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AIBU?

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Original poster

To recline my seat in the airplane tonight ?

330 replies

Redeyeflight · 23/10/2023 12:52

We are flying from Boston and Dh told me I’m not allowed to recline my seat on our night flight ? We are on economy and flying with BA. I don’t fly often so not sure about the etiquette. I mean if it was a day flight I wouldn’t recline but a night one ? Everyone would want to ?

OP posts:
Kpo58 · 28/10/2023 09:07

Reclining is twatty and you will get my knees in your back as I literally have nowhere else to put them. No I'm not super tall, there just is pretty much no legroom on a plane.

SurprisedWithAHorse · 28/10/2023 09:17

Kpo58 · 28/10/2023 09:07

Reclining is twatty and you will get my knees in your back as I literally have nowhere else to put them. No I'm not super tall, there just is pretty much no legroom on a plane.

Nobody will get your knees in their back because your knees won't be anywhere near that part of the seat unless your legs are the size of the runway.

Why do people keep making such preposterous claims about the space as if most people aren't very familiar with the layout and will know it's nonsense?

notimagain · 28/10/2023 10:25

Why do people keep making such preposterous claims about the space as if most people aren't very familiar with the layout and will know it's nonsense?

I have a couple of theories but I'm still sticking with the one that many of the really determined "you should never recline" cohort have rarely if ever been on a aircraft for a significant length of time.

user1496146479 · 28/10/2023 11:16

Of course you can recline your seat, on a day or night flight, just not during meals.
Sometimes that day flight could be the second or third flight a person has taken, so of course you can recline to sleep!!!

Original poster
Redeyeflight · 28/10/2023 17:09

Good afternoon!! So I thought I’d update you ! The plan was to wait for after the dinner was served as recommended - well the people in front of us, reclined straight from the start and wouldn’t have moved it back to the front when dinner was served if I hadn’t told them. Total arseholes ! Then my poor ds couldn’t recline at all as he had a man behind with long legs. It was so uncomfortable:( we didn’t sleep. We reclined a bit but not all the way. Next time I travel, I will get premium economy.

OP posts:
Toottooot · 28/10/2023 17:24

If the long legged man behind was reclining I wouldn’t have given a flying fuck about reclining too.

Original poster
Redeyeflight · 28/10/2023 17:37

He was reclining too but ds didn’t want to recline as he felt bad

OP posts:
notimagain · 28/10/2023 17:42

@Redeyeflight

well the people in front of us, reclined straight from the start and wouldn’t have moved it back to the front when dinner was served if I hadn’t told them. Total arseholes

Were they aiming to sleep straight away or were they just reclining from the get go for the sake of it?

FWIW if it's the former it's maybe worth being aware people going straight into recline in order to straight to sleep is a bit of given on overnight Boston-> London, even in economy

It's a relatively short sector and if you wait to eat you can end up with not a lot of time left for sleep.

Ktime · 29/10/2023 11:31

notimagain · 28/10/2023 17:42

@Redeyeflight

well the people in front of us, reclined straight from the start and wouldn’t have moved it back to the front when dinner was served if I hadn’t told them. Total arseholes

Were they aiming to sleep straight away or were they just reclining from the get go for the sake of it?

FWIW if it's the former it's maybe worth being aware people going straight into recline in order to straight to sleep is a bit of given on overnight Boston-> London, even in economy

It's a relatively short sector and if you wait to eat you can end up with not a lot of time left for sleep.

That doesn’t trump other passengers right to eat their meal without the person in front reclining.

notimagain · 29/10/2023 11:46

That doesn’t trump other passengers right to eat their meal without the person in front reclining.

You're going to have to tell me exactly where that universal "right" is in the regulations because I never heard of it.

I'd certainly suggest seats are reclined with care but if I was travelling on an overnight like the BOS-LHR, perhaps with a view to going to work on arrival or driving on arrival I'd be fairly adamant I had a "right" to use a facility I'd pay for, though personally I'd be kind and do it gently...and on any aircraft I've been on you can eat your meal off the tray table with the seat ahead of your reclined.

If people want to absolutely guarantee a right to wide open spaces in front of them throughout a flight then as a PP has said they need to pay for Premium Economy or something further forward.

