Airplane seatback device
 

Have you seen these seat devices that fit on the backs of the seat facing you so that person cannot push his seat back into your territory?

Wow. I'm not sure what to think of these. I saw the travel guy, Greenburg, on the Today Show and just caught a second of him demonstrating them. He said he isn't saying he endorses them but they are legal.

I wouldn't use one. I wouldn't want to get in a conflict with another passanger. Am I wrong?

There have been many debates on here about leaning the seats back vs. not leaning the seats back, so I'm sure you will get lots of heated replies. I, personally, believe that if a person pays for a seat on a plane, they should be allowed to lean their seats back, but its all just a matter of personal opinion.

I agree with tcreath. Although I don't like it when the person in front of me leans back, I do not complain because I respect their right to do so. By the same token, I expect the person behind me to respect my right to lean back, especially on a long flight when I'm trying to sleep.

Many debates here as someone pointed out.

I would gladly stand by and allow anyone to pulverize Greenburg if he attempted to use on on a plane.

He says they are legal? Do you believe the airlines endorse their use? They may very well be some sort of evacuation/safety hazard.

On an international flight I took a few weeks ago, I had my revenge on the idiot in front of me who fully reclined. Once she reclined into my lap, I just turned on my overhead light. Worked very well because they had just darkened the cabin. Yes, I am passive aggressive.

I have no problem with someone fully reclining if the person in front of them does it, because otherwise they have no room. Otherwise, you're an insensitive jerk.

Intrepid, yes I'd like to know more about these devices. I only saw a second of it and it's the first time I've heard of them. They looked like little plastic clippy things which hold the seat in front od you in it's position.

I was wondering if anyone else knew about them.

Ann: As someone travels very frequently I can tell you that, since I purchased the seat reservation, I am fully within my rights to lean back (all the way) and get some rest. I probably have a meeting to go to when i reach my destination so I NEED the sleep. In these days of corporate cutbacks, I unfortunately usually need to fly coach unless I'm flying for more than 8 hours. Try to understand that when next you travel

What does "legal" mean? It means there are no federal, state or local laws against it, but it does not mean that you have a legal right to use them wherever you want. Many airlines already banned these things and there is an easy way to get rid of one if you happen to be the "receiver" of the blocked seat. Just report to the FA that your seat does not seem to work properly and within minutes the gadget will be pulled by the FA or the FA will ask the person that put it there to remove it. It avoids any confrontation and the person behind you just realized they payed money for another useless gadget.

It's a waste of money, but if anybody wants to find out more, here it is:

http://www.kneedefender.com/

This goes back to basic common courtesy. ask or at least glance behind before pushing your seat back all the way; if someone is working on a laptop or trying to drink something, you could cause a problem. also, please be aware that the person behind you may be tall and their knees may be at the back of the seat already with no nasty intention.

Yeah, Ann! LeanBack Leo has purchased one space on the plane not one and a half. That is what happens when he leans all the way back. I too shall shine the light of passive aggressive truth on the next klutz who has to sleep horizontally at my expense.

Please see my post of a few minutes ago re the most irritating person I had to put up with. In sum I suggested morgue-like slabs be substituted for the space now used for "kitchens".

Anthony

It doesn't sound like the knee defenders are an acceptable solution, and I don't know what is. However, for every person who can't sleep without reclining their seat, there is another person (that would be me) who can't sleep with the seat in front reclined into their space. Reclining my own seat does not help. It isn't a question of who paid for the space, since I can make an argument that I paid for the right to remain upright to counter the argument that you paid for the space into which the seat reclines in my lap. We both think we have a right to that space. Neither one of us is right. The only way to resolve this is to use common sense and courtesy in dealing with other people.

Of course that becomes difficult when we are all squished together in coach. The same thing happens when you put too many rats in a cage.

I've never tried it myself, but I have an acquaintance who swears by carrying small packets of black pepper when she flys. If someone reclines into her lap on a daytime flight, she takes a little snort of it and sneezes on the offender repeatedly.

I saw her do it once, and I have to say that it got pretty instant results. The guy waited about 30 minutes after she stopped sneezing and fully reclined again; so she did it again. The second time he appeared to get the message.

Why are seats MADE to recline if the person is not supposed to recline them? And, Pleeeeease, they in no way recline that far back as to go into someone's lap! That's just rediculous. Two to three inches, tops. I have never minded if someone in front of me reclines their seat. And it has never made me unconfortable.

I agree with CD.

I always move back verry sloowwwllly, after asking if the person behind me minds.

(If they say, "Yes, I do", I ask "why?".)

This is bound to cause all sorts of controversy. There was a thread about these devices that got closed after it turned nasty. Here's the old thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34454123

I like Ann's suggestion and I agree with Nikki "It isn't a question of who paid for the space, since I can make an argument that I paid for the right to remain upright to counter the argument that you paid for the space into which the seat reclines in my lap" Exactly. I have found what works best is if someone leans all the way back, I politely ask if we could come to a compromise and they only lean their seat back halfway. It has worked. Only a jerk would argue with that. Unfortunately, there are too many out there and after that, there isn't much you can do.

I am happy to make the argument that the space one has purchased includes the space into which one reclines one's seat. I always try to be considerate as well, but why is your right to work on a laptop, for example, more sacred than my right to recline and sleep?

If someone behind me put one of those devices on the seat so I could not recline, I would have the flight attendant there faster than you could say "Put your seatbacks in the upright position." I have no doubt that the person behind me would be asked to remove the device.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but in literally millions of miles of air travel, I have never once had a problem with this topic. Yes, I am about 5'3", so my knees are not already hitting the seat in front of me. I'm sympathetic to you taller folk, but you know, this is about the only time when being short is an advantage. Nobody taller moves out of the way when I want to see a parade, believe me!

I understand that people wants to be comfortable when they travel.However, they should be considerate also to the people behind them..even if it is their rights to have their seat reclined especially during the long overseas flight.

But Courtesy and Considerations toward others are unwritten rules that a person should follow more often,it would make the world a better place.

You could always ask the person reclining to move their seat up just for a moment so you can get the air sickness bag out of the seat back. that might give them pause to be blocking your exit to a washroom as well.

I think all this hostility should be directed at the airlines and the Department of Transportation. In-fighting among passengers accomplishes nothing.