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?

I don't want to recline my seat to reclaim my space. I prefer to sit upright and read. - and I want to recline. Why should non-recliners' preferences prevail?

It's apparently totally unreasonable to suggest that non-recliners should pay just a little extra for an exit row or otherwise extra legroom seat, but if someone wants to recline a few inches, they should simply pay 10 times the price for 1st class now?

Airlines are missing a trick here, they could also charge extra for reclining and non-reclining seat options.

Please don't tell me that there are posters on here who think seats on longhaul should never be reclined?

I've recently done a 13 hour flight leaving at 11pm. After drinks and food, the lights are put out for at least 6 hours. Am I not allowed to recline my seat thereby enabling sleep???

I fly economy long haul approx 8 times a year and have done for decades. I never recline my seat and consider anyone who reclines into my space as committing an act of aggresssion.

Average seat pitch in economy for BA is 31 inch. Average for airlines is about 30-34 inch.

Their recline is just over 5 inch. Average is between 4.5 and 7 inches.

This then means the space left is a fair bit restricted, from 31 to 26. 26 inches is not much room!

sofa I think you're on your own there somewhat. If it is "an act of aggression" airlines would hardly facilitate that happening.

I would not sleep a wink if I couldn't put my head back and I'm damned if I'm going to sit upright for 13 hours because someone thinks it's an act of aggression, when they could be reclining their seat also.

When I went to the loo halfway through my 13 hour flight I didn't see anyone with their seat upright so it is the norm when lights are out and you are on an overnight.

FFS.

I blame the parents no matter what age their children are.

I read this thread totally different. Consensus is, as long as you are respectful of meals and take off/landing, it is fine to recline.

I am unable to sleep unless my head is back so I've no idea why someone thinks it doesn't help.

If it is such an awful thing to do, airline seats would not recline.

According to this survey the majority of people think it's acceptable to recline your seats. I'm in the majority as well.

today.yougov.com/news/2014/08/29/poll-results-flying/

If you are flying with a toddler on your lap instead of paying for your own seat, that's your own (stupid) choice. Fork out the money and pay for the additional seat rather than force discomfort (or your sucky attitude) on the person who is unlucky enough to sit in front of you.

If you don't like people in front of you reclining their seat - ask for bulkhead seating, pay to prebook and you may get it if it's available. Otherwise pay for premium economy or a class above that.

Pretty simple solutions really. If you don't like travelling in the standard that economy class offers - you are a free to book another class, airline, mode of transport.

There really should be a special place in hell for people who insist on putting their chairs back, when its not time to sleep. Especially when I am trying to eat.

Another group of people who deserve no pity, are those who haul themselves to their feet by grabbing the back of my seat.

Which do you think would be a bigger inconvenience on an overnight flight?
Having someone in front of you recline their seat . . . .15%
Not being able to recline your own seat . . . . . . . . . .70%

silentpool And which timezone are we basing "time to sleep" on? Fair play during meal service (and airlines do insist seats are upright usually during these times), but who are you to tell anyone else what time is the correct time to sleep?

I regularly travel through several timezones each week.

I travel in Europe a lot and can't remember the last time that I was on an aircraft where the seats reclined. In the last month I've flown on EasyJet, Monarch and Ryanair and none of the seats reclined - longest flight was 4 hours.

Long haul if flying economy I think it's perfectly acceptable to recline the seat once meals have been served.

CosmoKlit - It seems to me that toddlers are often too big and heavy for the parent to calmly contain them on their laps. One time I was sat next to a mother flying alone with her toddler daughter on her lap, the mother kept trying to give her toddler to me to hold under the guise of 'friendly inquisitive child" and at one point she asked if I could take her child for a minute or two which I agreed to thinking she needed to go to the toilet but no, I kid you not she summoned the flight attendant and ordered then proceeded to drink a glass of red wine! I understand it's a struggle flying as a lone parent with a young child but I was exhausted, still jet-lagged from an earlier flight and didn't enjoy being unofficial childcare - I think it bugged me that this mother thought I was enjoying the experience rather than the truth that I was actually doing her a favour and I just wanted to sleep...

Can the special place in he'll also have space for those who throw their seatbelt buckle with great force onto your lap? It happens a lot!

In hell.

I don't think children under 2 are allowed to sit on a seat during take off, landing or when the seatbelt sign is on, they have to sit on your lap

TBF I think when it is obviously sleep time - lights out, no staff wandering around, blinds down etc - then it is somewhat different.

However not all long haul is at night time.
And some recliners DO recline for an entire flight inc snack and meal times - even when cabin crew tell them not to.

And which timezone are we basing "time to sleep" on?

Airlines usually determine the obvious night time by reducing lights and stopping their walking up and down aisles with trolleys etc.

this then means the space left is a fair bit restricted, from 31 to 26. 26 inches is not much room!

Except it doesn't. Seat pitch is the fixed distance between the seats - how much space there is between the point your seat and seat in front are bolted to the floor. Reclining doesn't alter that, it moves the backrest, but seat pitch remains the same.

hulababy But airlines also have no issue if you sleep at other times, and are well aware that you may have been in several times zones in the last few days.

Yes, you can pay for a child under two to have their own seat.

rainbunny Yep. I have held someone else's toddler on a flight (back from Australia), but I did it because the woman was shit scared of flying and was flying alone due to compassionate reasons (her husband was on a later flight). Had the airline told me before we boarded what the situation was, I would have given up my seat so the family could fly together.

Toddlers / babies should be in bulkhead seats on laps if parents don't want to pay for a seat, or they should have their own seat or be in carseats. They shouldn't be the reason the people in front can't recline their seat.

If the airlines aren't happy with passengers reclining seats then surely they will do what Ryanair and others have done and remove the ability to recline the seat?

Pitch actually varies from where it is taken - it is just between any two points on the chair. The 2 comparison sites I used before gave information based on the top of the seats.