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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To recline my seat on a long haul flight?

427 replies

PiratePanda · 25/01/2015 20:26

Just thought I'd check I was not BU.

Long haul flight in economy, 9 hours, overnight. I had my seat up for take off and landing and for meals but for the rest of the flight I wanted and needed to sleep (travelling for work) so reclined my seat.

The woman sitting behind me made an enormous fuss about me reclining my seat at all, complaining rudely to me when I reclined it, tutting and sighing loudly whenever she got up to go to the loo, kneeing me in the back apparently with intent, and hitting me quite hard and insistently on the head and shaking the chair to make me wake up in the morning well before the breakfast came round.

IWNBU was I? You are entitled to recline your seat except for take off and landing and meals, no? Otherwise why provide a recline button?

God she was rude.

OP posts:

BiddyPop · 25/01/2015 22:03

Yes, I've been on planes taking off at 9, 10 or even midnight for up to 11 hours flying time. I would call those "overnight".

Sparklingbrook · 25/01/2015 22:05

why be awake, it's so boring. I know. But I can't.

MrsTawdry · 25/01/2015 22:05

Admiral but if you've got DC that's not always an option.

Sparklingbrook · 25/01/2015 22:06

Yes, that's true you can't sleep if your Dc are awake.

SoupDragon · 25/01/2015 22:08

She was rude but it was also impolite not to ask first

And what if the OP had asked and the woman had said no? The OP needed to sleep.

Admiraltea · 25/01/2015 22:10

Travelled long haul with all of mine, youngest at 7 months...not boring with dc, though advice to feed through take off/ landing resulted in a few bites. British Airways were always superb for very young ones.

HappyGirlNow · 25/01/2015 22:14

Reclining seats should be removed. It's rude, selfish and ignorant to recline your seat. Drives me nuts....

SoonToBeSix · 25/01/2015 22:14

Sorry TheFairy I didn't read your post properly regarding your disability.

FreudiansSlipper · 25/01/2015 22:15

I have flown long haul many times

I can never remember anyone asking me if it was ok to recline their seat and I have never thought to ask

Admiraltea · 25/01/2015 22:16

Apologies, was just thinking of travelling on my own as OP had described and that is most definitely extremely boring. In fact if could take a knockout sleeping pill and magically wake up at end of journey would go for that.
(though can't sleep up right so would still want to recline)

BurningBridges · 25/01/2015 22:16

Last flight I was on where a woman reclined in front of me, its was over 4 hours, I had to stand up and walk up and down the aisle every 20 minutes or so; I felt sick with anxiety because I could barely move. In order to stand, I had to hang on to the back of her seat for dear life and pull myself up.

I think if you Google it, airlines are planning to make all seats non-recline in future. Its not about "entitlement" is about being sensible in a small confined space.

Ememem84 · 25/01/2015 22:16

Brummie recently flew from auckland to HK, then HK to London economy. was fine from AUK to HK. boarded plane in hk and had to walk past business and premium economy (all the while giving longing looks at the seats - the last thing i wanted to do was be cooped up in economy for another 13 hours....)

that said, if i everyone else has reclined, I recline my seat too. would be silly not to.

I do usually have a look around me though before i do it. If there's a child behind me, usually I'll recline without asking (especially if a small child...they're unlikely to need the legroom...), but adults I will usually ask if they mind me reclining seat.

BurningBridges · 25/01/2015 22:21

Interesting article from BBC online last Summer - it was reported then that Rynair and Monarch would ban reclining seats (not sure what they mean by that, e.g., change all the seats now or when they get new fleet) but I wonder if they did?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-28943131

Catsize · 25/01/2015 22:27

OP, it would have been good manners to check before reclining.
I fall into the camp of people whose knees are wedged against the seat in front if someone reclines. Always annoying and uncomfortable but somehow less so when the person in front asks first.
She was rude perhaps, but you were rude too me thinks.

Janethegirl · 25/01/2015 22:29

My DH hates flying and he's asleep long before the plane even takes off. The seat position is totally irrelevant to him.
However I can't sleep and it's nothing to do with the seat, it's the fucking noise on a plane that really irritates me. Give me alcohol in abundance please

TedAndLola · 25/01/2015 22:31

Reclining seats should be removed. It's rude, selfish and ignorant to recline your seat. Drives me nuts....

I'm with you. It just shouldn't be an option.

Sickoffrozen · 25/01/2015 22:38

I just find it amazing that people can just nod off like that. Takes me hours in my own bed!

eurochick · 25/01/2015 22:39

The unwritten rules are:
Short haul - don't recline
Long haul overnight - recline between meals just be considerate and make sure you are not ouffing someone in the stomach with their tray by suddenly throwing your seat back
Long haul day time - grey area. Depends on the flight and what people around you do.

Recliners can be annoying but they are part and parcel of flying. I did get a bit irritated at the twat who fully reclined on to me at 20 weeks pregnant though. He had a spare seat next to him without anyone in it and no seat behind it but he chose not to use it (we were in the back row twin seats, he was in the row in front of three seats). I couldn't get my tray down to put a drink down as there wasn't room between my bump and the seat back.

Sparklingbrook · 25/01/2015 22:40

I am ok in my own bed Sick, but on a plane no chance.

ilovesooty · 25/01/2015 22:40

I'd like to see reclining seats removed except for medically assisted seats.

Greenoes · 25/01/2015 22:44

The lady infront of me on my last flight suddenly reclined her seat trapping my drink (bottle of pop) in the recess of my tray - I'm a nervous giggler and this set me off! Took my mind off my impending doom (poor flyer!) for a while until I realised that I couldn't even have a drink on the way to my death
This was the flight where I discovered that packets of crisps purchased at the airport have the ability to explode due to cabin pressure - I was so popular on that flight!

Chilicosrenegade · 25/01/2015 22:47

id have sat you straight back up again. Preferably when your coffee was just put in your hand

You want recline? Fuck off up a class. Your sitting in cattle, suck it up. You get no room. And you're not fucking well taking any of what little I have.

SoupDragon · 25/01/2015 22:48

I'd like there to be a non reclining section for the complainers :o

SoupDragon · 25/01/2015 22:49

You want recline? Fuck off up a class. Your sitting in cattle, suck it up. You get no room. And you're not fucking well taking any of what little I have.

If you don't want to be bothered by other passengers, fuck off up a class. You're sitting in cattle, suck it up. You get no room.

Sparklingbrook · 25/01/2015 22:53

Ugh. Just avoid flying at all costs. This thread has put me right off ever setting foot in a plane again.

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