Reclining seat on a plane

[darksideofthemooncup]

I don't think I was being unreasonable but wanted to get others' take on it. BA economy flight, middle seat, man in front of me reclined his seat then had a go at me because he could feel my knees through the back of his seat. I explained that a 5,10'', short of amputation there wasn't a lot I could do about it and perhaps the problem was more about him reclining his seat onto my knees. At which point he then doubled down and said I should book first class. I'm afraid I didn't cover myself in glory and told him in no uncertain terms where to go. So, my position is that on economy flights where space is limited, just because you can recline your seat, it doesn't mean you should, AIBU?

Of course you should be able to recline your seat (outside meal service) on a flight that offers the option. You’re 5’10 not 6’7 so sounds like you were being difficult.

Unless it's a night flight, reclining a seat is a dick move.

Reclining seats is fine, if you needed more space you could recline yours back too. People are going to be trying to sleep or stretch out even on short flights, as it may just be a connecting one for them.

YANBU. It's an invasion of space and people who recline are dickheads. Seats should be made to stay upright, problem solved.

Reclining a seat isn’t a dick move necessarily - but it’s inconsiderate on a short daytime flight when there’s no need to sleep.

Theres clearly absolutely nothing you could do re your legs, so he was ridiculous about that. Assuming you weren’t doing it deliberately but as you say were just sitting normally.

I think there need to be some clear and enforced rules re seat reclining and when it’s acceptable - and the rules should be the same for everyone. Definitely whether or not someone can recline shouldn’t be based on luck of the draw as to who is behind you or on the size of the person reclining - if the facility is there, it’s there for anyone.

Yanbu.

Its a simple matter of good manners.

I despise people who recline their seats on economy flights. I wouldn’t dream of doing it. You were completely in the right. WTF does he expect you to do??

How did you come up with this take? Please explain exactly how she could prevent her knees touching the seat in front when the person has reclined their seat?

Yes. How very dare you take your knees with you. How thoughtless!

There was nothing I could do about it, he could feel me moving my legs, which I'm perfectly entitled to do, the seat reclining meant it was resting on my knees, which he could feel. I wasn't booting him in the back!

Recliners are dickheads and this guy sounds like a double dickhead.

For clarity. It was a 4 hour daytime flight

Yeah but he needs that two inches of very slight recline or he won't be able to... Sleep?

It’s fine for him to recline his seat because the upright position needed for safety during take off and landing is not comfortable for most people, but he can’t reasonably complain to the person behind him for having knees.

I think it’s rude on short haul , as long as say under 90 mins, don’t do it. But medium to long haul then I think it’s fine outwith meal times.

Im confused as to how your knees were touching the seat when it reclined.

For clarity, i do also hate it when people recline on short/day flights.

However, the recline amount is tiny on aeroplane seating and its a rotation around a hinge at the base where your knees are. Almost all the loss of space to the person sat behind is higher up, where the top of the sat back moves. My DH manages to fit behind a reclined seat and he is 6ft 4.

Were you sat properly with the base of your spine against the seat back, or slumped down with your bum further forward in the seatt pushing your knees forward?

At which point he then doubled down and said I should book first class.

You should've said, "Fine, I'll call the flight attendant over and you can pay for my upgrade" 😄

A little slip back to get comfortable is fine but full reclines should only be on long haul and night flights. And even then, not during meal times and not without checking behind you to make sure you're not going to hurt anyone or break/spill something before flinging yourself backwards.

My husband is 6'4 and it's physically impossible for the person in front of him to recline, we have had some very grumpy people in the past when they've realised this but there is nothing he can do about his height and we can't afford first class. He could book an emergency exit row but then we couldn't sit together as a family and I'd be stuck with 2 kids (one ASD) for the flight which we won't do either. Would be best if seats just can't recline

I was sat normally, he could feel when I shifted position, which is what he was moaning about. I wasn't making a big deal about it, didn't have my tray down and was just reading quietly, he was an arse to the stewards as well, so I think I was just unlucky having him in front of me

I’d only recline my seat on a long haul flight during the night. If I needed to do it at another time, I’d tell the person behind me first.
I imagine the people who recline their seats on economy flights also pay their devices aloud and don’t care about the effects of their actions on others.

I explained that a 5,10'', short of amputation there wasn't a lot I could do about it and perhaps the problem was more about him reclining his seat onto my knees.

Well there often is - a hell of a lot of people slump forward with their bum a good 3-4 inches away from the seat back. Moving your bum right back into the seat can bring your knees away from the seat back. Id be amazed if a 5ft 10 persons knees are touching the seat in front if their bum is fully back into their own seat.

If you don’t want to have people recline on you don’t fly economy

I think the root of the problem is that airlines have are fitting rows of seats closer together in order to squeeze extra rows in.
If you look on the floor you can see that seats can be fitted at different distances.

If seats can be reclined, then airlines should space the rows to reflect this. Alternatively the seats should fixed and not be able to be reclined.

He also suggested that I decline my seat, as there was a family with small children on their laps behind me, I didn't think that would have been very fair on them