Why is it everytime I fly on a plane,

[TinklednPants]

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Planes are so crowded and there is little room as it is, reclining your seat all the way gives the person behind you even less space.

Well, if EVERYONE reclines than the individual space remains unchanged.

I recline. The seat was DESIGNED to recline. Airlines ADVERTISE reclining and some even have commercials showing passengers nearly horizontal and sleeping.

 

[LoraJ]

I do not recline my seat. I actually find it to be more uncomfortable. I haven't been bothered as much by the reclining of others recently, perhaps I have been lucky and the seats do not recline as far as they used to. But there was one time when I was working on my laptop and the person in front of me reclined and the chair got caught on my laptop screen and I thought it was going to break. I was trying to get her attention but she was too busy chatting with the person next to her. Her son pointed out that my laptop was stuck, she just said "sorry" an went on chatting. Not only that, but she never leaned back in the seat. She sat upright and to the side to talk to the person next to her. It took me forever to wedge the laptop out.

 

[mjkacmom]

Sorry, I do not get this attitude (I missed the post you quoted on my first read through or else I would have quoted that one not just picking on you). The seats are designed to be reclined and doing so is not out of line. The seats are not designed to be kicked, and doig so is out of line. I KNOW it is very, very hard to keep a toddler from kicking on an airplane (I flew with my many, many times when they were under 3) so I can understand that it is not always possible. I cannot understand deciding you will not try just as hard to prevent it as you would otherwise just becuase the person in front of you is doing something totally acceptable which happens to make it easier for your little one to do something unacceptable.

I didn't say I didn't try hard - it was a horrible flight for me, because my entire focus was trying to get my ds to stop kicking! However, the flight would've been much more enjoyable for me and the man in front of ds if he didn't recline his seat.

 

[MichelleVW]

Have you considered using knee defenders?

I'm quite certain I would go get the flight attendant if someone behind me had those!! My back hurts like mad if I can't recline my seat.

I'm sure like 75% of people recline. Next time you fly, take a look.

Seriously, I've never seen people that don't recline and I fly all the time!

Sorry, I do not get this attitude (I missed the post you quoted on my first read through or else I would have quoted that one not just picking on you). The seats are designed to be reclined and doing so is not out of line. The seats are not designed to be kicked, and doig so is out of line. I KNOW it is very, very hard to keep a toddler from kicking on an airplane (I flew with my many, many times when they were under 3) so I can understand that it is not always possible. I cannot understand deciding you will not try just as hard to prevent it as you would otherwise just becuase the person in front of you is doing something totally acceptable which happens to make it easier for your little one to do something unacceptable.

agreed.

Well, if EVERYONE reclines than the individual space remains unchanged.

I recline. The seat was DESIGNED to recline. Airlines ADVERTISE reclining and some even have commercials showing passengers nearly horizontal and sleeping.

That's what I don't understand about this argument...everyone reclines their seat so the space is unchanged.

I didn't say I didn't try hard - it was a horrible flight for me, because my entire focus was trying to get my ds to stop kicking! However, the flight would've been much more enjoyable for me and the man in front of ds if he didn't recline his seat.

I'm sure it would have been more enjoyable for him if you son wasn't kicking him. Who knows...there may be a thread on here about some horrible 2 year old who would not stop kicking his seat and I'm sure everyone would be in agreement with the recliner not the kicker!

 

[Carl]

On the planes where the seats come back enough to make you uncomfortable, it is usually possible to jam your knee against it to keep it from coming back. That is what I do.
I'd prefer that the seats NOT recline.
I never recline mine out of respect for the person behind me.

 

[MichelleVW]

On the planes where the seats come back enough to make you uncomfortable, it is usually possible to jam your knee against it to keep it from coming back. That is what I do.
I'd prefer that the seats NOT recline.
I never recline mine out of respect for the person behind me.

you sit like that the whole time??

 

[KAMLEM]

Ever try to eat off that fold down tray whent he seat keeps being reclined and put back up?
If they recline back far enough that fold down tray is wayyy to close!

Why would the tray table be closer to you when someone reclines? It does not move when the seat moves, at least not on the flights that I have taken. It's attached to the part of the seat that doesn't move.

Not all of us recline our seats in the car when we drive. I certainly don't. The only time I recline my seat is if I'm the passenger and we are on a long driving trip and I want to sleep for a couple of hours. But to drive, I wouldn't even think of reclining the seat. To me that seems an odd thing to do.

I don't think anyone said anything about the driver reclining. I assumed they were talking about being a passenger, just like you are a passenger on a flight.

I almost always recline, but I have noticed that almost everyone else does, too.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I didn't say I didn't try hard - it was a horrible flight for me, because my entire focus was trying to get my ds to stop kicking! However, the flight would've been much more enjoyable for me and the man in front of ds if he didn't recline his seat.

I am sorry, you are correct that you did not imply that. It was the person you quoted who said "If you recline your seat though, don't think I am going to go nuts trying to keep her from disturbing you....." and I should have gone back and quoted her directly.

I still do not think any blame should be palced on the person who reclined back either. Personally, after one flight with the carseat I stopped using them on planes. My kids did fine sitting in the seat and as toddlers their feet did not reach the seat in front of them (even when reclined) if they could sit all the way back. I realize others feel teh seat is so much safer (I figure odds are HUGE that either you survive a crash or you don't, there is very little mid gorund in planes) or that their child behaves beter in the seat (I did not want to give mine the feeling they are in the car, where the rules are different and they can have music without headphones, sing loudly, etc. I wanted to do my best to make it clear that this was a different enviornemnt with different rules) and that is FINE too. But, still not the fault of the poor person in front of a toddler who is stuck choosing what is least comfortable to him (sitting up stragiht after a long day of flights or being kicked in the back after said long day)

 

[crashbb]

On the planes where the seats come back enough to make you uncomfortable, it is usually possible to jam your knee against it to keep it from coming back. That is what I do.
I'd prefer that the seats NOT recline.
I never recline mine out of respect for the person behind me.

