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I think the question should be instead, who thinks the seats should be spread farther apart so people Can recline. They have smashed the seats so tight together. The geniuses who thought of this, probably ride on private planes.
The squashing of people into such tight spaces so that they almost have no choice other than to pay extra for sufficient space should be illegal. I'm sure they would charge extra for reclining seats if they could.
Megan, your spilt coffee incident caused by you reclining your seat isn’t your fault. It’s the result of the airlines trying to maximize profits by cramming in as many seats as possible. Passenger comfort has nosedived over the years and questions about whether you should recline your seat have risen. I think you should be able to have enough space to recline your seat without bothering the person behind you. Is that too much to ask for?
I assumed that the reason for the spill in that case was the speed with which the tray table behind moved backward when Megan reclined her seat, not the amount of space available to the tray. Did I get that wrong?
the airlines are only doing it because there is a demand for cheap flights - you are free to buy a business class or first class ticket and have all the personal space you want. Most airlines operate on a razor-thin margin, which is why airlines go bankrupt or require bailouts and cutbacks so often. Why don't YOU start a non-greedy airline that offers Ryanair fares, Emirates comfort and pays fair salaries? Should be easy, right, just don't be greedy?
@@igorbednarski8048 Airlines don't make money, the main reason is they are so poorly mismanaged and use multiple types of planes. It has nothing to do with razor-thin margins, those are the faults of the airlines. It has to do with pure greed. But you are correct, if you don't like it, take a train, or bus, or upgrade. Nobody is forcing anyone to fly.
I was recently on a 4 hour flight and the person in front of me flung her seat back the minute she could and it stayed that way for the full 4 hours even when she fell asleep leaning forward up against the seat in front of her. I happened to be on a plane with very little leg room to begin with and was literally “held hostage” the whole trip. I couldn’t reach any bag by my feet or put the tray down. If they are going to reduce the legroom then they need to reduce the ability to recline. It was the worst flight
I'm with you on this. Mine was a small child whose parents put the seat back the moment they could, and she jumped around yelling the whole flight shaking the seat - which was in my face.
Imagine being a 6' tall, slender woman with 35" legs. Almost every flight has me feeling like I'm in a sardine can. I've had my kneecaps bruised several times! Sometimes my knees touch the back of the seat in front of me BEFORE the seat is reclined!
I agree! I had someone lie full back the whole flight and I could barely move in my seat. I thought every time I accidentally banged the seat in front of me, he might have considered raising his seat, but no he wasn't concerned about anyone else at all!!!
For people with bad backs, especially on a longer flight, being able to recline slightly really helps manage lower back pain. So many people have lower back pain, it’s very common.
I feel bad for people with bad backs but Megan is correct about the 4 times that seats should be on their upright position. I had a passenger in front of me recline their seat when my meal was serve on an international flight and nearly spilled my food and drinks. Just gotta ask and check the person at your back if it's ok to do so.
Depending on where the flight attendants are in distributing meals, the row in front of yours could have been served !5 minutes before your row. This was the case on my last flight and the family in front of me immediately put their seats back after finishing their meal. Not very considerate!
Yeah, i understand and feel your pain, but I have both back issues and bad knees, and I still will not recline on someone because I detest others reclining on me. The space received by the recliner is minimal compared to the space taken from the one behind. I say "Be Kind, Don't Recline!"
A woman in front of our seats suddenly reclined her seat while my mother was leaning forward to get something from her bag and got smacked in the head by the seat. When we told the woman to retract her seat and be more mindful next time not only did she get upset at us, the flight attendant noticed our dispute and proceeded to move my mother to a different seat on the plane as if she was the troublemaker! I guess I don't know what the etiquette is for seat reclining on air planes, but that scene has always stuck with me bitterly.
One of the best flights I've ever had was in the passenger section of a C-5 Galaxy. Outside of little heating, and very loud engines requiring headphones over earplugs to make it bearable, as well as backwards facing seats, the leg room and such made it very comfortable. Doing an overseas flight was comfortable enough that I slept most of it.
