table itself, and it cracked the glass on my screen. The person in front of me didn't even notice, and I had to ask them to un-recline so I could get my now-broken laptop out. They gave me some lip, it was noticed by a flight attendant, she made the guy un-recline so I could get my laptop out, and then he promptly reclined it (very quickly again) all the way back.

Of course the airline wasn't going to take liability for this, nor was the guy in front of me (and why should he? he didn't know).. but I'm now much more careful about how I have my laptop positioned on flights.

This sliding recline is now pretty standard among Asian carriers. I like it. The back is fixed and there is no impact on the person behind you if you choose to recline.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I don’t recline.

Dude needs therapy.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I can't affect your space if I'm just sitting in my seat.

If only that were true

No really you have how the person is sitting (leg spread, where their foot ends up), where their arms are being placed, how often they move within their seat, if they are courtesous enough with respects to their music or movie or whatever entertainment or business they've brought with them, etc.

And that's just for those sitting next to you.

Talking about the people in front there's folks who kick seats, grab onto them to steady themselves or reach in the back pocket or to get into their personal item or jab into them with their knees (yeah no recline needed for that; my husband is tall but he really tries to be aware of where his knees end up), why some people put their feet up is beyond me, I've seen knees or feet quite close a time or two to my armrest when I sat by the window (people sometimes spreadout too much there), etc.

There's really quite a lot one can do that can affect one another's space simply by sitting in one's seat.

 

[LSUmiss]

I don't recline. but understand that we all pay for a seat to recline, so its your choice. I am 6'5" and don't enjoy it if the dude in front of me reclines, but I get that he paid for a reclining seat. its what about 6 inches? all these people saying they are in their lap, amuse me. get over it. recline if you want to, but I don't get why people make an issue of it. and the whiners about people that slam their seats back? come on. sometimes that seats are stuck, or they go back fast. we are a nation of complainers. and these threads just amaze me, the lack of tolerance people show. people whine about it, but pay for first class then, or buck up and get an exit row. or will they then whine about how expensive it is to travel. first world issues man. relax. enjoy yourselves. and have a cocktail.

I also think we are a nation of “me first” rude ppl so there’s that side too.

 

[skyblue17]

If only that were true

No really you have how the person is sitting (leg spread, where their foot ends up), where their arms are being placed, how often they move within their seat, if they are courtesous enough with respects to their music or movie or whatever entertainment or business they've brought with them, etc.

And that's just for those sitting next to you.

Talking about the people in front there's folks who kick seats, grab onto them to steady themselves or reach in the back pocket or to get into their personal item or jab into them with their knees (yeah no recline needed for that; my husband is tall but he really tries to be aware of where his knees end up), why some people put their feet up is beyond me, I've seen knees or feet quite close a time or two to my armrest when I sat by the window (people sometimes spreadout too much there), etc.

There's really quite a lot one can do that can affect one another's space simply by sitting in one's seat.

Fair enough. My point was that there is little comparable that a person behind someone reclining can do while using their own space. I wasn’t referring to people in the same row, or getting up (which is one isolated action). Either way, a considerate flyer will try to be a minimal distraction to anyone near them.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Either way, a considerate flyer will try to be a minimal distraction to anyone near them.

I agree I think I look at it in different lens though.

I tend to do the bulk of traveling worrying mostly about my own actions that I can control in consideration of others than that of others I can't. That's not to say mild annoyance doesn't occur from time to time (I think the time a person brought the most foul smelling food on board and it kept wafting through ventilation takes the cake of my bad times) but I'm nowhere near resentful, calling people names, seemingly holding grudges, and just overall a grumpy passenger like I feel some can come off.

 

[Dan Murphy]

.error

 

[kaytieeldr]

Do you eat at your dining room table or in a restaurant in a seat that reclines?

Well, yeah, on Passover.

If a person is so filled with hate because the person reclines the seat in front of them they aren't the kind of person that I would care about liking me anyway. I tend to stay away from people with those kind of issues.

Hate? No. Frustration? Yup!

 

[Disney Doll]

I don’t ever recline my seat. I hate when the person in front of me goes it to me, and I have their gross greasy smelly hair in my face, so I don’t do it to the person behind me. Although my hair isn’t gross greasy or smelly.

 

[Jennasis]

I must be flying odd airlines or aircraft. I have never flown on an airline that had seats that reclined more than a few inches, so I don't get the "reclining into my lap/face" thing. I've been fortunate it seems.

 

[Disneylover99]

I don’t recline because I don’t like when someone reclines in front of me.

 

[wvjules]

I wanna fly the airline that has seats that recline so much that someone's head ends up in my lap. I've never actually seen a seat recline that far. Which airlines are they?

 

[C&Jx2]

I don’t recline because I don’t find it comfortable. The few times I have, I just asked the person behind me, “Hey, is it going to bother you if I recline the seat?”

