To recline my seat in the airplane tonight ?

[Redeyeflight]

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 ?

I always feel like kicking the seat in front when they recline their seat, it’s so obnoxious. A night flight is different but it’s not something I’d do.

I've had to travel a couple of times with a lap child when the person in front reclined and there wasn't enough space for the baby. Night time they might lay against you but it doesn't work in the day.

Have also had someone recline fully into my 2.5 yo seated child's face. Dd spent the entire flight grabbing onto the back of the person's chair and I spent the entire 8 hours trying and failing to stop her and telling her no, don't touch. The person in front wasn't happy, I wasn't happy, kid wasn't happy.

I can’t believe how many people are saying you shouldn’t recline on a day flight! The recline is there for a reason, why wouldn’t you use it?!

I’ve been long haul cabin crew for over 20 years and I would say most people recline after the meal service, even on a day flight.

The only time crew will ask someone to put their seat upright is during the meal services, but if that person is already asleep we of course wouldn’t wake them up to do it.

Usually around half of our customers onboard have just got off or are travelling onto another long flight, you have no idea how long they’ve been awake for/what time zone they are on etc.

This whole mindset I’m seeing here explains why I spend so much time refereeing grown adults squabbling about bloody seat positions.

Nighttime as people have been explaining - fine. Daytime - not fine.

I generally recline my seat whether it’s day or night. That’s because I have a health issue that causes constant pain.

While I acknowledge the difficulties here, your attitude seems to be to sod the person behind you who has paid for a seat just like you have, and might also have a disability which means they suffer from you encroaching on their sitting space, especially if they are on the taller side. This is not on.

Why?? You don't know their travel plans - it could be the third consecutive flight including a long-haul, they may have been travelling for 20 hours and needing to nap on the plane before driving home from the airport. If the person behind is 'uncomfortable', (though to be fair why would that be? If it's a short flight there is usually no meals or in-flight entertainment anyway) they can also recline their chair.

I never recline mine I can never get comfortable recliined. I've not got a problem people in front doing it as long as they check the tray is empty and don't recline all the way. I was on a coach coming home from Spain when I was 16 the girl in front reclined her seat right back. I had literally no leg room.

She was so snotty and told me not to put her legs against the back of her seat. I asked her where else am I supposed to put them? She just said that's not her problem I ended up swapping seats with my friend who is shorter than me. Only for her mum to do the same. I don't know why they are able to recline so far back. I'm average height not what I would consider tall.

I’m a very frequent long haul flyer, and have been for many years on many different airlines - hence the 99.9% positive comment. That’s like saying you can’t chose the fish option on the menu because the smell may upset other people? It’s completely ridiculous and if it was honestly that bad the airlines simply wouldn’t allow it. Its not
up to each individual flyer to be concerned with the persons comfort behind them. As said previously, your chair reclines about 2 inches - it doesn’t end up in the person behind you’s lap

@AlfredaTheGrape in the extremely unlikely event that I’m sitting behind another disabled person that has a particular problem with me reclining my seat a bit I hope they would speak to me so we could both find something we are comfortable with.
I have to get up about 4am for our next flight. It’s only just over three hours. But I will be reclining my seat to try and get comfortable/some rest.

Again, that’s people telling her, personally what to do. They are also being bossy. But in this instance the understood thing is that it’s something people generally don’t do. I think saying ‘you’re not allowed’ to do something people generally do to someone in conversation can reasonably be seen to be an instruction not to do the thing. It may not be, of course, depends on tone of voice and context, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable for posters to have made this assumption.

@Redeyeflight this is what you say to your husband

“you do you”

and recline after dinner

That's only necessary if you are really overweight, otherwise you would fit. You should really be booking the front row to show consideration for others.

If two people have disabilities, one of which requires that the seat be reclined and the other requires that the seat in front be upright, then the two should swap seats to both be happy.

You sound unhinged

Nah, just a fantasist. Nobody actually does this.

Looks like air crew think it's fine, as long as you are considerate. I tend not to recline my seat during a day flight but I couldn't care less if the person in front of me does, they paid for their seat the same as I did. I think this debate is a bit pathetic and entitled. If anything, blame the airlines for packing the seats in too close to each other.

Why is it their problem? You're the one with the long legs, book an 'extra legroom' seat.

I am overweight but not obese. I fit perfectly fine in a seat but can't easily extract myself with a fully reclined seat in front of me. I don't need to book anything different as I only hold onto their seat when it is in my lap. If their seat is upright, I can get out of my seat without issue.

Christ, you're carbon footprint must be horrendous, and you are sitting in judgement on people who recline their seat.

Of course you can use the facility if it is there. Just do the usual quick check behind you in case the person happens to have their head down in their bag/toward floor or has their tray table with a liquid in it or something.

So whose comfort wins? Is the person behind more important?

During a daytime flight people are not just using the tray to eat. Some are working. Others are doing games or activities on them with DC. Ir watching films on the screen on the back of your headrest, depending on airline. So yes, reclining your seat on a daytime flight and leaving someone unable to use the small amount of space they have is utterly selfish, when it's totally unnecessary and the only disadvantage to you from not doing so is you need to sit upright just like you would on a car or train journey. It is pretty shocking anybody thinks doing this - except late a night when everybody will be sleeping - is ok.

wow

This. It really gets tiresome when these posters come on every thread an pick ot apart to try and make out the man is wrong, or a abuser or whatever when all.the has happened is two people have had a normal conversation.
There are certain posters that will.always blame the man and make excuses for the woman. It is ridiculous.

If it's a night flight, yes. Everyone will want to do the same. On a day one, never. Unless there's heaps of space behind you. I think it's really rude and inconsiderate to do this as the person behind literally has to sit with someone's head inches from theirs. People who do it say "well it reclines so it's my right to do so" but they don't show any consideration for the person behind. Just rude. However, I think that's ok in your situation.

Don't be so fucking ridiculous. The OP had a conversation with her husband. There is absolutely nothing to indicate thar he is controlling. It is a turn of phrase. Just like you're not allowed to walk on the grass, or whatever.

Exactly @Cel77 the capability to recline is built into the seats so that it can be used during night flights! Not so that someone selfish can do this during the day!