lyb

I've been wanting to post this message for quite a while but kept forgetting. Since there is such a debate as to whether it is okay to recline your seat or not, I thought you might all be amused by the following.

On my flight from San Francisco to London, I was sitting in coach by the aisle when the British lady in front of me turned around and asked me, "Do you mind if I recline my seat?" I was surprised since this was the first time I had ever been asked and also amused since this has been the subject of many heated discussions on this site. Of course, I said I didn't mind and for her to go ahead.

I especially appreciated her when on my way back home the tall man in front of me kept standing up in the aisle blocking my view of the movie screen and ....when going to to the bathroom passing extremely close to me (again sitting on the aisle)...all I'm going to say about seeing his behind so close and so often is that he should definitely look into products that help with the production of .....gas. Need I say more??

rhkkmk

it depends on the plane...some make it impossible for you to even read because the seats are so close together...others are not so bad...i have by-passed meals because the person in front of me has insisted on having his seat all the way back during the meal period....i have asked flight attendants to ask them to sit up...most have no problem, some do.....

i think she was very nice to ask and i shall remember that...

tropo

lyb - that's my main beef on planes. I do try to treat others as how I would like to be treated. I try to be courteous, and like that lady, I always ask if its okay for me to recline my seat.
However, we always come across those ignorant, discourteous people, who give no consideration to others, and automatically recline their seat, so food or magazines are pushed into the face of the person behind. Well I have learnt how to get these people back. Wait until they have dozed off, then try & stand up, but make sure you get a good hold of the persons headrest in front, and pull it back as you stand.
But make sure you say, "Sorry, I haven't got much room" (As they say, there are many ways of skinning a cat)

repete

kind of a passive-aggressive cat-skinning, i'd say. if someone does something that bugs you that much, why not mention it at the time?

lyb

repete,

Who are you responding to? Me, about the man who kept putting his butt in my face? If so, it bugged me, but I was also reading and wasn't going to have a little fit over it, plus was I supposed to say, "Excuse me, but could you stop passing gas in my face?" On the other hand, to see his reaction may have been rather funny/interesting.

jv827

lyb -- I assumed repete's reply was directed to tropo and his/her "pull on someone's seat" maneuver. I don't think repete was referring to you as passive aggressive

jv827

Although having re-read your last response, that certainly would've been an interesting conversation if you HAD said that!

TopMan

What would you do IF you asked the person seated behind you if they minded your reclinign your seat and they answered that they DID mind?

The seats are meant to be reclined and I suspect people who fly already know that. People who have flown before ALSO already know that the seats in economy are

1) Close toegther
2) When the seat in front of you is reclined it "pushes" your own tray table closer to you
3) The seats in Business Class and First Class have more room and the "recline" issue isn't as much an "issue"

And the people who have flown before usually make allowances for this as they decide NOT to pay to sit in either Business or First Class.

Sorry, you know the deal and I am not planning to ask your permission to recline my seat just as I wouldn't expect you to do so either. Since I paid to fly in the "cheap seats" I make adjustments and would expect you to do the same.

Passing gas? Well, that's another matter entirely.

sognatrice2

topman, I'm willing to bet that tropo will have the seat behind you on your next flight..fate will have it...

hobbes

And, Tropo, what would u suggest doing about someoone who has no qualms using the back of your seat as a "hoisy up" even when it is not reclined? That's not even something u can call the flight attendants about...that's my biggest economy nightmare - a "hoister upper"!

Chatters

I don't recline all the way because while that extra doesn't make a big difference to my comfort, it seems to make a difference for the person behind me. I think it is rude to recline the seat all the way without, at a minimum, evaluating what kind of impact you will be having on the passenger behind you. I'll also say that if somebody ask you politely to move the sit up a bit, you should obliged or move to another seat, if at all possible. It is confined space FOR EVERYBODY, so be polite for the time being. That's my rule.

jdraper

I generally don't recline my seat on a daytime flight. On an overnight flight I generally do but do not do so until the cabin lights are turned down, indicating that the food and beverage service has usually come to an end. I also look behind me to determine if the person behind me has their seat reclined. If they do then I have no qualms about taking up some of the extra space they have provided for themselves by reclining their seat. I don't find that reclining the seat gives that much extra room when I am just sitting and watching a movie or reading a book. However, it makes a big difference if I am trying to curl up with my Bucky pillow and catch a few zzzz's on an overnight flight.
A little common sense goes a long way, especially on a crowded flight. Take Care Jackie

opaldog

I agree with chatters. When the person in front of you throws their seat back and now their head is in your lap, it's not particularly comfortable and most always not too appealing. Why be so arrogant that you could care less about the comfort of those around you. Why anger another person so that you can recline into their space. It does just take a little consideration. I don't do it to others and hope they wouldn't do it to me.

Tallulah

I always check to see if the person behind me had reclined their seat; if they have then I go straight ahead and put mine back. If they haven't then I ask.

repete

lyb,
I was responding to the post immediately before mine, which seemed fairly clear since I also referenced ``cat skinning.''

I just thought that exactly revenge on a sleeping fellow traveller -- no matter how boorish -- rather than mentioning something right away is kind of low class.

If something happens and you feel strongly enough about it to do something, do it at the time of infraction. If you don't, the problem's with you and not the boor.

Joelleinitaly04

After having someone's head in my lap for a 9 hour flight, I don't recline my seat - I don't even ask because I don't want to make someone feel they have to say yest to be polite.

And if you do recline your seat, please don't bitch if the kid with long legs behind you keeps bumping your seat with his knees. He can't help it and trust me, he's much more uncomfortable than you are.


Joelle

lyb

I guess I should add, I have absolutely NO problem with people reclining their seats. I also see it as part of being in coach, if I truly need and want and expect more space, I should buy a business or first class ticket, if I can't afford, well...that's the sad part of not being wealthy.

I do recline my seat, usually not all the way, but only because I don't think it's that comfortable and at meal time I will try to bring it back up a bit.

I think that it's totally okay to recline your seat and as I said I was a little amused and surprised that the lady in front of me asked. Frankly until this subject started being brought up on this board, I never thought it was even an issue.

Now the kid who kicks on your seat all the time and the person who thinks your seat is a rail and keeps going in and out of the seat is a whole different matter.

ms_go

We flew RT from Chicago to Manchester, England, on bmi this summer. In both directions, the flight attendants came through the cabin as they were preparing for the first, main meal service and politely, but firmly, asked everyone to raise their seatbacks until the meal service was over. I'm not sure I've ever encountered that before and, frankly, thought it was a great idea.

suze

Seems only common sense and courtesy & what I luckily have most often seen on transatlantic flights... Seats up at cocktail service and meal time, so everyone can get their tray tables down. Beyond that it's every man/woman for him/herself!

Tulips

If you ask the person behind you wether he minds you reclining your seat, than you must be prepared to leave it upright if he does mind.

Good idea for the flight attendants to ask people not to recline seats until meal trays have been collected; that should be common decency, but unfortunately is not for some people.

What really does bother me is if a child behind me opens and closes his table all the time, and/or kicks my seat. Or if they don't turn off the sound on their gameboy.