@@tejloro Let's say they have to remove 10-15 8 seat rows ro give more room, I gues it would be more than $5. And on all their aircrafts? It would be millions of dolla4s in a very tight market.
It's impossible. It's an example of shrinkflation - airlines squeeze more seats to get more people onboard to earn more money. They would never go back
Sad situation that we have to discuss seat recline rules. While I agree about recline slowly I don’t agree that you have to factor if person behind you has laptop or iPad. Sure if flight is less than 4 hrs long you wouldn’t need recline. But if it’s an overnight flight or a long flight try to get comfortable especially when the person in front of you has reclined. What I would suggest is that all the ceo and executive board fly a mandatory 11 hr flight in economy on their airplanes each month and when they suggest new seat layout configurations.
I have been hit in the head on several flights because as I am reaching down to get my bag out from under the seat, the person does a full, abrupt seat recline. Before I recline I always look back to make sure I never do that to another passenger. Common courtesy, patience, and awareness of others has gone, literally, out the window when it comes to air travel these days.
One that I think people dont think about is loudly talking or laughing on an overnight flight. Last Sep I took a flight from Denver to London. It was an overnight so the plane was dark everyone was trying to sleep. There was a woman in the center of the plane watching something and would laugh so loud it would wake everyone up and she even made a baby cry from startling it. Im not talking about a little giggle either, she was cackling and screaming. This went on for an hour and I believe FAs stepped in after she was asked by her seat mates to keep it down and she started laughing louder and more raucously. Then on the same trip but return flight a trio of women in front of my husband and I were meeting for the first time and loudly discussing their drunken exploits on various trips. They started ordering alcohol and sounded like they meant to party. my whole row just looked at eachother like we were in for a rough flight. I think the FAs caught on and cut them off after the meal service and said it was a drink max policy. No idea if that policy actually exists but thank the stars for the FAs
My wife and I once flew from Vienna to Bucharest on a very small plane. There were 6 rows of first class seats, while the rest of the plan was economy. It was a very full flight. We were seated in the first row behind first class. Now, I am a tall guy and muscular. When the passenger in the first class seat went to recline his seat, my legs were in the way. He kept trying to force his seat back but my long legs wouldn't let him. He was hurting my legs. I gently pushed the front of his seat and politely let him know that his seat had no where to go. He complained to the flight attendant who then looked at me and my legs. I asked her where should I put my legs? She smiled at me and told the gentleman that he needed to keep the seat upright. After she left, he tried a few more times. This time I was not so polite and really pushed his seat forward as he kept hurting my legs. I leaned forward and advised him to stop hurting me. Only then did he realize how big I was and his seat remained upright for the flight that was only a little over an hour long. I didn't like that I had to be stern with him but he was hurting me. (We would have upgraded to first class but there were no seats left. For all future flights on these small planes, we have learned to never book the seats directly behind first class!)
So wait a-minute….If the person sitting behind he is playing a game on his laptop, he now owns and has control over my seat as well as his own 🤷♂️🤷♂️
Ha ha ha, I wrote the same thing and then I saw your post. We are on the same page. It is true though. I have to suffer because of a fricken laptop! No way.
I have no objection to seats reclining except for meals. I don't think it's unreasonable to have attendants ask that seats remain upright during meal service.
Just completed a 14 hour flight from New Delhi to Toronto on a B777ER. I had the aisle seat, as I always do. Next to me, in the middle a grossly overweight man SPREAD himself into half of MY seat by his body pushing the armrest into my ribs and leg. I told him that if he wanted/needed two seats, he should BUY them, not use half of mine. It was NOT a happy flight. As for reclining seats....if the aircraft is used exclusively for flights of 4 hours or less...it's NOT a big deal. Sitting for 14 hours in a seat that DOESN'T recline....would be a 'back-breaker'.
OMG ^^^ This! It is supremely rude to spread into my seat area, voluntarily or simply by being voluminous. Invading someone’s designated space is simply not okay. Period. Worst flight was next to a huge, linebacker of a man whose shoulders touched mine with his hands in his lap. Not his “fault,” but dang I had ZERO room. And as a person with claustrophobia issues, it was a rough 5 hours
Aisle seats generally also allow you to raise the aisle arm rest (activate a small hidden button), I do that often. Helps greatly in flight, also when the flight ends getting out of the seat.
