To recline my seat on an overnight flight?

[stargirl27]

I recently had a long-haul overnight flight from the US (10 hours approx.)

Once we had eaten/had drinks, I reclined my seat and put something on the TV. The man behind me immediately began tapping me on the shoulder and when I turned, he asked if I could put my seat into the upright position as he had a drink on his tray table. I agreed to this.

Around 30 min later, I was ready to sleep so I told him I was going to recline my seat. He asked me not to, as he said he was very tall so needed the extra legroom... I thought it was unfair to expect me to sit upright the whole time, and he could have booked an extra legroom seat (which, incidentally, I had). Also, he could have just reclined his own seat to give him the same amount of space.

In the end, after some back and forth, I agreed to recline it a bit but not the full way, but it wasn't as comfortable as it would have been if I'd reclined properly. Also, I thought he was a bit unreasonable to expect me not to recline so I could sleep, basically to sacrifice my comfort for his, but I wasn't prepared to spend the whole flight arguing so wanted to compromise.

WIBU?

YABU - you should not have reclined your seat
YANBU - you were perfectly fine to recline

I never recline my seat, it's so rude.

I think seats should just be one way and non recliner. It makes people even more uncomfortable than they already are and it just causes frustration. Everyone should just have to suck it up how it is. I could never be so rude as to recline as it is and never have. Your not there for days on end. A 10 hour flight is a short shift at work for many so be a big girl and get on with it

Why is there a recline function if you shouldn’t use it?

I travel long haul in economy frequently, more often than not, overnight. As a pp said, it's absolutely normal to recline one's seat after the evening meal is finished and the lights are dimmed. It's pretty much impossible to sleep if you don't, and as has already been pointed out, reclining does not reduce leg room for the person behind.

If you're the person behind and don't recline in turn, yes, it's a little claustrophobic having the seat back closer to your face, but if you've not reclined your own seat on an overnight flight, then you are in a very small minority, and the solution is obvious.

instead of engaging in conversation with him, you should have got the flight attendant to speak with him instrad

Unless you're in a premium section with plenty of space when reclining isn't an issue, I think red eye / overnight flights are the only acceptable time for everyone else to recline their seats ... for sleeping.

Maybe, but as Mr O'Leary and others have shown most/many passengers want the cheapest flights possible.

The airlines can only do that by packing people on - i.e. reducing seat pitch.

It’s annoying when the person in front reclines, yes, but that’s life. They’re entitled to do so, especially on a night flight.

For my next longhaul flight I have booked a bulkhead seat. First row in that cabin. So I can recline back, and nobody reclines in front of me.

Happy days.

It’s never unreasonable to recline on a night flight and anyone that doesn’t do it is being a martyr.
The seats are awful enough to sleep in without sitting bolt upright.
I always keep my seat up during the day but at night I’m not doing that when I usually have to then drive home once we land at the airport.

Everyone gets on a flight knowing that the seats recline. Other than during meal times, you are allowed to recline. I feel it's the people objecting to it that are selfish, expecting the well established rules of the flight to change just for them.

I bet he reclined his seat. Did you check?

I would have told him the etiquette is that people recline their seats after dinner on night flights and if he didn’t want this then he should have made other arrangements.

My take: reclining on any flight is fine, the person behind can also recline their seat to regain any 'lost' space

It's capitalism ducking accountability - the onus is on the airlines & manufacturers to provide comfortable seating for passengers not for passengers to sacrifice a bit of ease in what are deeply uncomfortable spaces.

What isn't fine on an aeroplane is letting your hair, belongings or limbs encroach into another seating area or the aisle. Neither is it OK to use devices without headphones, play music so loudly it can be heard through headphones, allow children to kick the seat in front, or any passenger to be disruptive.

I think more airlines now are looking to remove or reduce the recline function on seats because they are a source of aggro so we will all eventually just have to get used to it unless we pay for business or first class seats.

He is being unreasonable. You were being v considerate (possibly overly so). I never engage with these types. I speak to the steward instead. They’ve always had a word so I don’t have to engage. It was after the meal and drinks service, so that’s that especially on a night flight.

I think the option to sit next to me on the bus should be removed as I have AuDHD and can't bear other people being so near to me but it's a feature of public transport so tough shit for me.

@PuppiesProzacProsecco i agree, I’d rather not sit next to you on public transport

I’m team recline all the way, after the drinks and dinner is served. No way could I go longhaul and not recline

On National Express, (I think) you can buy the seat next to you and it was very economical when I looked.

I can tolerate it after the meal. Fine.
It’s when someone whacks their seat right back when you’re still eating. Or as soon as you’re in the air.

The lord's work.

I wouldn't have even negotiated. I recline at all times except for the meal.

tbh i can sleep anywhere so it's not a huge issue to me not to recline.
However. If the person in front of me reclines, i will too. Outside of mealtimes (and IME during those times the stewards usually tell you to sit upright)

Well it's MN, so you weren't "reclining your seat" (the seat that has been designed to - you know - recline.)

You were smashing your seat into someone else's personal space and inflicting terrible injuries on them when their tray table jabs into their gut.

Extra marks if the person behind is also recovering from abdominal surgery and has fresh stitches.

Recline, but give the person behind a chance to finish their meal and be thoughtful if you are in the next but back row and the seats in that row don’t recline (some do). Also, if you do recline and settle down for a snooze, don’t get all huffy if the people behind bump your seat back when they are getting out to go to the loo or do some stretches. Hoping those people try their best not to grab the back of the seat as they pass. Give and take.