HoppingPavlova · 29/10/2023 11:50

The plan was to wait for after the dinner was served as recommended - well the people in front of us, reclined straight from the start and wouldn’t have moved it back to the front when dinner was served if I hadn’t told them

The airline I mainly fly with makes an announcement stating meal service about to commence, please try and keep the aisles clear and put your seats in the upright position, and that you can recline again when meal service is collected. The air crew then MAKE people put their seats up for meal service as they wheel the trolleys down the aisle. They will even wake people sleeping, who are then PA and say ‘it’s okay, I don’t want a meal’, they are told that’s great and when the meal service is collected and the person behind them then gets to put their tray up they can recline again, and feel free to go back to sleep 😁. They are very strict with it. Unfortunately, not as strict with people constantly wanting to go to the loo, which spins meal service out no end as the crew then have to reverse trolleys right back down aisle as otherwise people can’t pass trolley in aisle to access loo. Then the arseholes want them to do it again when they finish in the loo🤯. How those staff don’t explode like ripe tomatoes I have no idea.

notimagain · 29/10/2023 12:02

@HoppingPavlova

I'm aware some airlines do that as a policy, at least on some sectors, OTOH some actually tailor at least some of the onboard product, including the meal services, to allow those that want to get to sleep PDQ do so.

Coming out of the east coast US for the UK on many of the overnighters the reality is a lot of passengers place a higher priority on getting as much sleep as possible over staying awake for the evening meal.

I'm not sure a universal rule is the answer and I don't think many airlines do either...

Soontobe60 · 29/10/2023 13:19

HoppingPavlova · 29/10/2023 11:50

The plan was to wait for after the dinner was served as recommended - well the people in front of us, reclined straight from the start and wouldn’t have moved it back to the front when dinner was served if I hadn’t told them

The airline I mainly fly with makes an announcement stating meal service about to commence, please try and keep the aisles clear and put your seats in the upright position, and that you can recline again when meal service is collected. The air crew then MAKE people put their seats up for meal service as they wheel the trolleys down the aisle. They will even wake people sleeping, who are then PA and say ‘it’s okay, I don’t want a meal’, they are told that’s great and when the meal service is collected and the person behind them then gets to put their tray up they can recline again, and feel free to go back to sleep 😁. They are very strict with it. Unfortunately, not as strict with people constantly wanting to go to the loo, which spins meal service out no end as the crew then have to reverse trolleys right back down aisle as otherwise people can’t pass trolley in aisle to access loo. Then the arseholes want them to do it again when they finish in the loo🤯. How those staff don’t explode like ripe tomatoes I have no idea.

Absolute and utter bollocks!

Un7breakable · 29/10/2023 16:09

So people shouldn't go to the toilet?! Considering two planes recently have had to turn back/delay departure due to passenger toilet accidents I very much doubt FAs are going to start insisting that passengers don't go to the toilet when the seatbelt light is off. On most long haul planes there are either bathrooms in the middle or two aisles which generally mean you can get around carts to go to the bathroom.

Jojofjo44 · 29/10/2023 21:08

There's a special place in hell for those who recline airline seats.

Ktime · 29/10/2023 21:11

notimagain · 29/10/2023 11:46

That doesn’t trump other passengers right to eat their meal without the person in front reclining.

You're going to have to tell me exactly where that universal "right" is in the regulations because I never heard of it.

I'd certainly suggest seats are reclined with care but if I was travelling on an overnight like the BOS-LHR, perhaps with a view to going to work on arrival or driving on arrival I'd be fairly adamant I had a "right" to use a facility I'd pay for, though personally I'd be kind and do it gently...and on any aircraft I've been on you can eat your meal off the tray table with the seat ahead of your reclined.

If people want to absolutely guarantee a right to wide open spaces in front of them throughout a flight then as a PP has said they need to pay for Premium Economy or something further forward.

Edited

It’s a right because the air steward will come and MAKE you upcline your seat at mealtimes and landing.

And if you refuse you could be blacklisted.

Ktime · 29/10/2023 21:11

Jojofjo44 · 29/10/2023 21:08

There's a special place in hell for those who recline airline seats.

