It would be my luck to have Liza reclining in front of me dreaming of having fisticuffs with Gest.
Fears of this happening is why I rarely sit in first class......

do you think they could add a leg/ foot harness on the back of the knee defender seat so you could have a child behind you who would not kick the seat the entire flight? hve you ever had it coming from both ends- in front and behind? oh, the joys of coach....how many times has that been posted???

For me the reclining issue is a simple domino effect. When the person infront of me reclines, I have to or I have to stare at their scalp for the entire journey. I understand that business and 1st are more comfortable, but I can not always travel that way with my children. I do wonder just why economy class has to be SO uncomfortable. Can't they just take out some seats and increase the prices? We do not have a mileage credit card so we have to pay the best fare we can get. Does anyone know of a really great travel/credit card to rack up the miles on?

please post this question on the miles issue separately!!!i would love to hear other's secrets!!!i charged two children's college educations to accrue miles on american and it has done me well, but alas, college days will be over this spring...what else works??

I suppose the next time you need to buy a car you could whip out your AMEX.

I haven't read all the messages but I am in my dotage (65) and actually recall it being a universal courtesy to peek over the back of one's seat and ask if reclining would be convenient.

About 15 years ago that little balm to our traveling lives vaporized, although I still practice it.

When some oaf jams their seat back on me, I say nothing. But that oaf (or oaf-ess) can look forward to mucho "tray-bounces," seat back kicks, and "grabbing the seatback to get up" maneuvers from me.

I bought a car recently and they would only let me put $2500 on my mileage card. Better than nothing!

marilyn-too bad! usc tuition is worth 28,000!!! thnx for the tip! calamari...do you know an auto dealer who takes more???

I do not, however I have heard of people paying for their entire automobile purchase on a special AMEX. Probably one only offered to Bill Gates types. They get all the perks!

Poppa, wouldn't it be nicer just to politely tell the person in front of you that reclining their seat is bothering you? Why would you want to respond with such rude behaviors to their trying to get a little comfort?

Wierd thing happened to me on a flight a few weeks ago. Karma???

It was a 6:30 am flight, mid way through I reclined 1/2 way to take a little snooze only to have the guy behind me pound my seat! I would have much prefered he if he said something first rather than pounding my chair. Can you say passive aggresive? Anyway I turned to him after he yelled that his tray was now in his lap - I said polietly I'm sorry sir but everyone's trays are in their laps it's coach.

Here's the weird part - the next week when I was returning, guess who is sitting behind me again? Yep the same guy! So I said hey your the guy who got mad at me for reclining! He blushed and said yeah but were friends now right? No more seat slamming.

Guy behind me gave me crap for reclining my seat. As it happened, I had food poisoning from an evil snail the night before and needed to sleep. I told him as much and threatened to barf on his tray table. Subject was "tabled." (BTW, it was a no food, no beverages trip.)

Agree 100% with comment that airlines bring this "air rage" problem on themselves. Also gree 100% with comment that comfort of person in 10A does not trump the comfort of person in 9A or 11A (or 10B). Amazing that anyone thinks otherwise but they always do: 10A is ME therefore everyone else can accommodate ME.

I'll try to get along with you and compromise on issues (trays down and seats up for meals, but seats can go back for sleeptime) -- but if I get a whiff of the ME-centered nonsense, you're in for unpleasantness.