I flew on a long haul plane (13 hour flight) last month and found that if you recline, your seat actually slides forward rather than the seat itself reclining. That way you get the leaning back while not encroaching on the person behind you. I'm not sure if this was just a new thing with the plane (Cathay Pacific) or if it's the feature of newer planes now, but it was great.
Travel A right or a privilege?
- Thread starter Ladybug09
- Start date
I think it's rude to recline. A lot of people are saying " well I paid for the seat and I will use its functions" What about the person behind you, who also paid for the seat and wants to use its features (ie having room to breathe)
Is that person's money worth less than yours? I don't think so.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I understand the need to recline if the person is sick or elderly more.
But I don't see why one can't ask " do you mind if I put my seat back"? It's just polite.
Is that person's money worth less than yours? I don't think so.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I understand the need to recline if the person is sick or elderly more.
But I don't see why one can't ask " do you mind if I put my seat back"? It's just polite.
the last flight i was on.. i felt SO bad for the guy sitting next to me. he was at least 6' tall or more, so his knees were already up to his chest when he sat down.... then he was trying to work on some stuff on his laptop (looked like musician stuff) and the person in front of him reclined their seat all the way back. this poor guy was SO CRAMPED!
he would try to stick his feet out into the aisle to street a bit but the flight staff kept coming up and down with carts so he couldn't do that for very long.
i tried to squish as close to the window as possible to give him more room for his arms. but i still felt bad for him.
if i recline it will be just a tiny bit so that i'm not sitting straight up. but usually i don't recline.
he would try to stick his feet out into the aisle to street a bit but the flight staff kept coming up and down with carts so he couldn't do that for very long.
i tried to squish as close to the window as possible to give him more room for his arms. but i still felt bad for him.
if i recline it will be just a tiny bit so that i'm not sitting straight up. but usually i don't recline.
I never recline my seat. I do not like it done to me, so I don't do it either. I won't even recline back on long flights, I think it is so rude that people recline right in your face and they don't see a thing wrong with it. If there is no one behind you, use the button, but if there is why not respect their space. You paid for your seat, not the person's personal space behind you.
Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont. If I wasn't suppose to recline... my seat wouldn't have the option.
I have never reclined my seat. Just as some people think they paid for their seat and they have the right to use all of its features, I think that the person behind them also has the right to the little bit of space that they paid for. Airplanes are cramped enough without having someone sticking their seat in another person's face. It's just common courtesy. No one wants to go an entire flight with a seat in their lap.
I flew two flights for Christmas that were close to two hours long. I must not be the right proportion for plane seats or something because when my seat was straight up the head rest hit me wrong and made me feel like I was leaning forward. I reclined maybe a max of two inches if even that. Just enough to make me now feel like I was leaning forward. I am 5'8 and truthfully I don't feel any more cramped when someone reclines their seat in front of me unless I have to get up to use the restroom. Maybe that's why I don't think it's such a big deal to recline if you want to.
I'm still not sure why Ive barely noticed for 25 years.. well maybe visually if the row is uneven which means the seats are at different angles. This is the first time I'd heard/read the level of intolerance for this. I'm a frequent traveller and I don't feel cramped when someone reclines any more than if they didn't. I can't even tell since I still have plenty of clearance unless i try to get out and the passenger(s) dont get up to let me out...but they always do. I notice more on the sides if I'm in a middle seat than what's in front of me since they hardly recline anyway, and nowhere near my personal space let alone my face or lap.
Maybe it's the aircraft, but I fly all the majors from Boeings, Airbus' to MD's. Even regionals. It's not like a barkolounger. lol. I'd really feel bad if someone didn't recline in front of me just because they thought I actually cared. I'd be flabbergasted if they asked me for permission...I'd be like, "sure, why?" It's a sweet gesture, but I'd feel the same way if they asked if they could store their bag underneath the seat in front of them or in the bin over our row even though it's shared space no matter where you're sitting. It would have no impact on me at all.
