Reclining seats on economy flights

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liaconn

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I saw two arguments on an economy flight home from Brussels last week, over people in front reclining their seats back on already cramped passengers. Does anyone else think this behaviour is very unfair nowadays, when the space between seats has been greatly reduced.
 
I suppose the only answers are

a. Do not have reclining seats at all so everyone has the same space ?
or
b. Everyone reclines so everyone has the same amount of space?

I was driving in this morning and watched, fascinated, as an ambulance with sirens blaring came from the opposite direction - most cars indicated to pull in, to let the ambulance through, apart from one young female driver who appeared oblivious to the sirens and flashing lights behind her and only moved afetr a very persistent ambulance driver flashed her repeatedly!

I formed the, perhaps unfair, view, after reading the post, that she would be the one reclining her seat in crowded economy class.

mf
 
Had it on a 6 hour flight from Boston. My seat was against a bulkhead so I couldn't recline mine even a bit to escape. Even when the food was being passed around I had to call an air hostess an ask her to tell the person in front to straighten her seat. As we were leaving the plane I saw that this person and her family had left piles of rubbish behind them scattered across their seating area. No consideration for anyone. If only I had a bit of chewed chewing gum at the time.......
 
People who recline their seats on airplanes also eat their young, read with their mouths gaping and buy Westlife albums too.
 
Sometimes digging your knees into the back of the seat a couple of times gives them the hint (although people who recline their seats are usually prettythick skinned).
 
A guy did this to me on a flight from US once, so I shoved my knee in the back of his seat for a while (an hour) and after looking around at me a few times he decided to un-recline his seat.
 
Have people never thought of just politely asking the person in front to "un-recline" their seat if it is causing them discomfort?
 
A friend of mine did, and the guy just completely ignored her. To be honest, I think the kind of people who do this with their seats are usually a bit ignorant and wouldn't be beyond making a rude or sarcastic response which I would find embarassing in front of other passengers.
 
My facetious comment above is as puerile as running off telling tales to the cabin crew or sticking your knees into the seat in front instead of just politely talking to the person...
 
ClubMan said:
My facetious comment above is as puerile as running off telling tales to the cabin crew or sticking your knees into the seat in front instead of just politely talking to the person...
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It's not that bad.

I do agree that simply asking usually does the trick. Most people apologise and feel embarrassed when asked to straighten their seat.



If that doesn't work just stick gum in their hair and knee them in the back. If that doesn’t work try asking an air marshal to shoot the offending party. This option should only by used as a last resort.
 
I do agree that simply asking usually does the trick. Most people apologise and feel embarrassed when asked to straighten their seat.



Not the people on the Brussels flight. They appeared to be highly indignant. I would have been very embarassed if I was the unfortunate girl who had asked one of the guys to move his seat forward.
 
A. There is now available a contraption that stops people from reclining aircraft seats.

B. I believe the new Ryanair fleet doesn't have the option of reclining seats.

Have people never thought of just politely asking the person in front to "un-recline" their seat if it is causing them discomfort?
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What if you're not a 'people person'? It's not like these recliners do not know the ramifications for their actions. I would prefer the knee option myself (or the apparatus above)
 
liaconn said:
Does anyone else think this behaviour is very unfair nowadays, when the space between seats has been greatly reduced.
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I was only thinking this last night on a flight from Heathrow when the girl next to me reclined her seat. The seat in front of me was soooo near (more than it has seemed before and definitely more than on the way over - is the A321 more tightly packed than the A320 on Aer Lingus??) and I thought - if he reclines that seat, it is actually going to touch my face!!

Coming from Edinburgh in March, three people around me reclined - including the person in front of me. It drives me mad, those short haul aircraft should not have reclining seats. No-one needs to recline for a 45 minute flight.

rmelly said:
A guy did this to me on a flight from US once, so I shoved my knee in the back of his seat for a while (an hour) and after looking around at me a few times he decided to un-recline his seat.
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Although I have to disagree about the transatlantics, I think people should be allowed to recline on a long (especially overnight) flight. If the person behind doesn't like it, then they should recline too.
 
I was on a 4 1/2 hour flight and the seat in front had their seat reclined, I'm above average height for a woman and was squashed and put my seat back. The woman behind me (who was very small) gave out to me and told me to put mine forward. I said I'd love too if the person in front of me did the same, the person in front wouldn't and so I didn't. The woman behind me got very angry and agressive with me, I told her to call the air hostess and once I'd some room from in front of me I'd oblige. She just mubled and moaned the whole way, in fairness if she had of asked me nicely I probably would have put up with the discomfort but the fact she was so rude I didn't bother! I advised her to fly first class next time if she'd such an issue.
 
leghorn said:
B. I believe the new Ryanair fleet doesn't have the option of reclining seats.
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That's true, thankfully. I was on a flight to London last year and nearly lost my kneecap when the person in front of me undertook a particularly vigorous seat recline manoeuvre. You know the one where they sit forward, push the 'recline' button, and then slam back into the seat to make sure it goes as far back as possible. Right on my kneecap. Ouch.
 
pc7 said:
I was on a 4 1/2 hour flight and the seat in front had their seat reclined, I'm above average height for a woman and was squashed and put my seat back. The woman behind me (who was very small) gave out to me and told me to put mine forward. I said I'd love too if the person in front of me did the same, the person in front wouldn't and so I didn't. The woman behind me got very angry and agressive with me, I told her to call the air hostess and once I'd some room from in front of me I'd oblige. She just mubled and moaned the whole way, in fairness if she had of asked me nicely I probably would have put up with the discomfort but the fact she was so rude I didn't bother! I advised her to fly first class next time if she'd such an issue.
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I'll definitely be sticking to the knee in the back routine!
 
You mean unable to carry on the most basic of conversations with another human being? Sorry - I didn't realise that we were catering for complete morons here.
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We aren't 'catering for complete morons', that is simply your ill-founded assumption.

Many autistic people would not relish social interaction, or have the most basic of conversational skills, but I certainly wouldn't classify them as 'morons'.
 
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