Why is it everytime I fly on a plane,

[Art 1]

the person in front of me just has to put their seat back?

Because the seats are very upright and they want to be more comfortable.

 

[XTinabell]

I think if the person is sleeping it's acceptable to recline the seat as that's why they recline.
However, when I'm trying to eat a meal and the person in front of me has his seat reclined all way back and I can't even see the food on my tray that's just rude. I had to recline my seat back so I could eat causing a chain reaction of the whole row having to eat in a reclined position because of one person.

 

[Uuaww]

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

 

[ICF]

Then you wont mind knees banging the back of the chair or your chair getting banged repeatedly as people get up and try to squeeze past to get to the restroom.

exactly....I am 6ft 6, so there is a lot of me and trying to fit in those seats isnt the easiest thing in the world.

What I do early on in a flight is sit facing forward with my legs (and knees) directly in front of me and behind the seat in front of me. The usually means that the person in front of me can put there seat back very little if at all.

One flight coming home last year a little guy (well under 6 ft) kept trying to put his seat back and it wouldnt go. He tried a couple of times and it wouldnt budge. I was doing nothing other then setting normally in my seat but there just wasnt room for my legs and his seat back to be put down. He finally go annoyed with me and after a couple of dirty looks asked the stewardess if he could move into another row (since the plane was at most 1/2 full).

Putting those back, at least very much, is often going to be an inconvience to the people behind you unless you are lucky enough to be in front of a little kid or an empty seat.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I always check behind me before putting my seat back. I never do it while someone is eating or working on a laptop. I also don't do it if the person behind me is particular cramped in their seat. Flying is annoying enough as it is. I try to use the golden rule to guide my behavior on the plane so that we can all get through the flight as painlessly as possible.

 

[J3nn78]

I guess I am one of the rude ones. I always put my seat back and have NEVER given it a second thought when the person in front of me does either? I would never think they are being rude.

 

[Abbie]

I always check behind me before putting my seat back. I never do it while someone is eating or working on a laptop. I also don't do it if the person behind me is particular cramped in their seat. Flying is annoying enough as it is. I try to use the golden rule to guide my behavior on the plane so that we can all get through the flight as painlessly as possible.

Seriously?? You want to inject a note of common sense and courtesy into the discussion? Just what are you thinking?!

For the record, I do as above. For the life of me I can't imagine doing otherwise but I'm sorry for those who are so bothered by it.

 

[bicker]

This is a very common discussion here on the DIS. Typically it is located on the Transportation Board, though. The upshot is usually a back-handed attack against people who choose to recline while flying. Rather than posting my own perspectives, I'll just post my favorite replies from some threads from seven years ago:

I'm sorry, but we always fly red eye and if someone in back of me politely asked me not to recline my seat, I would just as politely decline the request. I can't relax with those seats straight up and like to have them recline. I can't see how it's rude when it's obviously put there for the comfort of the passenger. I do straighten my seat if a meal is served, but otherwise, I do recline my seat. Having the seat not recline is not really going to give you more room to stretch your legs out-your legs are going to be cramped whether the seat is reclined or not.

I'm 6'3 and I always recline. It is the only way for me to not be in pain the whole flight. When my seat is upright, my knees always hit the seat in front of me (except on American) and my body is pushed forward into a slouch by a seat that was designed for someone much shorter than me. This rapidy results in a bad backache. I raise the seat when food or drinks are served, but other wise I am reclining. That few inches makes the difference between a painful flight and just an uncomfortable one, especially on a long overseas flight where I need to try and sleep (literally impossible with the seat upright).

I don't mind if the person in front of me reclines either. In fact, I expect it. I find that if I recline and then slide down a bit in my seat, I can usually get into a comfortable position without my knees hitting the reclined seat in front of me.

It goes both ways. You are asking me to be terribly uncomfortable because you don't want me to recline my seat. How is that any different? Aren't you valuing your your comfort over mine? Couldn't that be viewed as selfish? Wheres the difference?

I don't recline just because I have a right to (that would be silly), I recline because I need too in order to avoid a painful back ache. Why should my back have to hurt because the person behind me is unwilling to move their knees to the side? I am tall and I have no problem moving my knees out of the way (if I am reclined) when the person in front of me reclines.

I recline my seat. I have a lot of back problems and it hurts if I sit up straight for too long.

I don't mind someone reclining in front of me

I've flown many, many times for business and for pleasure. The only rule of thumb that I'm aware of is that during landings and takeoffs, your seat needs to be fully upright. Other than that, its YOUR seat and YOUR call.

No, it's not rude. The seats are designed to recline, so passengers should recline if they so desire.

What I found really interesting was that the number of people who objected to reclining on airplanes was pretty high, but when a poll was posted, most people said it was perfectly fine to do so:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=289095

So it seems clear to me that there is a vocal minority that doesn't like reclining, and a silent majority that understands that it is reasonable and acceptable.

 

[JessicaR]

I usually put my seat back because I find it more comfortable. I have no problem if the person in front of me puts theirs back, I have plenty of room.

Same here.

We fly a lot too. Never knew this was an issue for some. I guess if you are very tall that could be a problem. I have never had anyone ask me to put my seat up either. If the majority had a problem with this I would imagine the seat would be changed to not recline.

 

[bavaria]

I take it that OP and many posters don't fly very often.

The reality is that the vast majority of seats on most commercial aircraft are built to recline.

Many people flying are in the midst of a lengthy trip, across multiple timezones, and not flying an hour or two on vacation. I fly several times a week and hundreds of thousands of miles a year and often my only chance to catch sleep in on board an aircraft.