Maybe it's the aircraft, but I fly all the majors from Boeings, Airbus' to MD's. Even regionals. It's not like a barkolounger. lol. I'd really feel bad if someone didn't recline in front of me just because they thought I actually cared. I'd be flabbergasted if they asked me for permission...I'd be like, "sure, why?" It's a sweet gesture, but I'd feel the same way if they asked if they could store their bag underneath the seat in front of them or in the bin over our row even though it's shared space no matter where you're sitting. It would have no impact on me at all.
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I was also curious about the sudden controversy over seat recline I found this on another forum (snopes.com) from 2006! So it's not such a "sudden" controversy afterall:
Originally posted by JetBlue Representative: (obvious spelling errors corrected)
Dear Mr. n,
Thank you for contacting us regarding JetBlue's reclining seat space. We appreciate the opportunity to address your question. JetBlue does not have set guidelines on who 'owns' the recline space.
The answer to this question would be the option of the person who is answering it. I did not want to just give you my own thoughts so I asked a number of JetBlue crewmembers for their opinion .
The crewmembers I asked agreed that passenger A has the right to recline the seat to make himself more comfortable; therefore passenger A 'owns' the recline space an here is why: Our in-flight seats are made to recline to make our customers as comfortable as possible. The customer sitting in the seat has control over the seat and may recline it at any time. We hope our customers will respect the needs and comfort of other customers on board.
We think all our customer should always be comfortable -- except maybe when they're doing yoga. That's why we've made all our aircraft "leg-friendly", with up to 34 inches of seat pitch on our Airbus A320s and up to 33" in our new EMBRAER E190s.
Whether you're on the go or taking it slow, we want you to be able to recline your seats and and stretch your legs! We hope our opinion helps, and we look forward to serving you on board a JetBlue flight soon!
Sincerely,
Mandy
Customer Commitment Crew
JetBlue Airways
Crewmember 14931
Original Message Follows:
------------------------
Comments submitted from Speak Up Forms
E-mail Address:
Customer: tdn
Phone Number:
TrueBlue member: N
PNR:
Departure City:
Destination City:
Flight Date:
Flight Number:
Urgent: N
Crewmember:
LevelOne: Inflight Service
LevelTwo: Other
LevelThree:
This may seem trivial, but I need you to settle an argument if you can.
Suppose Passenger A has a bad back and must recline his seat or face severe discomfort or pain. Passenger B, sitting behind Passenger A, has long legs and cannot abide the seat in front of him to recline. It causes him severe discomfort or pain. Let's assume that for some reason neither passenger can be relocated. Which passenger has a greater right to a comfort-free ride? Which passenger 'owns' the recline space?
Thanks you for your answer.
As an aside, apparently Spirit airlines seats originally had 2 inches of potential recline, but they have recently reconfigured the seats to be "pre-reclined" 3 inches.
It seems like the non-recliners outnumber the recliners here. It would be nice to take a poll: do the non-recliners not recline because they are comfortable sitting upright or do they not recline on principle so that they stay upright even if it's uncomfortable for them to do so?
Originally posted by JetBlue Representative: (obvious spelling errors corrected)
Dear Mr. n,
Thank you for contacting us regarding JetBlue's reclining seat space. We appreciate the opportunity to address your question. JetBlue does not have set guidelines on who 'owns' the recline space.
The answer to this question would be the option of the person who is answering it. I did not want to just give you my own thoughts so I asked a number of JetBlue crewmembers for their opinion .
The crewmembers I asked agreed that passenger A has the right to recline the seat to make himself more comfortable; therefore passenger A 'owns' the recline space an here is why: Our in-flight seats are made to recline to make our customers as comfortable as possible. The customer sitting in the seat has control over the seat and may recline it at any time. We hope our customers will respect the needs and comfort of other customers on board.
We think all our customer should always be comfortable -- except maybe when they're doing yoga. That's why we've made all our aircraft "leg-friendly", with up to 34 inches of seat pitch on our Airbus A320s and up to 33" in our new EMBRAER E190s.
Whether you're on the go or taking it slow, we want you to be able to recline your seats and and stretch your legs! We hope our opinion helps, and we look forward to serving you on board a JetBlue flight soon!
