To think the male American Airlines passenger punching the reclined seat should be charged with assault if legally possible.

[SiousieSoo]

I have watched the video of the man continually punching the seat occupied by Wendi Williams who had positioned it to recline. I am totally appalled that she was not given assistance when she drew the flight attendants attention to her predicament. This mans behaviour was totally unacceptable. I find it hard to fathom his behaviour and really feel a bit disturbed by it. I don't think he would have acted this way had it been a man in front... Am I being unfair in thinking this?

What has happened to basic DECENCY and CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS? All these people banging on about 'well why shouldn't she, if the seat has a recline option?' She shouldn't have because it made another human's life that wee bit more difficult at that point.

About 21 seconds in you see her whole face.

Well I had someone kicking my seat on a short flight and my seat was upright. Was it annoying? Of course. Was it assault? No.
The guy probably hasn't bothered to defend himself because he's not an attention seeking idiot. Or perhaps he knows people like OP will go that poor woman being assaulted by that bully (even though she wasn't). This situation was of her own making and probably done just to get her 15 minutes of fame. It's interesting that she chose to film it instead of putting her chair upright like a normal person.

@Rocketfire. I am totally shocked. Wish I had put this to a vote but wasn't sure how to. I've been referred to as Wendi more than nice for raising this. Guess people's emotional attachment to their plane seats overrides their thinking.

SiousieSoo eh? I was replying to people who said there's absolutely no need to recline on short haul. Yes there can be, there are many reasons why someone can be exhausted and want to recline and sleep. I personally cannot sleep bolt upright.

she should have been told to put her seat up and he shouldn't have done what he did.
Both in the wrong

@G5000 yes I know. Was agreeing with you in a act handed way. @category12 I cant see it in full screen. I will look on YouTube

Maybe she just worked all night and then got an early flight??
Maybe like my dh she travels for work and works 12 hour shifts and then has a 3 hr drive when she gets off the plane..
Maybe she is emotionally drained due to a family emergency
Maybe she was up all night with a sick child!!

Maybe she is none of those things and is just selfish. I think seats should somehow be fixed upright for flights of this duration which I believe was two hours.

@Lipperfromchipper
Of course, even if you are really, really tired, flying for business, or back from someone's funeral, you can still be considerate of others.

@category12. I think she's bemused wondering what the hell shes got into with this idiot behind her,

I’ve been thinking about it, if everyone can recline, fine, after meals. If the person behind you can’t recline, should you desist? I think yes you should. On a short haul flight.

It doesn’t excuse him but it’s too cramped to have a seat back in your space too.

On a long haul flight passengers are expected to return seats to an upright position during meals. Meal service on a two hour flight though? That just sounds unnecessary and disruptive to passengers who need to get a couple of hours of sleep. Passengers who have a medical need may need a snack, but that's hardly a tray table, seats to an upright position affair.

If you read some of the reports from America it seems she was demanding the airline release his name, considered going to the FBI, and that filming passengers on a plane is against the law.

I think she looks smug.

So there you go. Different interpretations, innit.

I wonder how she would have felt if the person in front of her had reclined their seat

@HappyHammy I don't understand the last point regarding filming as she was the one who did the filming?

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis yes well being considerate works both ways of course so I can recline and be aware of the persons tray behind me...but in order for me to sleep so that I can get in my car and get home safely I am reclining so I can sleep!!(and all the time being considerate believe it or not!)

yeah ive rewatched it and can see she's smug ..... this is done for a reason, probably money. totally changed my view now ive seen the full video

he's squashed in already as he has the wall behind him,hes no option to recline his own seat away

I don’t recline my seat because I prefer to sit up straight, and also because it’s inconsiderate to the person behind me. I usually go on flights of no more than about 3 hours or so, and can’t think that anyone in front has reclined onto me.

Maybe the airline told her to stop filming and she didnt, has she explained why she was given that notice from the staff?

I agree she looked smug. She was enjoying that she'd wound him up from what it looks like.

Both are in the wrong.
She stated she knew he couldn’t recline his seat, she only put hers up for food, pushed it back down, she said he was uncomfortable asked her to bring the seat up, she refused, he clearly isn’t punching the seat, neither of them spoke to cabin crew. Both acted like babies.
In the long video she’s laughing. Saying she needs the FBI in her tweets is ridiculous. And saying it gave her whiplash.... no.

All she had to do was set her seat up straight. Personally I think no seats in planes should recline, it causes so much angst

@wereallsquare 'the people supporting this behaviour are barbarians' hahaha.

He'd already spoken to her nicely. He didn't behave perfectly but neither did she. It's horrible to be in that seat she should have been more considerate. I should think he was uber frustrated. Let it out in the wrong way though, yes. She can't have been that scared, she left her seat back and filmed him. Then claimed she has whiplash. The 'where there's a blame, there's a claim' attitude already makes me think she was revelling in the whole thing, and still is.

@HappyHammy difficult to say definitely but Wendi (me according to some people) implies it's because she failed to delete the filmed footage.