You do that and the second you stand up, I'm going to recline my seat to the furthest extent possible and leave it there.

Apparently, you can "respect" those behind you, but not those in front of you.

Usually, I will recline my seat slightly (while checking behind me) and always bring it completely upright when a meal is served. If I can see that the person behind me is very tall and that they cannot help have their knees against the seat, I will be considerate. Very rarely have I had an issue.

 

[DebbieB]

Book a seat in the row behind the emergency exit row. Those seat can't recline...problem solved.

It's the row in front of the exit row. They don't want those to recline and block some of the room in the exit row. Some planes have a lever on the side that the F/A can release to allow those seats to recline after takeoff. One time I was on a longer flight (4 hours) and I was in the exit row and a woman in the row in front of me took a hissy fit because her seat did not recline.

The new trend is wifi on planes. The problem is if the person in front of you reclines there isn't enough room to keep your laptop open (unless you are skinny). I remember one time I was organizing my pictures on a flight and the guy in front of me reclined suddenly and it shoved the laptop right into my stomach. I couldn't keep it open after that, there wasn't enough room.

 

[NHdisneylover]

On the planes where the seats come back enough to make you uncomfortable, it is usually possible to jam your knee against it to keep it from coming back. That is what I do.
I'd prefer that the seats NOT recline.
I never recline mine out of respect for the person behind me.

Now this behaviour strikes me as very rude. The seat is designed to recline and you are intentionally preventing it from functioning as designed (not the same as a very tall person sitting normally and their knees still get in the way--though DH is 6'5" and pretty much all of his heighth is in his legs and he still manages by streching his leg into the under seat area when alone, or straddleing the seat in front of him and taking up part of my area (and a bit of the aisle, but he keeps a sharp eye out and leans his leg in and under when needed). I am having a hard time imagining how shorter people are having so much trouble on full sized air craft as this thread implies

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Book a seat in the row behind the emergency exit row. Those seat can't recline...problem solved.

I was going to say the same. Or if you are not one who puts the seat back yourself book the emergency aisle morre room person in front wont bother you as much.

 

[bicker]

The seat is designed to recline

Good point. Objecting to people reclining is no different from WDW guests objecting to other guests using FastPasses: The parks are designed for folks to use FastPasses, even though it means that the folks in the stand-by line are consequently going to have to wait longer (and if a lot of folks are using FastPasses, folks in the stand-by line are going to have to wait a lot long), all the while standing, perhaps uncomfortably, in heat and humidity.

 

[castleview]

Doesn't bother me. Sometimes, I don't even recognize if the seat is back.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Good point. Objecting to people reclining is no different from WDW guests objecting to other guests using FastPasses: The parks are designed for folks to use FastPasses, even though it means that the folks in the stand-by line are consequently going to have to wait longer (and if a lot of folks are using FastPasses, folks in the stand-by line are going to have to wait a lot long), all the while standing, perhaps uncomfortably, in heat and humidity.

Okay, now I have a funny image of someone trying to block the fastpass line with his leg outstreched from over in teh standby line becuase he does not like all of those people using the lines as they were designed. If someone came here and posted about how rude people were to use fast passes I think they would be laughed off the boards Thanks for the giggle

 

[ICF]

Well, if EVERYONE reclines than the individual space remains unchanged.

not hardly....if i receline my seat, it doesn't give my legs more room.

 

[NYPDwife]

When I fly, I always want to put my seat back; it's much more comfortable for me, but I know how squashed I am when someone does it to me, so I just sleep upright. That said, since the seats are meant to have that option, I might get bold one day and do it to be comfortable, and hope the passenger behind me gets mad at the airline for the scant room and not at me.

Depends on how long the flight is, but usually I put my seat back. If the airplane gives me the option, I take it. If you are uncomfortable, the best way to deal with it is to POLITELY tell the person that your legs are being squished. I've been asked to put my seat back up and whether or not I do it all depends on how I've been asked.

 

[mill4023]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, although it's not new to me. I've heard it a lot, especially on frequent flyer boards.

The seats are designed to recline so people can be more comfortable. The airlines allow you to recline.

When you book a flight, you know that the plane has reclining seats and that passengers are completely within their rights to recline them.

If your legs are too long to be comfortable, or you just have to be able to use your laptop, then consider booking a flight on an airline that has roomier seats or book first class.

Your desire to have room to work on your laptop does not give you the right to try to force the person in front of you to be uncomfortable. It's absolutely absurd.

 

[TinklednPants]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, although it's not new to me. I've heard it a lot, especially on frequent flyer boards.

The seats are designed to recline so people can be more comfortable. The airlines allow you to recline.

When you book a flight, you know that the plane has reclining seats and that passengers are completely within their rights to recline them.

If your legs are too long to be comfortable, or you just have to be able to use your laptop, then consider booking a flight on an airline that has roomier seats or book first class.

Your desire to have room to work on your laptop does not give you the right to try to force the person in front of you to be uncomfortable. It's absolutely absurd.

Succinct and to the point

 

[DizBelle]

Someone impeding another's ability to adjust their seat (with the knee defender things or by using your own knees to block the recline) is EXACTLY the same as a person sitting next to you that is so large that they need the seatbelt extender, the arm rest can't be put down and they take up part of your seat.

Both of these are someone else on the plane taking over part of your seat.

How many of you would be just fine squishing over to make room for the large person next to you?