Sincerely,
Mandy
Customer Commitment Crew
JetBlue Airways
Crewmember 14931
Original Message Follows:
------------------------
Comments submitted from Speak Up Forms
E-mail Address:
Customer: tdn
Phone Number:
TrueBlue member: N
PNR:
Departure City:
Destination City:
Flight Date:
Flight Number:
Urgent: N
Crewmember:
LevelOne: Inflight Service
LevelTwo: Other
LevelThree:
This may seem trivial, but I need you to settle an argument if you can.
Suppose Passenger A has a bad back and must recline his seat or face severe discomfort or pain. Passenger B, sitting behind Passenger A, has long legs and cannot abide the seat in front of him to recline. It causes him severe discomfort or pain. Let's assume that for some reason neither passenger can be relocated. Which passenger has a greater right to a comfort-free ride? Which passenger 'owns' the recline space?
Thanks you for your answer.
As an aside, apparently Spirit airlines seats originally had 2 inches of potential recline, but they have recently reconfigured the seats to be "pre-reclined" 3 inches.
It seems like the non-recliners outnumber the recliners here. It would be nice to take a poll: do the non-recliners not recline because they are comfortable sitting upright or do they not recline on principle so that they stay upright even if it's uncomfortable for them to do so?
I don't recline my seat because the reclined position makes my back hurt even more. But that puts me always in the difficult situation that the passenger in front of me is reclining their seat and it stops right in front of my face. In short flights (under 4 hours) I usually just ignore everything, but in long flights it is hell.
As far as I'm concerned everyone has the right to recline their seats, even if it is bothersome. Those who find it bothersome (like me) have to suck it up.
There are budget airlines that have locked their seats and they don't recline. I tend to prefer them.
As far as I'm concerned everyone has the right to recline their seats, even if it is bothersome. Those who find it bothersome (like me) have to suck it up.
There are budget airlines that have locked their seats and they don't recline. I tend to prefer them.
I'm on a 737 flight, which isn't a big plane, right now and I still don't have a problem with the space in front of me. The seats reclined in front of me and my thermos is still able to stand straight up at the top of my tray table which is over two feet from my face. I'm not reclined and I can still extend my arms out fully in front of me to stretch. Ill be flying a 767 transcon tonight so we'll see if that's different. I guess I'm trying to find anything questionable. Gives me something to do when I have no life flying. Its like myth busters. lol
My back can hurt on reclined seats also, but it depends on the pitch I think. It seems like a do unto others situation. I'd never expect for someone to sit straight up for me since i have plenty of space, while others think it's an encroachment to hit the silver button. To each their own. I guess if there's a possible problem, then just ask.
My back can hurt on reclined seats also, but it depends on the pitch I think. It seems like a do unto others situation. I'd never expect for someone to sit straight up for me since i have plenty of space, while others think it's an encroachment to hit the silver button. To each their own. I guess if there's a possible problem, then just ask.
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For the back pain in the recline position, I place a pillow under my spine near the base. But there is nothing I can do with the head pitched forward position when my seat is upright. It's not possible to sit for any length of time like that unless you are working on your computer.
If its a domestic flight then I don't. I do on international flights, im a nervous flyer and even with prescription drugs I struggle to sleep. If reclining my seat helps me im going to to it.
The only thing that bugs me is when people feel that its okay to let their children scream, kick and pull my hair when im flying.
The only thing that bugs me is when people feel that its okay to let their children scream, kick and pull my hair when im flying.
I never recline my seat, I know how much I hate it when someone reclines in front of me so I don't do it. I hate flying regardless of the seat so pushing it back doesn't do anything for me.
I don't mind if someone pushes theirs back alittle, but when I can practically see their face that's when I get uncomfortable. I'll either ask if the person can put their seat up alittle or if they ignore me/refuse, my knees go up into their seat until they put it back up alittle. Childish yes, but it's plain rude to act as though you are the only one on the plane
I don't mind if someone pushes theirs back alittle, but when I can practically see their face that's when I get uncomfortable. I'll either ask if the person can put their seat up alittle or if they ignore me/refuse, my knees go up into their seat until they put it back up alittle. Childish yes, but it's plain rude to act as though you are the only one on the plane