jacketwatch

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/0...ing-seats.html

dotheboyshall

Good.

thursdaysd

Fine with me. It's only on flights less than four hours. I only recline on shorter flights if the person in front of me reclines.

Cowboy1968

I assume the only reason to do so is not to resolve the recline vs. no recline battle but to squeeze in one or two more rows.
While I don't care much about recline on short-haul flights, the extra passengers make it even harder to fit all the luggage in the overhead compartments.

Christina

I think it's a great idea, I wish more airlines would do that. There is no reason anyone needs to recline when flying a few hours during daylight IMO. I really hate it when some person decides to recline into my lap within two minutes of getting on board and it's 10 am or something like that, they ruin the entire flight for me. I think it will improve the general atmosphere also, as it really makes me angry when people do that and the few times I've asked the person to please move forward some as I can't even utilize the tray table well for drinks or food, etc, they have refused. I pointed out to one man that he was the only person in the entire plane reclining like that at that moment, but it didn't matter, he was a total jerk. I think people have the right to recline on longhaul flights but even then only when it is after the meal and in the middle of the night. I do not think this is necessary to get more rows in at all, but I don't know their pitch right now. Some are so small it would be impossible to make it shorter. From what I ehard, the reasons for doing this are to redice the passenger problems, but mainly because those types of seats are more expensive and also heavier. So they save on expenses in general and also fuel.

thursdaysd

" extra passengers make it even harder to fit all the luggage in the overhead compartments. "

My carry-on fits under the seat in front of me for take-off and landing, and in the curve of the fuselage the rest of the time (I book window seats whenever possible). I just wish the airlines would enforce the carry on limits - we would board much faster.

HappyTrvlr

Christina, please be aware that there are passengers who need to recline the seat due to severe back problems.

CounterClifton

Glad to hear it.

The back problem should be a concern they should accommodate when a diagnosed disability. It would be good if there were a row of reclining seats left installed and designated for people who have documentation.

AJPeabody

Documentation? Like the "documents" for "comfort animals?" And what happens when only one of a pair "needs" a recline?

CounterClifton

AJ, I was thinking more like the same sort of documentation one needs to use a handicapped parking spot. In that case, even though there's no shortage of people who'd like to have the closest spot to the door, there's a system that mostly prevents that from happening In which case, this might be the same as when only one occupant of the car is disabled. If it's a bigger group travelling together? Not sure, but adjoining seating isn't part of the contract of carriage, so perhaps one adjoining seat as a courtesy if the disabled person requires help?

I don't see why reserving those last few reclining seats couldn't work the same way as disabled parking. Assuming there are people who do need to recline even for short periods, you'd think it would be important to ensure the seats installed just for them would be used by those with that need and not taken by someone else.

Unlike comfort animals (which I don't have a strong opinion on but have some doubts), determining the validity of this need to recline might be more straightforward. For instance, a person with a drivers license would probably not require a reclining seat on a plane, knowing they are capable of and willing to sit upright when the situation calls for it.

justineparis

While I agree no one needs to recline for a short flight.. I damm well do recline on my transalantic flights.. sorry, I am not sitting bolt upright for 9 hours.. the solution is the person behind me can recline their seat.
I keep it up at meal times of course..and I dont bother reclining for short flights, but reclining is not a moral failing.. its using one of the features I paid for , thanks.

Cowboy1968

I'm no expert on medical conditions requiring a reclining seat.
But I know that Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline for short- and mid-haul air travel, has a fleet of zero reclining seats on every flight and every plane since Day 1 of operations.
I've heard many (and experienced some) really weird stories about Ryanair, but I've never ever so far heard of any complaint that non-reclining seats kept some passengers with disabilities from traveling. And you can be sure that even the smallest wrong-doing of Ryanair does get a ton of coverage.
So I wonder if this is a real problem.