Airlines, seats, passive aggression

[RebeccaWithTheGoodHair]

I was on a long haul flight over the weekend, 2 lots of 7 hour flights with a 3 hour stopover in the middle - it was never going to be a pleasant journey.

The first bit was OK but on the 2nd flight the people in the row in front sat down and immediately put their chairs back. Not just a little tilt either. They were practically in our laps. Our dropdown trays were hardly usable and the screen was difficult to see.

Of course they were perfectly entitled to do it and I could have done the same. Except I didn't because it's so bloody horrible for the person behind.

I don't get why airlines put these type of seats in, even using the tilt doesn't make them relaxing in any way. All it does it make it slightly less uncomfortable for the person in that seat - but 100 times worse for the hapless person behind.

My AIBU is whether giving it an extra hard shove when trying to use my tray or pick up my bag is U or not?

And if you are someone who does drop your seat back like that then don't you realise how horrible it is for the person behind you?

But it doesn't always have a huge impact on the person behind you, surely that depends mostly on their size? And the screens move so that they can be seen whichever position the chair is in.

YABU I think. If a flight is more than 5 hrs I usually take a sleeping pill on take off, pop on a flight mask & recline my seat & sleep. It wouldn't occur to me that the person behind couldn't use their tray. That's poor design not passenger error.

jeez. it's their seat! The thing they are sitting on - of course they can recline it. And you can recline yours and so on and so on.

and for those moaning about being squashed, either upgrade or pay for a bulk head. flights are so cheap these days because they put in more seats. For more space you have to pay more per head.

Hardly rocket science.

'Well I can't speak for anyone else FrenchLavender but DS has ASD and ADHD and doesn't sleep on planes. So he has to rely on electronic devices and games to entertain him. He also doesn't eat airline food.

So people in front of me reclining their seats make my job a little bit harder because it means the table doesn't work and he can't see the screen properly. '

Mine does, too. Which airline are you on? Never had a problem with his table working or not being able to tilt the screen. DEFINITELY wouldn't expect other passengers not to recline their seats because of his condition. It's not their fault or problem.

Given that it is impossible to recline a seat in economy without having a huge impact on the person sitting behind you, I think they should get rid of them in economy. If you want to lie down on a plane, pay for an upgrade.

Or, if you want to maintain rights to the space in front of you, instead of reclining your seat to reclaim it, pay for an upgrade.
Goes both ways.

My biggest nightmare was doing long haul with toddler DD on my lap, when the person in front reclined and spent the whole flight like that. I had a whole bag of tricks for her, most of which she couldn't use because we couldn't put the tray down - you can't physically open it with a child on your lap. Getting out to go to the loo was hideous, and I also spent the journey trying to stop her kicking which was hell as her knees were jammed into the seat in front.nwe wanted to go in bulkhead. The airline said no because there were babies who could go in the travel cot things there, and DD was too big to use them.

Normally I don't get too worried about this sort of thing - doesn't change anything and just makes you feel bad, but on this one occasion I was internally ripping the airline a new one for thinking reclining seats were a good idea.

What is a bad idea is to travel with a toddler on your lap. Why didn't you get her a seat so you could both travel in reasonable comfort?

'My biggest nightmare was doing long haul with toddler DD on my lap, when the person in front reclined and spent the whole flight like that. I had a whole bag of tricks for her, most of which she couldn't use because we couldn't put the tray down - you can't physically open it with a child on your lap. Getting out to go to the loo was hideous, and I also spent the journey trying to stop her kicking which was hell as her knees were jammed into the seat in front.nwe wanted to go in bulkhead. The airline said no because there were babies who could go in the travel cot things there, and DD was too big to use them.'

Why on Earth didn't you get her her own seat? Seriously silly to travel long haul like this and expect others to sit upright because you were too tight to buy your child a seat. Can't afford it, don't go, but ridiculous to expect someone else to make your life easier because you were too cheap.

I have very long legs and on my last long haul the woman in front couldn't get her seat to go back as my knees were jammed against it. I can't exactly shorten my legs so it was tough for her.

American Airlines expat. The tray table was just too far forward and the screen was in DS's face.

I know it's not really the recliner's fault - it's the airlines. That's why I think they should stop the seats reclining. TBH I doubt we'll fly long haul again so it's a bit of a moot point - it was pretty hellish

When it comes to toddlers travelling, it's far more inconsiderate to the passenger in front to keep a toddler on your lap for the whole flight than it is to recline a seat. I understand that needs must sometimes, but in that situation I'd be apologising profusely to the person in front and offering them a drink, not complaining that they were using their seat normally.

I don't use American airlines for a lot of reasons, Jiggly and the experience is much better, still hell, but a better type of hell, IYKWIM.