It doesn’t bother me when people in front of me do it either as long as they aren’t slamming it back.

 

[skyblue17]

I agree I think I look at it in different lens though.

I tend to do the bulk of traveling worrying mostly about my own actions that I can control in consideration of others than that of others I can't. That's not to say mild annoyance doesn't occur from time to time (I think the time a person brought the most foul smelling food on board and it kept wafting through ventilation takes the cake of my bad times) but I'm nowhere near resentful, calling people names, seemingly holding grudges, and just overall a grumpy passenger like I feel some can come off.

I'm the same way! I usually even wait to use the restroom until the people next to me get up to use it. I don't resent other people, I just DO understand why some might in cases where they disregard the comfort of others.

 

[MarkLT1]

I wanna fly the airline that has seats that recline so much that someone's head ends up in my lap. I've never actually seen a seat recline that far. Which airlines are they?

For about a year I was consistently flying a particular Delta route that often used older CRJ-700s (this was maybe 5-6 years ago?), and while saying the person's head was in your lap would be some of an overstatement, it wasn't far from reality. They started using newly refurbished regional jets for that route (I think they were Embraer 175s?) and it was much more reasonable on the amount of available recline. It really depends on the type and age of plane they're using, but if you start regularly traveling on a particular route that uses planes with way too much recline, you'll start to feel the frustration. I've found it can also vary from seat-to-seat or row-to-row (likely seats that were used to replace broken seats).

I think the airlines are wising up to this, and are limiting the recline to something reasonable.

 

[BrianL]

I don't recline. It's pointless. The seat goes back like 2 inches. It is in no way more comfortable for me. YMMV.

Yeah, what airlines are everyone using where the seats recline 6 inches? That's never been my experience. I don't usually do it because I find it makes no difference for me, but I also don't really mind if the person in front of me does because it barely makes a difference there either.

 

[brockash]

I saw this article on another message board...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/...ller-repeatedly-punched-seat-reclined-it.html
I'm fairly tall and hate it when the person in front of me reclines their seat, especially on short flights or during food service. (For the record, I rarely--if ever--recline mine.) However, I don't kick or punch the seat! Yikes! I recognize that passengers are certainly entitled to the full functionality of their paid seats. But, I wonder if reclining airline seats were really designed for the sardine cans that are now the norm for air travel.

What are your thoughts on this article or reclining airline seats in general?

The man is a complete tool and I feel sorry for anyone who ever has to interact with him. What an entitled POS.

That to me is a very separate issue than to recline or not.

In my opinion, if a seat was made to recline, then it seems odd that no one should ever recline. It seems that's what it was made to do. Generally I don't recline more than an inch, however I've had many in front of me recline fully (not that it's really that much.) Yes, I prefer when they don't, just as a prefer on the very rare occasion when I don't have someone sitting right next to me, but I don't feel entitled and feel that I'm so special and important to think or to take it offensively when someone does recline their seat that's made for reclining. So ridiculous and such an example of how entitled the world has become. Sad really.

 

[Miffy]

Love reclining, or hate it.. I'd hope we can all agree that this abomination hopefully will never see the light of day (though it would solve the reclining issue ):

https://www.insider.com/skyrider-standing-airplane-seats-claims-makes-flights-cheaper-2018-4

That would mark the end of my ever getting on an airplane again. That actually looks even worse than merely standing. Ouch!

 

[brockash]

I get that people want their seats to recline, but I also want to use my laptop or tablet on my tray table. Reclining seat backs were not designed for the limited space that we now have. I like the pp suggestion that they slide forward taking up YOUR leg room not that of the person behind you.

This past summer we were on our return flight from the UK to the US and the lady in front of my son suddenly reclined her seat as far back as it could, knocking over the tablet that he had on it onto the floor. She was oblivious to it. One of my daughters is very protective of her younger brother and immediately punched the ladies seat. Now I don't condone this behavior, and apologized, but 1) as my daughter said, she was in his bubble, and 2) she knocked over and could have damaged his table without even apologizing for what she did. Secretly I cheered her on as I can't stand people who recline all the way into my space.

And how old is your daughter? I'm assuming a minor and therefore is still being taught right from wrong. I think your situation was very understandable and it sounds like you all handled it well and it was received well. What this grown adult did was very different and really probably would fall under assault in some form. Totally insane.

 

[sam_gordon]

This past summer we were on our return flight from the UK to the US and the lady in front of my son suddenly reclined her seat as far back as it could, knocking over the tablet that he had on it onto the floor. She was oblivious to it. One of my daughters is very protective of her younger brother and immediately punched the ladies seat. Now I don't condone this behavior, and apologized, but 1) as my daughter said, she was in his bubble, and 2) she knocked over and could have damaged his table without even apologizing for what she did. Secretly I cheered her on as I can't stand people who recline all the way into my space.

How would the recliner know your son had the tray table down much less had something on it?