@@JohnW118 I like to use arm rests for their intended purpose, and to NOT get my arm broken by a cart or a fat person in the aisle. I know that they go up, which is what I do when I get up for a walk on a long flight, or at the end of the flight.
Worst reclining incident for me was on a chartered bus. The woman in front of me suddenly cranked backwards and pinned both my legs when she landed on my kneecaps. She did respond to my screams.
I had this happen on a flight once - the person in front did NOT respond to my protestations, even when I was trying to push on the seat at the same time to release my trapped legs!
That happened to me as I'm 5' 10" and I just started kicking the seat... I told the person who reclined that I could do this for the entire flight. Tall people have nowhere to put their long legs. I told her you will NOT lean on my legs for this entire flight.
If another passenger asks you to lift the armrest, ALWAYS say NO! I am small, and have lost 1/2 or more of my seat to obese passengers raising the armrest. This results in back and neck pain due to sitting crooked to get away from them. Never again!
I usually fly long-haul flights (8 to 14 hours), so reclining seats are an absolute must, especially in economy class. I have noticed that airlines have been reducing the amount/angle to which you can recline, and I really resent that. On my last trans-Atlantik flight, there was a large man seated behind me. His body was simply too big for the seat, and - despite observing all the etiquette you mention on when and how to recline - he spent most of the rest of the flight purposely banging the back of my seat.
Don't touch or hit against the seat back of the person in front of you. There's just a thin piece of vinyl at the magazine net, or even if there is metal or hard plastic, every bump is felt. Don't grab headrests as you get up or walk by either, that shakes other people.
Totally agree on the seat reclining. I never recline my seat out of respect for the person behind me. I was on a 11hr flight recently. The dude in front of me reclined back. I tried to be cool about it, but each time I wanted to get out of my seat, I had to do some creative contortions to get out and back in. Meals and snacks were interesting as well. I finally asked him to put his seat up when my wife had to get up to use the restroom. With their seat back there’s no room to get by. At the very least, I feel like a simple ask should happen. Like, “Do you mind if I recline my seat back?”to the person behind you.
I also never recline my seat because I know what it's like to have a reclining seat in front of you and I don't want to do the same out of respect exactly to the person behind me.
For long-distance flights, I avoid the middle seat problems by paying the extra for premium economy and making sure I pick two across seats. To me, it is worth the extra dollars.
At 68, I only fly business. If I can't afford business class, I can't afford to fly. The money saved by flying economy is not worth the discomfort and risk of physical injury.
While in flight, I always hold onto a drink on my tray because a recliner in front of you or even hitting some turbulence could cause a spill. Also, and although I never use a laptop on my tray or or recline my seat, I don't think it is the responsibility of a recliner to check behind first to see if it will inconvenience someone. Just IMHO.
I just finish my drink pretty fast to avoid any spillage in case of sudden turbulence or something. If I do have a cup of something on the tray table, I put the cup closer to myself instead of closer to the seat in front of me. No issue even if the person in front of me has reclined their seat. I personally absolutely need to recline my seat when traveling in general, on a flight I only have the seat upright during takeoff and landing, and during meal services, other than that it has to be reclined even on short flights due to me having severe pain in my spine (including neck), pelvic joints and hips (genetic condition) that makes it extremely painful for me to sit upright for more than just minutes at a time. Reclining means I can cope with extra painkillers, not reclining could mean having to go to hospital upon landing despite having taken my extra painkillers
Maybe airlines can invest in seats that don't recline into the person behind area. I forgot which plane I was on but was impressed with the recline did not recline but rotated in the seat bucket.
It may be the Singapore Effect but I took a flight from JFK to PHX last week and the seatbelt sign stayed on the whole time. Also, I think the issue with drinks spilling when a passenger reclines is bad design and its on the airlines and aircraft manufactures to fix. I don't recline on planes anymore because the seat is equally uncomfortable no matter how I adjust it.