I am tall and severely claustrophobic, but I would never have the nerve to tell someone that they could not recline, or that they were 'rude' for doing so. Nor would an FA tell a passenger that they were such.

If reclining bothers you so much, choose a seat behind the few seats which have no recline, or pay to fly a carrier which has extra leg room, or don't fly a regional jet aircraft, or fly a carrier with clamshell seats, or pay for a seat in C or F. I choose to do so when I am flying on my own money, even though it may cost me many hundreds of dollars more.

These threads as bicker noted are a passive aggressive way to try and insult people for being 'rude' or 'impolite', when they are doing nothing wrong at all.

 

[mjkacmom]

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. I just think it's rude. Many people will disagree and that's fine. Reclining a little is fine and I do that on occasion as well.

I try my best to keep my 2 yr old from kicking the seat in front if her. I take her shoes off and give her books, toys etc to distract her. If you recline your seat though, don't think I am going to go nuts trying to keep her from disturbing you.....it will be nearly impossible with the amount of space she will have left

I remember being on a flight with a 2 year old. The guy in front of him had his seat all of the way back, and my ds kept kicking the seat (try reasoning with a 2 year old who would end up with ADHD...). I took off his shoes and tried to distract him, but if the guy would've put his seat forward, my ds's feet wouldn't have reached (he was buckled in his carseat).

 

[bavaria]

I must be really lucky, because I lean my seat back, but haven't had issues with people purposefully banging into the seat. I'm sure I've been bumped a few times, but not anything terrible. And I'm pretty careful with the seat in front of me. If it's leaned back I try not to "bang" into it.

I had it happen to me earlier this week on a domestic US flight. The 'gentleman' behind me sighed loudly and proceeded to bang on my seat back, sometimes actually pushing me back straight up, and every time he got up (which was several times an hour) he again pushed and banged and pulled on the seat in a passive aggressive fashion.






This was in first class (not on an aircraft with pods or suites) where there is a significant amount of legroom even for someone well over 6 feet tall. I am quite certain that he was behaving that way on principle...

 

[jen0610]

I also look at it this way.

Your taking a 2 hour car drive. Do you sit with the seats in their full up right position? NO....you have the seat reclined and slide forward/back to YOUR comfort level. For reclining, I see no difference in an airplane.

Yes we recline our seats. Like a few others have posted, we don't do the full recline, we make sure that the person behind isn't eating or dealing with a small child.

Even with the small recline, with my back issues, I have to have a small pillow tucked in the small of my back for comfort.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

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. I just think it's rude. Many people will disagree and that's fine. Reclining a little is fine and I do that on occasion as well.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I remember being on a flight with a 2 year old. The guy in front of him had his seat all of the way back, and my ds kept kicking the seat (try reasoning with a 2 year old who would end up with ADHD...). I took off his shoes and tried to distract him, but if the guy would've put his seat forward, my ds's feet wouldn't have reached (he was buckled in his carseat).

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.

 

[TangaroaTiki]

I have always reclined my seat never thought twice about and will continue to do so

 

[keerymom]

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. I just think it's rude. Many people will disagree and that's fine. Reclining a little is fine and I do that on occasion as well.

 

[bavaria]

OP, are you able to answer a few questions, out of curiousity?

How long was your total flying time? How often a year do you fly? What sort of aircraft was involved?

 

[goofy4tink]

Have you considered using knee defenders?

The vast majority of airline FA's will ask you to remove those...they are not popular at all. Some airlines may have even prohibited their use.

My dh is 6'4"...very long legs. And he always gets that person who has to recline, completely, in front of him. He actually had one woman, who as soon as it was allowed, flipped that seat as far back as it would go. Well..it didn't recline nearly as far as she wanted. So, she kept banging it back. Finally my dh leaned around and told her that if she continued crashing into his knees he was going to have to get defensive!! It was his poor knees (one of which had to be rebuilt about a year later) that were preventing her seat from fully reclining. To say that the woman was a wee bit miffed is a major understatement.
Now...that was one of the last times we flew Delta. I hate Delta. It is the only airline (that we fly anyway) that makes me feel claustrophobic. It really reminds me of a cattle car. So...when people recline, it does impact the person behind them. I sometimes wonder if Delta changed the number of rows they have in order to fit a few more in....which would account for that claustrophobic feeling and the constant mashing into knees.
Now, we fly mostly Jetblue and pay for the extra legroom. SW isn't too bad...not as good as JB but much, much better than Delta.

Yes, the seats recline..they are designed to. But, there seems to be little to no regard for those behind when reclining. I have seen a ton of posters state that the person reclining in front of them isn't a bother at all...they just recline their own seat. But...the person behind may not feel the same way. Not saying that it's wrong to recline..it isn't. But a little regard for others would go a long way.
I have just started reclining a very little bit. It helps keep my back from hurting about 90 mins into each flight. I do have to put something behind the small of my back as well. But I refuse to recline 100%. But, that is my choice. Not everyone is going to feel that way.

 

[MIGrandma]

I also look at it this way.

Your taking a 2 hour car drive. Do you sit with the seats in their full up right position? NO....you have the seat reclined and slide forward/back to YOUR comfort level. For reclining, I see no difference in an airplane.

Yes we recline our seats. Like a few others have posted, we don't do the full recline, we make sure that the person behind isn't eating or dealing with a small child.

Even with the small recline, with my back issues, I have to have a small pillow tucked in the small of my back for comfort.

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'm short, barely 5' tall so when someone on the plane in front of me reclines their seat it doesn't bother me. I would much prefer someone to recline their seat, than to be seated anywhere near a screaming, noisy, seat-kickin' kid.