What, even when the lights are dimmed?

SurprisedWithAHorse · 29/10/2023 21:12

Jojofjo44 · 29/10/2023 21:08

There's a special place in hell for those who recline airline seats.

But until then, our place is in great comfort on a long haul flight. Ahh!

Teder · 30/10/2023 03:45

notimagain · 29/10/2023 11:46

That doesn’t trump other passengers right to eat their meal without the person in front reclining.

You're going to have to tell me exactly where that universal "right" is in the regulations because I never heard of it.

I'd certainly suggest seats are reclined with care but if I was travelling on an overnight like the BOS-LHR, perhaps with a view to going to work on arrival or driving on arrival I'd be fairly adamant I had a "right" to use a facility I'd pay for, though personally I'd be kind and do it gently...and on any aircraft I've been on you can eat your meal off the tray table with the seat ahead of your reclined.

If people want to absolutely guarantee a right to wide open spaces in front of them throughout a flight then as a PP has said they need to pay for Premium Economy or something further forward.

Edited

You’re not wrong and I have no issue with polite reclining. By that I mean, check the person behind doesn’t have a huge drink and knows you’re reclining. However, your last paragraph applies to the other side too. “If people want to absolutely guarantee a right to recline throughout a flight meal service then as a PP has said they need to pay for Premium Economy or something further forward.”

Recline all you like but most airlines ask you to be upright for certain periods but won’t enforce it (it’s not the law and they’re not going to start a fight) so it is unfair to ignore that. Otherwise, it’s fair game.

QuizzlyBears · 30/10/2023 06:37

I fly long haul a couple of times a month and seat recliners are up there in my most hated things ever. I fully appreciate all the reasons why someone can recline, might want to, their right as having paid for the seat blah blah - doesn’t stop it being really bloody annoying for the person behind. I flew last week and when the person in front of me went to the toilet I put my hand through and popped their seat back upright 😂

HoppingPavlova · 30/10/2023 06:56

You're going to have to tell me exactly where that universal "right" is in the regulations because I never heard of it

I doubt there are any overall regulations, however some airlines have it as their policy. When you book a ticket with someone you agree to act via their rules basically. Air staff don’t take kindly to people kicking off on planes these days, and nor should they, and you are likely to be met at the other end and have a special escort off if you want to make a song and dance of it, and rightly so.

notimagain · 30/10/2023 08:02

@Ktime

*It’s a right because the air steward will come and MAKE you upcline your seat at mealtimes and landing.

And if you refuse you could be blacklisted.*

ReallY?

Having worked on commercial aircraft for a decade or two or more I can promise you there are no universal rules on this, as published by the CAA/EASA/FAA, but some airlines may have a policy on the matter...as mentioned by @HoppingPavlova

I'd be really very careful telling any "air steward", or any other cabin crew member for that matter, that you have some "right" to insist the seat ahead is upright because if you really get bent out of shape about it this blacklisting you claim exists may not work the way you think it does.

Fundamentally over the years from what I saw when working was most folk rubbed along OK without major disagreements and when travelling as a passenger I certainly managed to eat OK with the seat ahead inclined.

The only thing I would object to is somebody just dumping their seat aft when you are in the middle of your meal...

Cherryonthetop2019 · 30/10/2023 09:53

QuizzlyBears · 30/10/2023 06:37

I fly long haul a couple of times a month and seat recliners are up there in my most hated things ever. I fully appreciate all the reasons why someone can recline, might want to, their right as having paid for the seat blah blah - doesn’t stop it being really bloody annoying for the person behind. I flew last week and when the person in front of me went to the toilet I put my hand through and popped their seat back upright 😂

Someone did this to my seat last month on a long haul flight and I just reclined it back down again when I cam back from the toilet. Didn't work out as they had hoped I guess!

AtrociousCircumstance · 30/10/2023 12:30

So you didn’t care that you’d been making that person uncomfortable cherry?

Cherryonthetop2019 · 30/10/2023 16:07

AtrociousCircumstance · 30/10/2023 12:30

So you didn’t care that you’d been making that person uncomfortable cherry?

Their comfort does not trump mine so no, that is their problem.