Unfortunately you cannot rely on everyone to be respectful. I am only 5'4" with no back pain but my husband is 6'5" and has had major back surgery. We always need to pay for larger leg room when he flies. I use my ipad on the tray table and do not like it when people push back in my space. I have never had a person look back to see what they are doing. We all want to be comfortable and I don't think some should compromise their comfort for the other passengers -- there are exceptions of course. Airlines need better seating so we do not have this discussion. Thanks for the opportunity to voice our opinions.
More reasons to upgrade from Economy. I know many people can't, either because of a true lack of money or different priorities. But if you can afford it, do so! My last flight was in domestic first class, and it solved so many of these little annoyances: - the seat spacing is large enough that reclining causes no problem for most people behind you. - The armrests are solid so a seat mate can't "spill over". The seats are also wide enough that most large people have plenty of room. - Almost all passengers in DFC are experienced at flying, and don't make unintentional mistakes. Most (not all) are polite, too. - If you feel you must get snockered on a flight, you'll get free booze.
I agree that the shrinking seats are partly responsible for this new and terribly uncomfortable situation. I also think that it is an opportunity to bring enjoyment between people back in to travel. A simple communication with the one behind you saying you'd like to recline and would it be convenient at that time could be a solution. Taking responsibility for ones actions feels good...and is a friendly gesture (which also feels good). bon voyage!☺
Thank you for your time and posting. Reclining wouldn't be a problem if US airlines didn't cram in as many seats as they could. I don't fly a ton (even though I am going to Vietnam in Sept. to see if I want to retire there), but I flew LATAM (Ecuador) Airlines and had no problem reclining my seat, and I had lots of leg room (at 6'2"). So the US airlines want to get rid of reclining yet they created the problem in the first place.
I have an extreme back issue & need to recline so I can arrange pillows in a way so that the pain is somewhat tolerable & always pick an aisle seat because of it. But I always go upright during take off/landing & meal times. Seats have been reclining since almost the beginning of air travel, so I don't understand why all of a sudden it's an issue for some people.
Great list!! I've probably made a few of these mistakes....The BIGGEST One was when I had deplaned and realized I left my tablet in the seat pocket and rushed back onto the plane....SEVERAL minutes after all passengers had left...to try to get my tablet. Everything was cool, since one of the flight attendants was rushing up the aisle with my tablet as I busted back onboard and nobody wrestled me to the ground, but I now pay much better attention to keeping track of my own personal belongings
Reclining seats. Flights less than 4-5 hours okay to remove. Long haul flights, NO, NO, NO! Especially since someone is going get stuck in the middle seat, reclining is the only comfort. With so many airlines flying with worn out old seats, I am looking at US airlines, reclining maybe the only way to not hurt for days after a flight. Last time I flew American Airlines from ORD to Heathrow(~8 hours) the seats were so bad my hips hurt for 5 days afterwards.
I had a first class seat from Newark to Rome - and the seat was broken and so uncomfortable!! AA gave me a small voucher in compensation, but it didn't even cover the pain meds or chiro bill.
@@tj2375you really aren't, especially on newer jets the recline doesn't really eat into the space for the person behind you. I really don't care if the person in front of me reclines and I'm 6'3".
I’m here to tell you that non-reclining seats have arrived. I took a Volaris flight, Mexico City to Lima, 5 hours overnight. I was planning to get some sleep on the flight but the rock-hard plastic seats did not recline, not one centimeter! It was the most uncomfortable flight I’ve ever taken. There was only one cabin class on the flight so no option to pay for a more comfortable seat. The stingy amount of space between rows of seats was also to blame for the discomfort. If the airlines ever do eliminate reclining seats in economy/coach class you can be sure it will be for THEIR benefit and profit. It will have nothing whatsoever to do with passenger comfort or safety. Blaming the growing number of people flying for more crowded seating on flights is cheap way of passing the buck.
Reclining seats - those 4 times make absolute sense. Reclining is not a big deal to me on shorter flights, but on long haul it makes a big difference, especially to sleep. OR if the seat in front is reclining and I can't it could feel tight. I try to always remember to glance back before reclining rather than doing so abruptly. It would not ever have occurred to me to move an armrest next to another person. I think air travel is a place for "best behavior" mode and avoiding rudeness.
