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Original poster

To think it's actually OK to recline your seat on a long haul flight?

407 replies

winterwonder1 · 04/07/2025 19:21

I always thought it was just one of those things, but this poll seems to make out it's anti-social behaviour. And that hack is just batshit.

Best life hack to stop air passengers reclining their seat | Chester and District Standard

Flier shares 'best life hack' to stop passengers in front reclining their seat

Traveller shares her 'best life hack', involving a tub of Pringles, but is branded 'pathetic' and 'a horrible person'.

https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/25287018.best-life-hack-stop-air-passengers-reclining-seat/

OP posts:
L1ghyn1ngBug · 04/07/2025 19:56

Laserwho · 04/07/2025 19:43

Someone did this to me when I had a toddler on my knee..they didn't like it when my toddler kept knocking into the seat due to lack of room everything he moved. Think before you recline, if there's a toddler on a knee there will not be enough room to do it.

But people have paid for a seat that reclines. Your toddler should have had its own seat and after meals nobody should have what is behind them stop what they have paid for.

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:55

MidnightPatrol · 04/07/2025 19:47

I’d say the flight dictates when is day and night time by when the lights are on / off and meals served actually.

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Kind of, and people should not fully recline during meal times, but I don't think it's realistic to expect a person not to recline at all.

Gymmum82 · 04/07/2025 19:53

I really don’t get this. If the person in front has reclined just recline yourself. Then you still got the same amount of space! If everyone reclines everyone has the same space still. It’s really not worth getting angry about. I have no issues reclining or with anyone else doing it regardless of time of day

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:53

Laserwho · 04/07/2025 19:43

Someone did this to me when I had a toddler on my knee..they didn't like it when my toddler kept knocking into the seat due to lack of room everything he moved. Think before you recline, if there's a toddler on a knee there will not be enough room to do it.

Sorry, but book your toddler their own seat & if they want to sit on your lap, sit sideways. It's easy enough, even with another in a sling. Your children are not other people's responsibility. Nor should you be allowing them to knock/hang off the seat in front.

itbemay1 · 04/07/2025 19:53

I was on a 2h BA flight recently and the guy in front reclined the seat!! My DH asked him to put it back up and he did but I couldn’t believe it. I don’t think seats should be able to recline on short haul. Yes to long haul as I’m guessing there’s a little bit more leg room.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 04/07/2025 19:53

SirRodneyEfffing · 04/07/2025 19:28

Yep, we’re taking an 18 hour plane journey in about 10 days. Too right, as soon as meal service is cleared I’ll be reclining as far back as possible. If the person behind feels that restricts their space, then they’re quite at liberty to recline too

I might be getting up to go to the loo and accidentally dropping my open water bottle in your crotch. Sorry!!

Do you have feral kids too? Extra points for that.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 04/07/2025 19:51

It’s anti social except at night

It’s the fucking worst actually - I fly a lot and am quite serene in airports etc, but this puts murder in my blood

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:50

youreactinglikeafunmum · 04/07/2025 19:39

Very clean 😭 - i just hate wearing socks and would want to be comfortable. I'd even have a blanket on me

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In your seat, no worries!! I'd take flip flops/slip on for moving around the plane ( especially fir the toilets -where u put my shoes on, don't go in my socks!!)

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 04/07/2025 19:49

No. If you want to recline then pay for business.

LaurieFairyCake · 04/07/2025 19:47

Didn’t the toddler have their own seat ? Confused

MidnightPatrol · 04/07/2025 19:47

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:35

Of course it's fine. If it wasn't the seats wouldn't be able to recline.

@MidnightPatrol people will have come from different time zones & have different attitudes to adjusting to the time zone they're going to. There is no 'day time'

i don't fully recline. But I'm not going to sit uncomfortably bolt upright for hours on end when the seat has a recline function, nor do I expect those in front of me to.

I can't open the link. But us it sine kind of knee pad?

lol at the length of that persons legs, much MUCH longer than mine 🤣🤣

I’d say the flight dictates when is day and night time by when the lights are on / off and meals served actually.

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:46

youreactinglikeafunmum · 04/07/2025 19:37

Serious question, and not to derail your thread op - is it okay to be barefoot on an 8 hour flight?

And to answer the question, I think its fine for nighttime x

I don't care what other people do, but personally I always have at least socks on as the floors are disgusting!

Laserwho · 04/07/2025 19:43

Someone did this to me when I had a toddler on my knee..they didn't like it when my toddler kept knocking into the seat due to lack of room everything he moved. Think before you recline, if there's a toddler on a knee there will not be enough room to do it.

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:43

Foreverm0re · 04/07/2025 19:28

The person in front of me fully reclined the moment we were in the air all the way to California, throughout meal services and all. It was annoying.

Did you even ask the crew to get them to adjust their seat during the meal?

if not, why not?

if you did & they wouldn't, which airline was it??

caffelattetogo · 04/07/2025 19:43

youreactinglikeafunmum · 04/07/2025 19:39

Very clean 😭 - i just hate wearing socks and would want to be comfortable. I'd even have a blanket on me

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Then go ahead and get comfy!

Toottooot · 04/07/2025 19:39

If the person behind me has reclined I will then recline. They canna moan if they’ve done it too.

youreactinglikeafunmum · 04/07/2025 19:39

caffelattetogo · 04/07/2025 19:38

Depends how clean your feet are

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Very clean 😭 - i just hate wearing socks and would want to be comfortable. I'd even have a blanket on me

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:38

Extiainoiapeial · 04/07/2025 19:26

I have been on long haul when the minute they sit down, they recline. Awful. I would always consider the person behind me.

But it could be 3am according to the time zone they've come from! They're tired. They want to sleep (or at very least rest).

I wouldn't do it, but that's because I'm too nosy & like to 'settle in' before reclining & getting comfortable.

caffelattetogo · 04/07/2025 19:38

youreactinglikeafunmum · 04/07/2025 19:37

Serious question, and not to derail your thread op - is it okay to be barefoot on an 8 hour flight?

And to answer the question, I think its fine for nighttime x

Depends how clean your feet are

caffelattetogo · 04/07/2025 19:37

I think it’s selfish as it reduces the space the person behind has.

youreactinglikeafunmum · 04/07/2025 19:37

Serious question, and not to derail your thread op - is it okay to be barefoot on an 8 hour flight?

And to answer the question, I think its fine for nighttime x

Jennps · 04/07/2025 19:37

Yes that’s why the recline function is there. More fool you if you sit there with your back at a 90 degree angle

SummerFrog25 · 04/07/2025 19:35

Of course it's fine. If it wasn't the seats wouldn't be able to recline.

@MidnightPatrol people will have come from different time zones & have different attitudes to adjusting to the time zone they're going to. There is no 'day time'

i don't fully recline. But I'm not going to sit uncomfortably bolt upright for hours on end when the seat has a recline function, nor do I expect those in front of me to.

I can't open the link. But us it sine kind of knee pad?

lol at the length of that persons legs, much MUCH longer than mine 🤣🤣

Pearlz · 04/07/2025 19:34

I’m team recline. I just think if you need more room then you can recline also? I agree not when eating though but then can ask staff to ask them to put it up if they don’t do it automatically

Titasaducksarse · 04/07/2025 19:31

It's OK along as you're not the utter cunt that reclined on me literally as soon as seatbelt sign went out for the entirety of the 13 hour flight we were on.
Normal behaviour is meal then recline once people start napping, watching movies etc