michaelq

For me, it usually depends on what the person in front of me does. If she/he reclines, there's a high chance I'm going to as well.

simpsonc510

This is why I try to go for the bulkhead seat! I usually do not recline my seat if I'm at the bulkhead.

TC

So Anita....if you truly believe; <i>"the seat only reclines about 2 3/4 inches. That is hardly enough to make a difference to the person behind you" - </i> <u>then why do you pay for a E+ seat???</u>

Sounds like you want it all....your extra 2-3 inches <u>and mine.</u>

The attitude that you "paid" for your space implies that the person sitting behind you didn't pay for theirs. Is that what you think??

I can see why you are "embroiled" on another board. With this attitude, I just hope you don't get "embroiled" with some 6'2" linebacker on a plane when you recline into his lap and stay there throughout a 10 hour flight.

Cowboy1968

Odd discussion.
You can't do anything if the person in front of you reclines to the max. Aside from meal times when a FA asks you to sit up, this is a perfectly legal thing to do. This is also the most common thing people do on night flights. And yes, it is very uncomfortable, less when you also recline.
If that hits your comfort zone (and/or knee caps), you should consider Eco plus or Business.
If you can't afford the upgrade you must either expect the person in front of you to recline or not fly at all.
On shorter day time flights I find people who need to recline to the max somewhat silly, but what can I do. Maybe they are just thoughtless, or they just changed from a long flight and different time zones and try to get at least an hour of sleep.
Fact is: You can't do zero, nada, nothing against it but adapt or avoid.

gail

For the same reason one does not bring Gorgonzola cheese to eat on the plane (I paid for the same amount of air as you did); spit on the sidewalk (I paid as much taxes as you for the asphalt); sing loudly in a crowded elevator (I have as much right to enjoy this ride as you do). It's just rude. We can't regulate and legislate politeness.

joto

There was one instance of me starting to get very annoyed by the recliner in front of me on a trans-Atlantic flight. The "lady" in front of me seemed to have a very hard time listening to the FA asking her to put the seat back up at the meal time, and then as soon as she (not I) finished eating back down came the seat almost into my lap, knocking over the small bottle of wine on the tray. She then proceeded to toss her long hair over the seat back almost into my food and in front of the television screen. Da**, those plastic knives will cut nothing, and scissors are not allowed. I do need to get up to go to the bathroom fairly often as I like to keep hydrated (with water), LOL and it's pretty difficult getting up without doing the limbo and knocking the seat in front (wink).

Underhill

I suspect that this is an issue that will be with us forever unless the airlines realize what a problem they've created. The topic keeps coming back over and over and over, with no resolution. Half of the responders say be polite and don't recline,the other half say it's their right to do so.

Underhill

Also, what is all this about "rights"? All you're doing is renting a seat on an airplane.

TC

Seems the troll has disappeared.

suze

<So I recline. Simple as that.>

Then why did you bother coming here, to another internet forum, to ask the same question you have already decided the answer to?

LBloom

About 25 years ago, when I was 7 months pregnant, we took a cross country flight to Denver and the woman ahead of me insisted on reclining. The FA came running when she reclined her seat and I yelled loudly, as I was HUGE

LBloom

The idiot absolutely refused to pull up her seat even when it was explained to her that I was heavily pregnant and not physcially able to accommodate her. Some people are just a$$holes.

cary999

A travel acquaintance replied to my flying rant with - "Well, I guess flying is just a necessary evil". I replied - "Yes it is evil, but not necessary for me". I plan no more flying vacations. The airlines can become only business class passenger transportation for all I care.

regards - tom

TC

Does this mean no more Africa, Tom.....or that you're only flying in business class? Sadly, its not just seat reclining and its not just Coach Class that has its "evils".

A nicely dressed young businessman sat next to me in First Class on a flight. Immediately after sitting down, he pulled off his shoes and crossed his leg so that his not-so-fresh foot was nearly in my lap. In self-defense, I opened the overhead air vent to full blast and pointed it at his (did I say, not-so-fresh) foot. Shortly after, he was uncomfortably cold and asked if I <u>needed</u> the air on. "Only if you intend to keep your shoes off". The look of total confusion on his face was no surprise. He was completely clueless that what he did in his space would have any effect on others.

I sat in front of another guy in FC (maybe a drummer) who watched rock videos the entire flight and banged out the beat on his tray table. Then there was the couple in the FC seats behind us as we headed to Mexico last year. They bragged about their virus and how they weren't giving up their vacation to it. Then proceeded to sneeze and cough the entire flight without any thought to a handkerchef or Kleenex.

The list of thoughtless behavior is endless, but I go prepared to defend my space, 'cause I'm not staying at home to accommodate the selfish behavior of others.

Fight on!

1965

I'm with you TC. Flying can have its downside, but it's worth it for us because it allows my husband and myself to see this wonderful,beautiful,interesting world. Except for a surprise,free upgrade to first class once, we always have to fly coach. We've shared space with some very nice and some very thoughtless fellow passengers. Nothing has ever even once made me think about giving up flying.

cary999

Yes TC, no more Africa. No more flights overseas (from USA). I might, with much resistance, consider flying within USA IF hugely better than driving , like, from CA to NY. I find the treatment of passengers by airports and airlines contemptuous.

"Fight on!" for me means not giving them my business. That's the only thing I can do.

regards - tom
ps - Fight on. Like write to the airlines? You know how their response will begin - "We're sorry .....etc"

TC

I'm sorry to hear that you feel that way, Tom. I travel all the time (fly) as a medical flight courier. I have great experiences. Yes...I get those occassional jerks that I've posted here, but for the most part, I encounter wonderful people. People who are more than willing to help with the chain that transports much needed bone marrow to a waiting leukemia patient. People give up seats so I won't be bumped. People give up their overhead space so I can carry on my cooler. Flight attendents bend the regulations to let me overstretch the carry-on rules when I'm transporting. TSA agents hand screen my precious cargo and do everything they can to move me through fast and efficiently -- going so far as to accompany me all the way to my gate. Waiting passengers allow me to move to the front of the line when the collection has run late. I had a gate agent in Amsterdam drive me all the way across that vast airport in his golf cart, take me through flight crew screening and insist in two languages that the plane must be held so that I could make the flight. It can be a cruel world -- annoying at times, but I have seen the best along with the worst and I still want to be a part of it.

Fight on....meaning; hold your head up, lift your spirit, look for the best, don't let the process keep you from the pleasure.

cary999

TC - well, I'm NOT a medical flight courier. You should fly sometime as just a regular nobody passenger. You might see things differently.

regards - tom

Traveler1542

I didn't read through all the response so I'm probably repeating much of what has already been said. Yes of course you can recline your seat, especially if you're on a long flight, particularly a redeye! However, out of courtesy you should always bring your seat up when meals are being served even if you pass on the meal, it is just the proper thing to do. My other gripe with seats is when the person behind you uses your seatback to pull themselves up to get out of their seat vs using their own armrests to assist them in standing up, that's probably the second most irritating thing passengers so after reclining during a meal. If people would keep in mind that they aren't the only one on the plane I think flying could be much more pleasant.