cigalechanta

Lil, I guess it's true: A Bird in Hand is worth more than Three in a bush.

MizzEve

Charlie ~ that's a heartwarming story. Thank you. It proves "you can't read a book by its cover."

cigalechanta

Charlie, that is a "real smile" story.
and uplifting, thanks.

Elena

Thanks Charlie.

francophile03

Thanks for mentioning the lowering of the seats all the way back. It's not a great feeling knowing that the person in front of you practically has his/her head in your lap. And it's really irritating that they want to eat in a reclining position as well.

helrot

Must say I'm quite amazed at all of the people who have a problem with all of us who put our seats in the "full recline" postion. I fly from the west coast to Europe and find a 10 or 11 hour flight pretty uncomfortable. Can't even get an hour or two of sleep. Why is it rude? I always put my seat upright while "dinner" is being served. I never realized this was such an issue for so many people. Are you Fodor's people all 8 foot giants?

francophile03

I fly to Europe from San Francisco so I know it's uncomfortable for a 10+ hour flight! But I think with such limited space between the seats that the person in front shouldn't recline fully. I mean I have had to practically squeeze my way out of my seat to get out because the person in front of me is reclined fully.

babette

I like this topic! Lots of good venting.

I was snoozing on a long flight once in a coach class window seat, when I adjusted my position a bit to snuggle up to a bare foot! And not a nice one! It originated from the seat behind me, through the crack, and was taking up my whole armrest on that side! In was so startled that I gasped and tried to shoo it away. This made the woman behind me very angry, though it did get rid of the stinky, so she kicked the back of my seat and growled (what I assumed were obscenities) at me throughout the remainder of the flight. Delightful!

hike

CharlieB's post reminded me of another story I had read a long time ago here in the thread "Memorable seatmates". It was posted by Rich, about his encounter with a retiring nun. Touching.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2

hike

Sorry, above would not get you the thread I meant. It's "A Momorable Seamate" thread if you are interested enough to do a text search.

jimcolorado

Last year on the flight to Rome, we sat one row up from two couples from Brooklyn, I know I heard them tell evrybody. About 60-ish, the two women were sisters and the two men competed for the "oh too funny contest." Made sure that everybody could hear there jokes. The women looked like rejects from some Ricky Lake movie, with high platinum blonde hair right out of the 60's, tight white capri pants and stiletto heels. The guys looked liked Frank Borane trying to look like Mafia "wise guys", multiple stands of gold neck chains, shirts unbuttoned, etc. The guys immediately went to work on the flight attendants and the booze, and the wives thought every stupid remark they made was so damn hysterical. Thank God both of the guys got so drunk that they fell asleep about halfway there. I nearly choked when we landed in Rome and both of the guys donned red, white and blue ball caps that said "America, love it or leave it." Haappened to see them a couple of days later at the Papal audience arguing with a Swiss Guard about "getting better seats for the show." Still wearing those stupid hats.

RLA

Thank you all for venting! Although you are not trying to be funny, many of you have me laughing hysterically! The ugly Americans with the r-w-b ball caps, the chicken story, the visiting bare foot, the man who stretched out on the floor underneath three seats (is that really true?), and more. The absurdities are funny enough, but I can just picture you telling the story which makes me laugh even more. I sympathize with you, as I would be just as irritated as some of you were. Hopefuly, by now, you are laughing about it too. It's a lot more fun than still being mad! Tell us more!

MarthaT

On a flight from Europe to USA was sitting aisle seat in the middle section. A man was sitting on the other side aisle middle and the seats between us were empty. He proceeded to use all of the seats to stretch out and sleep and because my armrest was up so I could have a little more room his feet keep ending up in my lap or up against my leg.
I am also one who does not recline fully out of courtesy. On another international flight a woman in front of me reclined fully as soon as she got on the plane about breaking my knees. She spoke no English and did not understand when the FA tried to make her put it up for takeoff. When food was served I gently pushed up so I could get to my tray and she turned around and glared at me.
Finally the FA came and actually pushed the button and made her seat lift for mealtime and a couple other times during the trip including landing. It was a miserable flight.

allovereurope

I was once on a flight where the girl sitting next to me, although a lovely person, became airsick. I felt bad, but--ewww. She felt better after yakking, though, and we actually had a nice conversation! Other than that, most of my irritations have been relatively minor.

Kendra

One of my co-workers flew from San Francisco to Hong Kong next to a guy who proceeded to pick his nose the entire flight and wipe it on the seat in front of him!! In addition, this guy was wearing an electronic ankle bracelet, so she was left wondering if she was sitting next to a nose picking criminal the whole time.

Chicago_Heather

The lady who changed her baby's very smelly diaper in the seat across the aisle from me, then left the wrapped up dirty diaper in the back of the seat. Whew.

Or, the "gentleman" who laid his seat all of the way back onto my mother's lap and refused to raise it when I told him that she had bad knees. When I switched seats with her, his flying companion did the same thing. Ah, the joys of United coach.

The most unique flying neighbor was the man who stretched out in the middle of the walking aisle and slept for 3 hours during a transatlantic flight (pre-9/11, of course). Everyone walked around him like it was normal.

Bitter

I'm still not convinced that reclining your seat is rude. Perhaps we have different expectations of the space we are "renting". In my opinion, I am reclining my seat into part of "my" space. Even if someone has "bad knees" I question why I should be inconvenienced, by not reclining, when they could have booked a different location or a better seat. That may sound insensitive, but I think it is insensitive to make our problems the problems of others. Whose problems trump? What about my need to stretch my legs out? That said, you have convinced me that we should at least sit upright during meal service.
Compared to some of your fellow traveler experiences, mine is not very bad, but I share it in part to keep this thread going: Returning from Europe, a gentleman who I took to be Russian spent the entire flight standing two rows ahead in the aisle. He faced the back of the plane, i.e. me, and spent his time talking to the women seated in the two end seats. For all I know, they could have been his wife and daughter, but he seemed very lounge lizardish. In addition to being loud and blocking the aisle, and the fact that he was always in my view when I tried to watch the movie, it was also kind of unsettling in that it was kind of like having someone on an elevator facing the back (not the door). Not necessarily wrong, just odd (for 6 hours).

MizzEve

My problem becomes your problem when I stretch my knees and feet into the back and bottom of your seat once you have fully reclined.

I_am_anonymous

I agree with Bitter and I recline my seat fully, but I do put it in "its full upright position" for take-off, landing and meals.

MizzEve

Does reclining your seat really help you stretch your legs? If so, why do you have to stretch your legs for long periods of time?