I hate it when people in front of me recline, but it can be reasonable on long, overnight flights.

I only do it myself if the person behind me has already reclined. It just feels too selfish otherwise.

All it does it make it slightly less uncomfortable for the person in that seat - but 100 times worse for the hapless person behind
Everybody making this kind of statements is wrong - it might be right for your body but not for everybody's. I have constant back pain if seated upright, much better when reclined. I don't mind the people in front reclining.

I find people reclining their seats into somebody else's space completely and utterly selfish, I don't think it's acceptable to half the already limited space of the person behind you, especially if it renders their tray and tv unusable. I wouldn't dream of doing that to another passenger and I'd be fuming if somebody did it to me. If it is having a negative impact upon the comfort of the person behind then how can that be fair or okay? Everybody on board should have equal space and shouldn't be able to just snatch it from others, thus effectively halving the space they have paid for. I can't believe anybody would think this is ok.

katherina
I don't want to recline my seat to reclaim my space. I prefer to sit upright and read. In addition to believing it's inconsiderate of the passengers sat behind me.

Says it all when the general consensus seems to be against people reclining seats, that the recilners are asserting the entitlement to do as they please, because they can ?

Just as a side thought perhaps its the people who need to sleep, have back issues, or just want to recline because they can are the ones that should be paying for the upgrade. The seats in 1st class recline properly into a fully flat bed, worth a thought eh?

It doesn't half the space at all, we're talking about a couple of inches!

Nor does it ever render someone's screen unusable, and it would generally only make the tray unusable for someone exceptionally big.

"On long-haul flights I do recline my seat and I'm fine with people infront of me reclining their seats. Blame the airlines for packing everyone in more and more tightly. The problem I encounter with airline seats as a short person, is the way they curve slightly forward where your head hits the seat, I'm short so my head hits the seat a few inches below the average person and it hits at the point where the seat curves forward thereby pushing my head forward and downward (I hope this is making sense!) It become very painful in my neck are after a only a few minutes, so reclining is the only way to mitigate that. I hope there are some other short fliers on this thread who understand what I'm trying explain..."

OMG rainbunny I have just understood why plane seats hurt my back so much!! You are not alone!

Reclining seats in economy just shouldn't be an option full stop. The seats are too close together. It is unpleasant for the people in the seat behind and makes using the tray, and therefore having anything to drink or eat, incredibly difficult. The space between seats is so limited anyway, in economy in both budget and non budget airlines, so having a reclined seat is making the person behind you compromised.
And it means getting out of your seat much worse - you have to try and shimmy out somehow and its impossible without holding on the seat in front - and some recliners really don't like that at all!

If you recline you know that you are making the person behind more uncomfortable.

And tbh reclining the seat doesn't help you sleep anyway - its no where near a laid down position, its pretty much pointless.

Not everyone can have extra leg room seats - on many planes you have to be over 16y and there are only a restricted number anyway.

I have short legs so in that sense it isn't an issue, but I like to use the tray - I like to colour, read a magazine or do a puzzle or two to help reduce the stress of family. I also like to have a bottle of water and things on my tray. I can't do that when the person in front complains.

I'd vote for economy - no reclining seats (full stop) and that if people want to recline they have to pay extra for the privilege via Economy plus, business, first, etc.

Just boils down to manners, and how the people behind might be affected.

We are either mannered or entitled.

I travel long haul regularly with a variety of airlines. It is impossible to sleep bolt upright and incredibly selfish and intolerant to expect other passengers to do so.

I'm nearly 6' tall with long legs and travel in Economy - I always have full use of my tray and screen when the person in front reclines.

I'm always confounded with the maths on these threads - apparently reclining only gives you a couple of inches and yet manages to occupy half of the seat space behind you

• it'd make a great physics PhD!

Nor does it ever render someone's screen unusable

I agree that so long as the TV screen is a tilting screen then it is still usable. If the screen is not a tilting screen then it makes watching the films more difficult.

t would generally only make the tray unusable for someone exceptionally big.

Not true at all. I am not large at all - but if I want to lean forward to wok/colour/puzzle at my tray a reclined seat gets in the way and makes it much harder to do.

I guess some of us are lying then.

It is impossible to sleep bolt upright

Very few seats are entirely bolt upright due to their design and the curvature of the chairs. You are slighting reclines already though not much.

Sleeping sat up in not comfortable, agreed. However, people keep saying its only a couple of inches of reclining - well that works both ways: if it is enough of a difference to make the recliner feel more laid down to sleep then theres a very high chance it is also enough of a difference to make the person behind you feel more hemmed in and more uncomfortable, surely?!

One of the disadvantages of flying economy means that you won't get a great night's sleep. Reclining by 2 or 3 inches isn't going to help much tbh.