Some customers of size immediately lift so they can “fit” without being forced to buy the second seat. I’m not tiny, but I do fit easily and will lift the seat between my husband and myself. So we can spread into each other.
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I'm a frequent LONG haul traveller (Western Australia to Ohio) sometimes enduring 16 hour stretches. PLEASE do not encourage airlines to eliminate the reclining option! I'll never be able to snooze on those flights again 😫
I'm sorry but I don't agree with not reclining my seat because the person behind me wants to use a computer. I deserve to be comfortable even if they want to work the entire flight. Especially since they're probably reclining their seat while they're working on their computer.
Remember you don't know how long someone has been flying. I will be doing about 40 hours of flights shortly with 4 connecting flights. I will recline ( excepting meal times). I will advise the passenger behind me but I will recline
Be prepared to also get push back. I kicked the seat until they put there seat upright, after asking nicely, because I'm tall and cannot change that most of my height is in my legs. I get so angry when I see short people in the exit row. I always get that seat when available because I have long legs. You can lose weight but not shorten your legs!
One issue I had with reclining a seat was on a 777 with a really old entertainment system. I had to recline my seat to be able to watch it. As far as not spilling over into my neighbors seat, I'm 188cm and 90kg. My shoulders are wider than most airline seats. I try to not invade someone else's space, which has gotten my other shoulder slammed by a cart. Such is life.
The cramped conditions are no fun for anybody with the current typical seat arrangements. Please consider not reclining your seat at all if the people behind you are tall. My husband is 6'3" (190 cm) and I'm 5'10" (178 cm). If you're tall, your legs will be touching the seats in front when they're in a full upright position. Once it's reclined, you're physically injuring the tall person behind.
I would not remove reclining in economy : it is extremely uncomfortable as it is! But yes, some people lack common decency with regards to etiquette in an airplaine.
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Sorry, but I paid for my seat and I'm going to recline. Being upright in these four examples makes sense but I'm not going to be uncomfortable while someone does work or is drinking coffee. I'm a very considerate person and agree abt reclining slowly but people have to take responsibility for their own actions. I just don't understand why this is even a big discussion these days. When I'm on a flight, I fully expect the person in front of me to lean his chair back and I just deal with it.
Actually your space is the space including the fact that the seat in front reclined. You can recline yours, too. I don't expect anyone to refrain for me. Normally, I recline just a bit during waking hours. I would recline more for sleeping. But let's all do it slowly, please.
I couldn’t care less if the person in front of me reclines. Doesn’t affect my meal or my using a laptop at all. Similarly, I couldn’t care less if the person behind me prefers that I remain upright. I pay for the seat, including it’s reclining feature, so I get to use it without consulting with anyone else. The only thing I do in this regard is recline the seat very slowly and gently, to be courteous.
My 6’4” frame prevented one person from reclining. After repeated attempts, I said, “Madame, those are my knees your attempting to recline into.” Problem solved.
I'm 6' 6" and I'm sitting right behind you, ... try guessing what happens to you when you recline your seat, ... you'll be challenged with more than just legroom, ...
@@Chrisoula17 ... That would be nice, but considering the price, probably not. My height isn't that exception in the U.S. ... seats should have more leg room.
I usually choose an aisle seat, being able to move the armrest is handy as you can just move a bit without feeling trapped. Most problems arise when folk don’t pay attention to things like the safety video. We owe it to each other on a plane to be civilised and should always be polite to the staff who do an amazing job.
I don't mind the idea that seats are fixed, but then they must be designed in a reclined position, with tray tables and in-flight entertainment screens adjusted accordingly.
No. They should not be removing the recliner feature on an airline in econmy. As one who is older, my lower back goes crazy on long haul flights without the recliner feature. Yes, after the Singapore airlines flight that suffered from recent turbulence and people have suffered life changing injuries including paralysis wearing your seatbelt is common sense.
On my recent flight, the man sitting next to me, had some kind of clacker thing. He kept clicking away most of the trip. I thought he was afraid of flying. He had headphones on and watching something on the phone. I was so happy to get off that flight!
