Reclining the seat in Economy: when is it ok?

[tiaretiti]

Who is ‘right’ to recline a seat in Economy?

My thoughts are that reclining the seat in Economy is perfectly fine overnight if it’s sleeping time. During meal times the seat should not be reclined as it’s unfair on the person behind. During the day it’s preferable not to recline fully unless sleeping.

Recently though, on an 8 hour day flight, the couple infront reclined their seat all the way back for the duration of the flight. They were watching films. They even ignored the air stewardess’ request for them to put the seat in the normal position when they serve food. I couldn’t even eat my food so I had to ask them to put it upright. They shrugged their shoulders until an air stewardess very firmly told them to consider other passengers.

I'm tall, with long legs and I'm overweight. I also fly several times a year in both short and long haul. You would think that I'm a prime candidate for suffering the pain and torment that some people describe.

I have never, ever, been on a plane where a reclined seat in front of me hit my knees with my tray(how? My knees are several inches below the height of the tray.) Or had the screen in my face or had any other problems from someone reclining their seat.

A reclined seat in front of me really has minimal impact. They only move a few inches and it's not a big deal. If you're not able to use public transport without resorting to violence, you should rethink your travel plans.

I'm short so no issue but my son is tall and his knees are jammed up against the seat in front. If the seat is reclined.... well it can't be as my son's knees and therefore legs are in the way. Pushing harder just crushes his knees and the seat still can't recline. If you are tall with long legs you would know this.

Seats in economy shouldn't be able to recline . There isn't enough space and it just causes further discomfort to people behind . Recline shouldn't be an option .

@KickAssAngel I'm also tall with long legs. My legs were crossed when the guy in front went from upright to recline without warning and at speed. The edge of the tray (that was down with my kindle and drink on it) smashed into my kneecap. Thankfully the drink hit the floor, not my lap.

Have you thought about booking seats with extra legroom?

When person behind reclines and sleeping.. however in some countries everyone seem to recline away

Never

Never on a short haul flight, long haul not during meal times if sleeping. There's not enough space in economy really

Completely unacceptable on a short haul flight. Happened me last week - I kicked his chair every 30 seconds for the duration of his recline!

Sitting bolt upright in the take off and landing seat position can be very uncomfortable on the hips and back for some people.

My flights are usually at least 5 hours, I will recline the least amount I can to not be in pain.

First I Iook round to check that they don't have drinks in their tray. And I do it gently, not just slam my seat straight back. Guess what, the seat behind can also recline so they can also get comfortable and maintain the head space between my seat and theirs.
Their TV screens also change angle so they can adjust those.

On a long haul flight ....if I am spending 24 hours on combinations of planes on which I am feeling generally ill and uncomfortable, I am going to sleep when I can, and I can't sleep upright. On the long hauls I have been on everyone is reclined.

Why would anyone in the behind seats want to sit bolt upright, when they can recline?

What planes are these? I'm 5ft 8 with 34" legs. On easyJet normal seats my knees are against the seat in front and so I always try to get extra legroom seats. But in any decent airline there is a little more space. On those planes, if the person in front reclines, it doesn't affect my legs at all, I just find their seat back is closer to my face so I recline my seat to maintain the distance. Meanwhile my feet are stretched out into the space under the seat in front

Your son must have incredibly long legs if he has to sit with his knees up, can't he extend his feet?

I really envy the people who are short with flexible hips who can put their (socked) feet up on their seat and curl up that way.

Then you are a nasty aggressive person

Reclining is for me the difference between still being able to walk by the end of the flight, or not. But disabilities tend to get ignored in these debates. I very rarely fly, because it is so damn painful.

That's appalling. If it was not take off, landing, or meal time then he was allowed to recline if he wanted or needed to. What if a child had seen you, do you have no shame?

That’s a really dickish thing to do.

I don’t mind if seats are reclined at any time outside of meals. However when I’ve got an infant on my lap, it makes my job 100x harder to stop her touching your seat, and I lose enthusiasm to explain for the 50th time that the seat in front belongs to another person & we mustn’t touch it.

Only entitled twats recline

A mother travelling with a young child. 2pm departure, 6am arrival after two flights 25 hours later. Travel to and from the airport of one and two hours. She reclines both seats at allowable times when they are trying to sleep. Is she an entitled twat in your view?

Never.

This is interesting. I think it's always OK to recline, but not whilst eating. I don't see why it would be necessary on a short haul though

Rightly or wrongly, planes provide reclining seats so I think it's fine for people to recline at any time apart from meal times, take-off and landing.

Have you never been on long haul flights? Do you always sleep upright?

Reclining is nothing compared to the people behind you who use your seat to haul themselves up. Unless you’ve some physical impairment use your own arm rests and your own stomach muscles to aid you in standing.

I think some of these people have never flown long haul, almost everyone reclines.
Short haul could be a third flight for that person, such as Sydney to Abu Dhabi to Paris to London. They may need to recline slightly on a short flight to avoid falling on the person beside them.

My DH is 6ft 4, with most of his height in his torso. But in a plane his knees are touching the seat in front. If the seat in front reclines then his knees are high enough that the chair pushes into his knees.

I agree. People like that were my absolute nightmare as passengers when I was cabin crew. I’ve even had a couple of flights where someone ended up getting arrested for over aggressive behaviour.

The only actual rules about putting seats forward is for taxi, take off and landing. I’d always ask to put their seat forward during meal services, but on a late night flight I’d even wave that if someone was asleep. On a late night flight only about 40% of passengers ate.