Are you an aeroplane seat recliner??

[Sotuko]

If so, do you not feel a bit guilty about the poor sod sat behind you who now has even less space than they had before??

I don't understand why airlines still allow this, there isn't the room for it!

During a long flight last night/this morning/I don't know I've lost all track of time, I wasn't able to use my telly as the woman in front made sure it was RIGHT in my face and don't even get me started on meal time.

So are you a seat recliner and if so, do you think about the impact on the person behind you?

They do Jane that’s what the light with the seatbelt on it means.

That's just for seatbelts, it's not linked to reclining otherwise it'd be on during meals and not just during take-off/landing/turbulence.

If someone in front reclines and you also recline, that means the space is the same.

Logic!

If you have a problem with other people reclining then book the bulkhead seats.

@Budicus really? So I you’re flying to Oz from the uk you think it’s ok to disrupt and abuse another passenger? I’ve done that journey. Several times. It’s brutal. Really? What a peach!

I'm a 'stealth recliner'

I do it bit by bit, half an inch at a time, hoping they don't notice.
It's better than reclining it all the way, all at once.

You have to be sneaky with your reclining.

I’ve made the flight to and from Oz many times over the years and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to recline on that! Other people reclining doesn’t bother me either (no im not a short arse, 5’9” with long legs)

Of course. The seats are designed to recline, the TVs are designed to tilt. Sit up for meals.

Bloody hate this attitude of "Because I can" "I have a right to do what I want, I've paid for my seat" "The seat reclines so I'll recline it". Fuck anyone else's comfort. A wee bit of consideration goes a long way.

The height of the person behind shouldn't have a bearing on the ability of the person in front to use their seat as it is intended

Shouldn't - but in economy it DOES and seriously compromises the comfort of the person behind.

@whatabreakthrough I may adopt your stealth tactics

I always recline on long haul.
It's tough on the spine for it to be rigidly upright for that length of time It takes the pressure of your back if you can recline just a little bit.

Anyway, I don't see the problem.
If the person in front reclines, you recline.
The person behind reclines.
Problem solved.

Absolutely agree, on "true" long haul flights (8 hours+) reclining is essential regardless of day or night. We have to order special meals so are usually eating at different times to other passengers, so sometimes might need to ask the person in front to put their seat back up for a bit, but that's what I'd expect.

I haven't time to read the whole thread but noticed a few comments about screens. Planes set up for long flights you usually find that the individual seat back screens can be pulled out at the bottom to adjust their angle. (sorry if this has been pointed out already on all the pages I haven't read!)

@whatabreakthrough agreed. Can’t understand the hatred tbh. Live and let live, that’s my motto!

Surely your comment works both ways ginger?? Or is that too hard for you to comprehend?

I have made the Oz trip many times and only ever recline halfway (as I can’t sleep on planes), and when I do, I have the courtesy to ask the person behind me.

It is called having common manners! If manners are shown, then there will be no reclining issues whatsoever. If not, then I reserve the right to teach them to the halfwit concerned!

Planes set up for long flights you usually find that the individual seat back screens can be pulled out at the bottom to adjust their angle. (sorry if this has been pointed out already on all the pages I haven't read!)

Oddly enough the Virgin Atlantic flight I was on recently had screens that were completely fixed. It was particularly odd as it was a fab service in every other way. Really unusual I thought and mildly irritating but easily solved by reclining yourself and accepting that comfort is more important than an ideal viewing angle.

I was on a short haul flight, BA out of Gatwick, one i do fairly regularly, flight time in the air 90 mins. I was feeling unwell (fine to travel just under the weather) and slightly claustrophobic as a result. It is a route where I find many recline for reasons that escape me, I mean, seriously?? 90 mins? It is always a small plane, as many seats crammed in as you can get and therefore vlittle room. Nose already virtually against seat in front. I tried to stop the over glammed up woman in front from reclining, i tried to explain to the cabin crew when she started a row that I was feeling claustrophobic and the reclined seat made me feel panicky I tried to ask that she not recline on this one occasion, that it would be simple human decency to consider your fellow man. Extraordinarily unpleasant crew threatened me with calling the police on landing, got the pilot to write me a written warning! Just stunningly bad management, woman in front offered an upgrade! I was travelling with children who still have the incident etched on their brains. My husband had been separated by a few rows and was then told as a result of his association with me he would be served no alcoholic drinks!! I am usually teetotal especially when travelling and was entirely sober, I guess I was insufficiently glamorous! BA just such a contrast from wonderful cabin crew to utterly shoddy can’t be arsed people you wouldn’t leave your worst enemy’s cat with. Like the time we questioned the BA information desk as to why there was no information on a 2 hour delay with no new departure time , we told them it was unacceptable, we were perfectly calm, 2 toddlers in tow, they called the police airport security who of course carry guns! Since when does spending your hard earned cash on a service mean you are not entitled to that service in comfort or reasonable explanation of why not?

seriously

Why didn’t you just swap with one of your children or your husband if you had such an extreme reaction to a seat recline instead allowing a situation to escalate so much.

Honestly I think you should examine your own behavior if you’ve been finding yourself threatened with police intervention so many times. That’s not normal

people ask if they can recline? wow. mind boggles.

I recline. Never had an issue. However, I'm not doing economy on long haul anymore because I can't take the lack of space. Maybe that's something the recliner-haters should consider too.

seriously, you sound nuts.

I sympathise completely, OP. Reclining seats were a great idea when seat pitches were reasonable, but on some flights now the seat in front is in your lap if it's reclined. I have certainly been on flights where I couldn't use my tv when the seat in front of me was reclined because it was too close to my face to focus, even with my reading glasses. I have had to tip my own seat back slightly to get it in focus.

Also, rows are already so close together that the top of the seatback is on a plum line with the seat bottom behind it. Passengers have to lean back to squeeze out, which means counterbalancing against the other seats. It's disturbing to the passengers whose seats have to be grabbed to let someone behind them out of their row.

If airlines are going to allow such short seat pitches, they need to use non-reclining seats. Some short haul flights already do this.

I think under current circumstances it is only acceptable to recline your seat if you are on a long haul flight and the flight crew turn off the lights for sleeping. Passengers should wait until the meal service has been cleared before reclining, and sit their seat up unless they are actually trying to sleep.

Always!!

I must admit I am another that hates it when the person in front reclines their seat. I then recline mine, so I get my space back but worry that the person behind me is now annoyed as I have passed the claustrophobic horridness along.

Lol this is like some kind of airline human centipede!!!!