While I realize it's "courteous" to at least see if it bothers the person behind you, I do think that the fact that the airlines say they can't MAKE someone put their seat up means that it's acceptable to put it back. If it wasn't, then they wouldn't make seats that go back.

If someone behind me smacked me even once, I'd have the steward(ess) over the so quick and I would make a formal complaint right then and there, and then follow up when we reached the destination.

Had she asked me nicely to put the seat up, I would have gladly (well, not so gladly, it hurts my back to sit that far forward, but I would have done it without complaint) done so. But if you don't give me the opportunity to comply in a polite manner, then I'm not going to sit idly by.

I agree to some of the tips in bringing DVD players to get them off boredom. You can also give them coloring books, travel sized games or toys, and make sure not to let the kids see them before the trip. You give it as a surprise activity for them while on the trip. And my final suggestion is to try to schedule your trip when your kids would be sleeping while traveling.

Goodluck!

http://www.route66place.com

Wow, I got mad just reading the last several posts. A person has every right to recline their seat otherwise, they wouldn't be made to recline! Especially on a long flight, how uncomfortable!

It would have totally ruined my entire trip as I would have been so mad that a stranger would have the nerve. She would have gotten a full body turn-around from me and the dirtiest look I could muster. Then.... my seat would stay reclined.

Just for the record, I'm a nice person but I won't tolerate bad behavior.

By the way, the boys were great on the flights. On the way over we were lucky to have movies appropriate for their ages and then they slept.

Coming back, they loved the movie/tv/music screens in the seatbacks. My little guy was thrilled to watch Spongebob many, many, many times.

Many years ago when our kids were yong my wife found a book about flying with children. The best idea was to buy some small itmes which you can wrap up for them and parcel them out one at a time throughout the trip in return for their being behaved. Each small toy/book/ puzzle kept them occupied for some time and eventually they went to sleep. She even used to take a few of their favorite toys and hide them away a few weeks before we took off, when the kids got them back wrapped up, they were thrilled.
I guess you can't wrap them before security check anymore, but you could do it at the gate or use small gift bags. Now with so many planes on long flights having individual video screens there is much to keep them entertained.
When my son was small, we always had good luck with him finding an adolescent girl to entertain him much of the flight.

That pipe cleaner idea is brilliant! I'm 15 and even I would get some enjoyment out of that. Thanks for the idea.