The flights I take are normally long-haul -- Los Angeles to Frankfurt am Main -- to visit family. As much as I enjoy a window seat, I prefer an aisle seat from which I can more easily get up to stretch my legs or go to the lavatory. When it comes to reclining my seat, I always give the occupant of the seat behind me a heads-up. I also don't recline my seat too much; just enough to be comfortable (I always keep my seatbelt fastened whenever I'm in my seat). Flying can be stressful for many individuals. Fortunately, I have a phlegmatic temperament. It helps me, for the most part, enjoy the whole air travel experience.
I always speak to the person behind me if I'm going to recline my seat. I also tell them if they need to get out of the seat they can tap my shoulder and I will pull my seat up to help them get out. I've never had any complaints.
Not recline because someone has a laptop behind me?…once I’m in my seat I’m in…not checking for laptop users…however I will continue to recline slow for safety😊
Yes, I agree, nor are you required to be super-respectful of laptop users, imo. A laptop is a luxury, whether you are flying for business or pleasure. As a laptop user myself, I would not expect that someone in front of me should have to be worried about my use, at the expense of their own comfort. Although the laptop space might not be ideal, a reclined position still allows the tray behind me to be used. Honestly, my last trip was from the US to Turkey, something like 11 hours, and I used my IPad the entire flight, binge-watching my shows. 11 hours of not reclining, really?
@@tinapomfrey5412- Binge-watching on an iPad is a whole different thing than attempting to work on a laptop (and if you do both, you should realize that). Also, an iPad is not going to be caught up in the tray table indent and be broken as a laptop screen can be (and it has happened). Finally, 11-hour flights are an exception. With the average domestic flight time only 1.5 hours (in the US), there's absolutely no reason to recline your seat the paltry 5° they move. Finally, doing so without taking into consideration the passenger behind you for whatever reason - laptop use (or other tray use), person's height, or whether or not there's a bag under your seat is simply rude.
@@ashemoski , the use of the seat takes precedent over the use of the tray table, in my opinion. I agree that you should not recline during the 4 circumstances mentioned in the video, and that you should show courtesy when putting your seat into recline. However, it is absurd to expect the passenger in front of me, who paid for a SEAT, to accommodate my use of a laptop. That is rude and I don't think I am that special. If your worry is about the safety of the laptop...get an Ipad.
I personally don't recline my seat , because it actually make my back and legs hurt more from the angle . I don't mind if the person in front of me do it , but if is with in reasonable limit, I've seen people don't realize they recline so much that can almost hit the person behind them with the tray table when is down . As for possible spills on cups i usually just hold the cup till im done with it, because it can spill not only from reclining , but also from sudden turbulence.
My last flight I had a gentleman recline his seat suddenly into my knees. Being six foot four it wasn't a pleasant feeling. He at first refused to sit back up. I can see why so many fights happen on airplanes. When I started to get angry he soon relinted.😢
I totally agree about not reclining during meal service (and on long-haul flights in recent years I've noticed cabin crew ask passengers to raise their seatbacks, even waking passengers to do so, at meal times). However, I totally *disagree* about not reclining if someone's using a laptop or device - I mean, sure, if you're not trying to sleep and you otherwise don't need to recline, then fine, don't do it just because. But some passengers watch films and the like for the entire duration of a flight - so are you just never meant to recline? Again, I'm mostly thinking of long-haul flights here, especially overnight ones. I think it's entirely fair to recline when the cabin is dimmed for 'night' whether or not the person behind you is using a laptop or similar.
Couldn't agree with you more. We mostly do long haul flights and I would NEVER worry about someone having a laptop behind me that makes me not recline to sleep. Putting the chair up for a meal would be no problem but most people don't so I don't worry about it much if the person in front of me is reclined for the meal. It doesn't make it that much harder to eat your meal.
Reclined seats makes it more difficult to get out, especially if you are in the middle or window seat. I hardly use the reline myself and would not miss that feature. It generally eats into your space apart from mealtime.
