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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Reclining aeroplane seats?

260 replies

MrsRaegan · 05/06/2015 08:00

Flew to Spain yesterday with DS who had to sit on my lap. We were the row behind extra leg room.

Woman in front tried to recline her seat but there was literally no room for her to do so. We couldn't even put the tray down when her seat was fully upright as he had to sit on my knee.

She then ranted like a mad woman to her husband about "inconsiderate parents" I'd like to point out DS slept for most of the journey.

So AIBU to think on a 3 hour flight with a toddler on a parents knee behind you, you don't really need to recline your seat?

OP posts:
MaidOfStars · 05/06/2015 08:02

YANBU.

MythicalKings · 05/06/2015 08:03

YANBU but then neither is she. If seats are made to recline she should be able to recline.

Blame the airline for packing people in like sardines.

KoalaDownUnder · 05/06/2015 08:04

Oh God here we go

Goldmandra · 05/06/2015 08:04

I would have offered to swap seats with her Smile

dollydaydreams10 · 05/06/2015 08:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TwerkingSpinster · 05/06/2015 08:06

So, she tried but you stopped her? I recline at all times apart from meals, toddler or not. Its not her fault your toddler wanted to sit bon your knee (I'm guessing hevgad his own seat????)

ladymariner · 05/06/2015 08:07

God no, YANBU.....reclining aeroplane seats are the work of the devil. Does an extra 3 inches (approx!! Grin ) really make that much difference? Maybe on a longhal overnighter, at a push, but a 3 hour? No way. She was being ridiculous.

pieceofpurplesky · 05/06/2015 08:08

The OP said had to / so assume toddler is under 2 so did not have own seat.
Yanbu

Original poster
MrsRaegan · 05/06/2015 08:09

twerking no he's under 2 so had to sit on my knee for the journey. I didn't stop her there was physically no room for her to recline the seat.

I just didn't think it would make that much difference to her.

OP posts:
eurochick · 05/06/2015 08:09

You can't have children in the extra leg room seats if they are an exit row (this is usually the case).

There is a very established etiquette for reclining.

Short haul - don't recline
Long haul - wait until food and drink have been served and collected, then recline. Put the seat up again when they come round with the snack they usually serve just before arrival if you are awake or when told to if you have managed to sleep through all the clattering!

I fly a lot (when I go on holiday soon that will be my 8th set of flights in 2015) and this really is well established.

mousmous · 05/06/2015 08:10

children unde 2 don't get their own seat.
so have to sit on adult's lap.
op yanbu
I also think seats shouldn't recline at all on shorthaul flights.

TwerkingSpinster · 05/06/2015 08:12

Omg....haha, I'm doing a mahoosive uturn then as I had to have my under two on my lap for three hours even at home id go insane!! Yanbu!

morelikeguidelines · 05/06/2015 08:16

Yanbu. She should have realised. Or said husband could have swapped seats if it meant that much to her to recline. So really his fault Grin (joking)

At least your little one slept, which is a result.

muminhants1 · 05/06/2015 08:20

She was rude and the seats shouldn't recline at all on short-haul flights. Airlines could easily enforce this by keeping the seat-belt signs on (they often do this when there is turbulence but you can still go to the loo if you need to).

bedraggledmumoftwo · 05/06/2015 08:22

Flew on monarch last year and they have redesigned their seats to not recline for this reason, apparently people would prefer not to be able to recline if it means nobody reclining into you!

sunseeker66 · 05/06/2015 08:25

YANBU I really detest this. Selfish woman.

We flew Jet2 recently and none of the seats reclined.

19lottie82 · 05/06/2015 08:26

Any airline I've flown has always asked that passengers refrain from reclining during meal times.

OP, if your son is under 2, then I'm guessing you didn't pay for his seat?

I only recline on long hauls after the meal. Nothing worse than when someone in front of you puts their seat back straight after take off!

SeenBeen · 05/06/2015 08:28

Well, the OP's child could have had a seat if she'd paid for it.

Then there would have been no problem.

whois · 05/06/2015 08:31

Properly designed, non reclining seats (eg those on jet2 flights) are a gazillions times better for everyone.

You know on 'normal' airline seats they cheat and make the upright position far too uptight so that it feels like you the recline is decent?

CakeNinja · 05/06/2015 08:31

Well I flew with monarch on Wednesday (old crappy plane, not one of the newer ones sadly) and someone decided to recline in front of me.
I don't recline if theres anyone behind me, I think it's rude even though the function is there. I would hate to cause even more of a squash to the person behind me, it's cramped enough as it is.
On my return flight however, there were plenty of spare spaces including one behind me.
"Wahey" I think to myself - time to recline. I was disgusted when i pushed my chair back the stingy 2 inches it would move - it literally made not one bit of difference - I put my chair back upright.
Now I especially can't believe people bother to recline for basically a nostrils worth of space and add so much to the person behinds discomfort.

YANBU.

19lottie82 · 05/06/2015 08:33

*Well, the OP's child could have had a seat if she'd paid for it.

Then there would have been no problem.*

yes there would. Just because a seat is paid for, doesn't mean the person in front can't recline!

TTWK · 05/06/2015 08:40

Eurochick-There is a very established etiquette for reclining.

No there isn't. I fly loads and I've never heard of the rules you are describing. If the airline provides a seat that reclines, then people are at liberty to recline them.

eurochick · 05/06/2015 08:50

I don't know which routes you are flying but it certainly applies to the routes I fly regularly (U.S., Middle East and Europe, mostly) and has done for years.

TTWK · 05/06/2015 08:57

I fly Europe and USA, often. Never heard of it. Just asked around the office, we all fly, and neither has anyone else.

SecretSquirrels · 05/06/2015 08:59

I always paid for a seat for mine when they were under two.
Having said that I have had many a flight ruined by a recliner in front of me. I have always told DC it is rude and inconsiderate to recline.

Flying Jet2 this year, I'm glad to hear this won't be a problem.

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