Regarding fully reclined seat at mealtime on a flight?

[Linguaphile]

What exactly is seat reclining etiquette on long haul flights? I was on a long haul flight last weekend (on the way home from visiting my parents for Christmas), and just as meals and drinks had been handed out, the woman in front of me abruptly fully reclined her seat and decided to sleep, nearly spilling my meal and drinks into my lap in the process. I had to sit like a pretzel during the entire meal with her chair digging into my knees and my tray shoved right up next to my body about an inch below my boobs, awkwardly trying to cut up food without elbowing the person next to me in the face. It wasn’t late at night, maybe 7pm. She stayed that way for the remainder of the flight, even after she had been told to put her seat upright for landing 7 hours later.

Now, I realise that some discomfort is to be expected in steerage class on flights, and I understand someone wanting to recline a bit to sleep once food has been cleared away and cabin lights are down (though even then I try not to recline all the way as I know how uncomfortable it is for the person behind me). But casually shoving your seat all the way down right at meal time when space is obviously already tight just felt... well... rude.

AIBU to have been irked?

They were unreasonable. Last time I flew economy the person in front of me literally couldn't recline as my knees were in the way. I am 6ft 2 and had booked an extra leg room seat but got bumped for someone who was a club member. They complained but there was nothing I could do about it. It has become a real problem since they started cramming more and more seats in as taller people sometimes literally can't fit in the space without their knees being in the way. I don't fly anymore as I have RA and find it too uncomfortable and can't afford business class.

I've flown long haul a lot. People have to put their seats upright for take off and landing, I'm shocked the person wasn't told by cabin crew to put it up before you landed.

The etiquette is also to put seats upright during mealtimes and staff should usually tell people to do this as they hand out the food.

All other times reclining is fair game, especially on night flights. No way you want to keep your seat bolt upright for 14 hours

Pretty selfish to recline the seat at any point other than nighttime (unless the seat in front is reclined).

But at mealtimes? Definitely unacceptable.

When is nighttime? According to departure time or destination, if you fly let's say across 7 time zones?

YANBU. I’ve mentioned this to the flight attendant in the past and they have kindly asked the person to put their sit upright until the trays are cleared.

I am suprised the flight attendant didn't ask her to put her seat up when the meal was being served. Inconsiderate bitch.

When I fly long haul to Oz, the flight attendants have always asked people to put their seats upright when meals are served. Maybe she was asleep/pretending to be asleep to avoid being asked. If so, I'd have asked to have her meal.

I did get in one swift kick to the back of her seat just after we landed, and she immediately put the seat up, so at least I have the satisfaction of having communicated a bit of my annoyance.

What's the point in that?
Talk to the woman or kick the back, whatever option you prefer, but during the meal, not after landing, fgs.

I flew with a South American airline a few years ago and the cabin crew came around just before meal times and told everyone to put their seats up, waking people up if necessary. They were so strict and I bloody loved it. Never seen that before or since.

I think the etiquette is that you don’t recline until after the first meal has been served, and then you put them upright again for each subsequent meal. But not everyone agrees.

I'm amazed cabin crew brought you a meal and didn't ask the person to put their seat upright, also on landing - that's crazy, it's regulations! I have seen cabin crew wake sleeping passengers up to put their seats in the upright position and raise the window blind. Surely this is the norm?

I had the passenger behind me fold up like a staple so his head was right behind my seat back. If I had reclined it I would have either hit his head or pushed it down so he was trapped underneath it. I would have liked to recline my seat as everyone else was settling down for the night, all snug and semi-prone under their blankies, and there's me bolt upright and exceedingly uncomfortable. That was Dubai to Bali, so not a short flight...

On the same flight I also had another passenger dump all her baggage on our seats then wander off down the plane minus her belongings. What did she think I wanted to do with them, look after them for her?

I never recline my seat as it seems totally unfair to decrease the amount of room that the person behind me has to sit comfortably. On the few occasions the person in front has done this, I've tapped them on the shoulder and asked them to be more considerate. Flying is bad enough without selfish people exercising their "rights".

Selfish behaviour. YANBU

I had the passenger behind me fold up like a staple so his head was right behind my seat back. If I had reclined it I would have either hit his head or pushed it down so he was trapped underneath it. I would have liked to recline my seat as everyone else was settling down for the night, all snug and semi-prone under their blankies, and there's me bolt upright and exceedingly uncomfortable. That was Dubai to Bali, so not a short flight...

I would have asked cabin crew to sort that.

I have not read all the posts, but Aroundtheworld's suggestion about the seat sliding forwards is hopeless on a long-haul flight if you are 6ft tall (not oversized) when there is already considerably less legroom than used to be the case 30yrs ago. It is important that you can recline the back, BUT NOT AT MEALTIMES!!! She should have confirmed with you that it was OK to recline the seat before she did it, giving you the opportunity to say "not now but that it will be OK after the meal", as you, no doubt, did to the passenger behind you (?). It is just simple good manners.

I haven't flown for about 10 years but did a lot of travelling when younger. I've always had cabin crew ask/insist everyone (waking up if neccessary) to put seats upright for takeoff, meals and landing.

I've never been overly bothered by people reclining seats, I just recline mine also. The person sat behind me is free to do the same. You have the same physical space it's just arranged differently. Somewhat confused by this being so much of an issue for people.

She shouldn't need to have been told it would have been bloody obviously inconvenient to you.

Oh these people who go full recline as soon as the seatbelt sign goes off. Proper boils my piss. It isn't even more comortable if you're not sleeping.

There shouldn’t be a reclining option on bus/plane seats full stop. If there are then they should only be used if no one is sat directly behind you

cabin crew ask people to put seats upright during meal service. Clearly she ignored them. Surprising she also ignored them during landing when it is a safety issue.

some people should just be thrown out of the emergency exits.

YABU for doing nothing about it. I would have asked her to put it upright as you were eating. Cant believe you sat like that for 7hrs....

Every time there is a tread about this, I ask this question, but have never got an answer to date:

Which airline has seats that recline more than 1/2 of an inch and would make any difference at all to the person behind?

If someone reclines their seat during mealtimes you can call the steward to have a word with them for being a wanker.

YANBU and I always get stuck behind these people so I get it.

I think no reclining seats in economy tbh. I cannot be convinced that what they have gained by reclining 5cm outweighs the person behind them losing valuable space. You can barely notice a decline that small but suddenly someone else has a chair in their face for 7 hours.

Obviously meant RECLINE not decline.

When this has happened to me I've asked Cabin Crew to sort it, and they always have.

However, if Cabin Crew were busy, I would have no compunction about asking them to raise their seat.