I do not recline and I have not for years. Since there so many uneducated flyers, I hope airlines get rid of reclining seats in coach. I had a woman recline during bordering while I was seated. I was jammed in my seat and we had not even left the ground yet. I told her to raise her seatback and she said no. With that info, I forced her seat back into the upright position. and held it there. She yelled and the flight attendant came rushing over to see what the problem was. I explained the situation and she ordered the woman to raise the seat. The woman tried to recline again during the flight and I stopped her. After a few minutes, the woman gave up. When we landed, she said a few unkind words to me and I told her where she could shove her opinion. She left in a huff and glared at the cabin crew on the way out.
The two primary stressors in air travel, imo, are cramped seating and anxiety about whether there will be a place for your carryon luggage, both of which airlines could remediate but don’t. As for the rest, I choose a window seat because I want to look out the window! I will try to accommodate someone using the entertainment system, but if you need to sleep in the dark, bring your own eye mask. I never completely recline my seat all at once, though. I do a little “warning” move and then recline slowly.
The seat can recline in its own space, like on Japan Airlines, i.e. the seat slides forward as it is reclined so the seatback would not intrude into the space behind. As for putting any part of your body, e.g. hair, hand, foot, into other people's space, that's just rude.
I am all for removing reclining seats - the room between is so small, so when a person in front of you reclines - you basically are left with no space at all. Also, a lot of people are very inconsiderate - they recline even at takeoffs and landings and during dining time, and the crew doesn't enforce a no-recline policy
On several flights, the seat in front of me was suddenly and rapidly reclined into my kneecaps! I had to either sit sideways, or with my legs spread far apart. Not exactly comfortable!
If I have a window seat, then the shade will be up! But I guess I can keep it down for take-off and landing. Looking out the window is the best part of the flight! 😊
I am yet to travel on a plane in the USA where they enforce the window blind up rule while taking off and landing and we have been going there for years. In OZ it’s mandatory and the attendants actually make you put them up.
I always defer to the person who is sitting in the seat when it comes to reclining. Watching or working on your laptop should not supercede someone elses comfort. I am careful, however, around meal and drink service and make sure everything is cleared before reclining.
Anybody who thinks recline should be removed has obviously never taken an 6+ hour red-eye flight... Even if not a red-eye, on a long flight sitting bolt upright will cause lumbar pain.
I was mortified when I was recently on a train in Europe and another passenger told me that my Airpods were not connected to the movie I was watching on my device. Thank goodness it was less than a minute. YIKES.😮
Travel has become problematic post covid. Generally people appear to have less tolerance. Mental health issues peep out in queues and long haul, I personally have switched to no long hauls but break it up and carry on only. Don't bother with duty free. Check in online. It's not as care free to travel as it once was. Still worth it, still fun but adjusting to change is the normal.
Perhaps if they can update the design of seats so that when you recline, the seat moves forward slightly might make it better for everyone, instead of the seatback just reclining back. I've been on flights where similar things have happened (in one case, a guy sort of "Fell" into his seat causing the person behind them to spill their drink). I wonder if perhaps if it would be possible to make it so the seats cannot be reclined quickly, but rather more slowly despite you perhaps pushing on it. For the phone/valuables thing, just do a quick check when you get up... make sure you have all of your stuff. I think the one time I left something on a plane was back in 2012 when I left a small (cheap) camera on the plane (not a huge deal if I lost it as it was a disposable camera anyway with nothing on it but if I had done a quick check before le aving the plane, I would not have had this happen so it's now become part of my routine when departing planes, cars, or even public transportation).
I was in middle seat recently, and the man to my right hogged the arm rest to my right, so I largely did not get to use it. Lol. I didn’t feel like making a big deal to him especially since it was a short flight and English wasn’t his first language. 🤷🏻♀️ I just gave up that time.
Like you, I would have said nothing. Unless you have been in a middle seat you may not realize how confining it can be. Hopefully he is more considerate next time.
I love that some airports have posters stating the armrests are for the middle seat. The next time I see one I’m taking a picture. If the person at the window seat tries to spread I’ll open my phone, say nothing and take my coveted armrest.
When someone in front of reclines too far the seat back will grind into my knees. This mainly due to the ever shrinking leg space, and not limiting the amount of recline in the seats.
