Melnq8

<FAs don't wake people up during meal services.>

Singapore Air does. They seem truly perplexed if you don't want to eat. They also require all passengers to raise their seats during meal service, even if the passenger is fast asleep. They'll walk around and make sure everyone is in compliance. I've never seen anyone refuse.

dutyfree

I think asking a passenger to put their seats up during a meal service depends on the F/A and the airline. I actually DO try to wake up folks for dinner on my international flights as they get really honked when they wake up an hour later and find out that they missed dinner.
In my 40 years of flying, I try to always remember how I would like to be treated as a passenger especially when seated in the cramped coach section.

29FEB

Meant to say "Thanks" to dutyfree for adding opinion; I often wish more professionals in the travel field would post here.

E.g., wouldn't you love to have someone weigh in who said "I happen to be executive CEO of a large airline..."

cksmummy

I'm surprised by the FA's response. I've always had FA ask all passengers to put seats in upright position for meal service. How on earth do you eat if they aren't? Not like there's a lot of space!!! I think the FA should have asked!

Cowboy1968

I have my doubts that FAs really had "authority" to tell (not ask) anyone to put their seats in an upright position.
While I'd agree that it should be common courtesy to do so.
I just wonder that people who are so vocal about their right to eat in a comfortable way are also so timid and need a nanny to address the person sitting in front of them.

joto

It's not so much needing a nanny, but some people would react badly at a passenger asking them to put their seat upright, whereas they would comply with a flight attendant's request.

socaltraveler

I was flying a few weeks ago STL-LAX, and lucky us, got our upgrades so there was a meal service in the front of the plane. Guy in front of me, guess he finished quickly, and wham, reclined his seat. My tray almost went flying into my lap. I would like to think he just wasn't thinking, but it was inconsiderate.

dutyfree

You would be surprised how many fine folks don't want to put their seats up!

Iowa_Redhead

<<<Much less likely to result in a confrontation than if I do it myself.>>>

Really?? I've asked people to get out of my seat and to put their seats upright during meals and have never had confrontational responses. Asking the FA to get involved just makes it seem like a big deal or that you didn't expect them to respond politely. It seems like a "you couldn't just ask me??" sort of thing.

A simple "excuse me, would you mind sitting your seat up a bit during dinner?" has always worked well. I've generally gotten a response along the lines of "oh sorry, I didn't think about that" and then they straightened up most/all of the way for the meal. I always make a point of saying "thank you!" when they do that. Charades generally work fairly well too. The FA has enough to do without being asked to act like a kindergarten teacher too. If the passenger tells me no then fine. I might eat rather loudly in their ear depending on their response, but that's just me being childish.

If someone is sleeping I'm not going to wake them up to ask them to sit up, falling/staying asleep on a plane is hard enough for many people.


Same for when someone was in my seat. I start with asking them to move politely and if that didn't work then I'd get the FA involved but it's always worked so far. Generally it's just someone who is very new to flying and they weren't trying to be annoying they just don't understand how the seats work. Their seat is the aisle seat but they took the window because they looked at the little picture above the seats wrong, they thought someone else would prefer the aisle seat or they simply ended up one row front or back of where they should be. Just showing them my boarding pass and a simple "I'm sorry but you're in my seat, can I help you find the seat on your boarding pass?" has always worked easily so far.

VonVan

I don't understand how you tell if the recliner ahead of you is sleeping or not.

sparkchaser

<i>I don't understand how you tell if the recliner ahead of you is sleeping or not.</i>

Dig your knee into the back of their seat.

lcuy

With the size of seats today, I cannot see the person in front of me, much less get into a position where I can speak clearly to them.

Much easier to ask the FA to request it as they are handing me my meal tray. I've never had either the FA or the passenger refuse.

Nothing "nanny" about it.

PS, I will turn around and ask a passenger to stop shaking my seat without bothering the FA. On my last flight, the man behind me was playing cards. He would shuffle them on the tray table (complete with three resounding thumps) then slap each card down throughout his games of Solitaire. After about 30 minutes of this I asked him if he could stop as it was upsetting my stomach. Surprisingly, he did.

mowmow

I guess I'm going to be rude on our overnight flight to Chile. I want to sleep the entire time. I don't want their awful dinner at 10:30 at night.

I'm going to take a sleeping pill, recline, and go to sleep. I'll be quite unhappy if someone wakes me up. They'll just have to eat their dinner with their tray a little close. It's doable. In the morning, for breakfast, I will wake up and I will put my seat up.

VonVan

^^"In the morning, for breakfast, I will wake up and I will put my seat up."
<b>AND</b> promise not to complain when the person in front of you reclines into your coffee.

annw

<<On my last flight, the man behind me was playing cards. He would shuffle them on the tray table (complete with three resounding thumps) then slap each card down throughout his games of Solitaire. After about 30 minutes of this I asked him if he could stop as it was upsetting my stomach. Surprisingly, he did.>>

I HATE the card shuffling!!

annw

Interesting blurb on "bad travel behavior" -- didn't see the seat recline issue yet --

http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2...ef=travel&_r=0