Angry woman on plane, Was we BU?

[Raynaud]

7 hour flight with DH and DS(4). As soon as seatbelt lights went off DH fully reclined exhausted DSs seat so he could sleep. The woman behind snapped at DH to put the seat back up as drinks would be coming around soon. DH said no as drinks currently not being served. She called him a selfish twat to her OH.
Drinks/snacks start coming around. Woman tells DH to put the seat back up. DH put the seat back up half way so to not wake DS. She tells him to put it fully up. He tells her DS is sleeping. Her OH then tells her to speak to steward which she does. Steward asks DH to put the seat back up - he tells her DS is sleeping. I tell him to just put it back up, he again says DS is sleeping. Air Steward starts getting pissed off, I snap at DH to put the bloody seat up. He does so reluctantly and DS does not wake.

Once everything is cleared away he puts the seat fully back again. The woman complains that he’s doing that out of badness because “the kid” is still asleep. Her OH confirms that yes, DH is a twat.

My take on it is that both were being unreasonable at different times. My sister however says this was all on DH.

I’m starting to think this is a reverse

Ok - this one makes sense then. both unreasonable at different points.

ive never heard of any rules around not reclining on day flight. The meals make sense.

Flew recently and there were signs up saying seats should not be reclined during meals. Otherwise, I think you can recline whenever you like. It doesn't say anywhere that you shouldn't. If someone reclines in front of me, I just recline mine too?

Your DH was v selfish, sounds like your son was fine and he just put it back to make a point.

He was a selfish, space grabbing cunt. People like him are the reason others hate seeing kids board a plane. He used your son as a way to assert his space into her space. Which is why he is a cunt. She was absolutely right to pull him up for being a space bully and a cunt.

Selfish people like your husband make travelling way more stressful than it needs to be

If I paid for a seat and I want to recline it.. I will.

I must be on a completely different planet to the other posters… If a exhausted adult, or adult with a bad back was seated there would they be forced to sit upright? At 4, I don’t think there is discount on the seat

only exception is during mealtime. The stewardess was out of order for even asking imo

Every single person who ever puts a seat down at all ever is universally peace of crap, everyone is stuck in an unpleasant place and everyone who does that makes it worse. Personally I would make it a law for it to not exist if possible, sleep as you sit or don't.

But ignoring this fact, both were being idiots. Woman should have behaved better, dh was acting like a prat later.

This is why I don't fly economy

What am I missing? Why do they design the seat with recline if using it makes you an AH? If she wanted more depth in her own seat space surely she could also recline, after the drinks part, then the next row, and so on? Why do the staff get annoyed with a customer using a built in seat feature? I really don't understand this thread at all. Thought u were going to say yr kid was screaming and she got mad. I'd prefer a snoozing reclined child over an awake over-tired one. Why can't everyone enjoy a normal depth of seat space with all the seats reclined, and therefore be more comfortable? I realise the real villains are those who profit from cramming everyone in like sardines in the first place, but I cannot understand why the husband is the bad guy here?

@Clefable loads of planes don’t have reclining seats.

Same if I can avoid it!

I think I must’ve sat behind OP’s family many a time on the plane and there’s nothing I hate more than a recliner the second the plane has taken off. Couldn’t he have waited to see if the very tired kid could sleep without reclining first?

@JJWT on a night flight when everyone is sleeping, it’s perfectly acceptable to recline your seat (after the meal). If everyone is reclined and sleeping, it’s fine. However, if one person decides they fancy a midday nap, and they recline their seat, the person behind them basically has their seat in their lap. No room for a drink, book etc. It’s rude.

Arsehole. Someone did it when i was trying to eat and also had a tiny child sitting on my lap. I was actually wedged in and the air hostess wouldn’t ask him to put his seat up. I had to stand in the aisle and eat because I couldn’t physically sit with my tray out.

Really nasty selfish behaviour by your DH

The seats should not recline. Airline is at fault. Unless there was a recline light and the whole plane did it at agreeed times.

More and more (particularly low cost airlines) seats aren’t reclining - more and more seats added!

Etiquette is now more in favour of not reclining on day flights and more in favour on nights flights. Consideration is key - you didn’t need to recline and his reasoning for not hurting your sons neck is odd.

he handled it badly is he always like this

Reclining seat/s is a lovely overhead light on a selfish uncaring person, the type who prioritises themselves over others

Really looking forward to flying to Oz later this year now
Eek

The etiquette is that if it’s ‘night’ in the cabin, lights down etc. you can recline the seats, but lots of people are unaware.

You only recline after the drinks and dinner. Your DH is in the wrong here.

But the seats do recline on long haul flights, and in reality practically the whole plane reclines on an overnight flight. If people choose not to recline, thereby restricting their own space, that’s on them.

I’ve flown long haul many times (Virgin, BA, Aer Lingus, Delta) and almost always the person in front of me reclines, day or night, during the intervals between the meals. It just isn’t a problem. There’s still room on my table for a drink and a book, and the entertainment screen tilts so I can still see it.

Where does one find this etiquette?

Being pedantic here, but I've been on overnight flights that have boarded quite late (eg 10pm). Are you saying I should be waiting until the inevitable/frankly pointless dinner service ends at midnight before I'm allowed to recline and get some kip?

had someone do th8is as soon as the seatbealt sign went off for 9 hours could hardly move and they werent even sleeping

thankdully moved to a spare seat