Reclining on an airplane? and other flying etiquette
- Thread starter ISUCyclones2015
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You'd be surprised how often it happens when the husband sits up front and the wife and kids are in the back. Sometimes I've seen it reversed because the wife was the frequent flyer. I know love isn't real but the times I've gone with people I've always made sure to book both of us together.
Then there was this family. 3 out of the 4 got upgraded. Always curious who the poor sap was that had to be in the back.
Yes. If you need more room pay for the upgrade. Don’t expect the person in front of you to sacrifice their range of seat space for your comfort. I sit in my allotted space and my allotted space includes the recline position that the airline allows me to have. I do not complain about the person reclining in front of me. I fly non-stops. Flights are 4 hours plus usually. So I recline. Unless I get stuck in a non-reclining row. And I don’t complain about the person in front of me even then. The hypocrites are those who are tall and want others to sacrifice for them because they are cheap. Seats with more space are available at a price. Blame the airlines. Not the passengers who desire a bit of recline that is an advertised feature of their seat.
Those who are pro-recliners I assume are 5'-8" and shorter? After a flight to Paris where a person reclined the seat so far that I could not even sit with my knees bent at a normal 90 degrees for 8 hours, I will never again recline my seat more than halfway in coach under any circumstances if there is a person behind me. I'm not even overly tall (6'-0"). I lose all respect for anyone who fully reclines in coach. It's extremely disrespectful and causes extreme discomfort to the person behind you. Don't do it.
My personal policy is split up by where I'm sitting:
First Class: Full recline - there's enough space that you won't hit the person behind you.
Comfort Plus/Enhance Economy: Depends on the plane. Sometimes, there's enough room for you to recline in full, others only partial.
Regular Economy: No recline, or at max 25-50% recline if I'm feeling really uncomfortable with the seat straight up. Full recline if no one is behind me.
Aside from all that, when in doubt don't recline.
Arm Rest Policy: No one gets the arm rest, unless you're flying with a friend or family member. The line of demarcation extends between "your space" and "my space" at the center of that arm rest. If you put your arm on it, you're taking up my space. I would be fine with it if you could stay only on the arm rest. That's almost never the case - putting your arm fully on the arm rest means your shoulders and upper arms are extending into my seat area. Now, I'm leaning away from you the whole flight unless I want your sweaty arms and shoulders touching me for the next 2 hours. Fine if it's a friend or family member, extremely annoying if it's a random stranger.
I know this seems petty, but as a moderately frequent flyer these trips are uncomfortable already. Random strangers encroaching on your space, especially if you're having a bad day anyway, just puts it over the line.
My personal policy is split up by where I'm sitting:
First Class: Full recline - there's enough space that you won't hit the person behind you.
Comfort Plus/Enhance Economy: Depends on the plane. Sometimes, there's enough room for you to recline in full, others only partial.
Regular Economy: No recline, or at max 25-50% recline if I'm feeling really uncomfortable with the seat straight up. Full recline if no one is behind me.
Aside from all that, when in doubt don't recline.
Arm Rest Policy: No one gets the arm rest, unless you're flying with a friend or family member. The line of demarcation extends between "your space" and "my space" at the center of that arm rest. If you put your arm on it, you're taking up my space. I would be fine with it if you could stay only on the arm rest. That's almost never the case - putting your arm fully on the arm rest means your shoulders and upper arms are extending into my seat area. Now, I'm leaning away from you the whole flight unless I want your sweaty arms and shoulders touching me for the next 2 hours. Fine if it's a friend or family member, extremely annoying if it's a random stranger.
I know this seems petty, but as a moderately frequent flyer these trips are uncomfortable already. Random strangers encroaching on your space, especially if you're having a bad day anyway, just puts it over the line.
Again, it is your right to recline. But surely people understand that it reduces the comfort of the person behind them. IMO, that is disrespectful.
An overnight flight or really long flight, all bets are off, and if I go cheap that's on me. Not going to complain about somebody reclining, as miserable as it is.
But a guy that gets on a two hour flight in the middle of the day that feels he needs squeeze every degree of recline on his seat while he rams into my knees is being rude. I don't think reclining just a little bit and enjoying the miracle of flight at slightly less than optimal comfort while saving the person behind you from being absolutely miserable is too much to ask.
There are probably thousands of things we COULD do each day that would make our lives slightly easier, but would be really rude and inconsiderate. This is one of those things.
I love to fly...I hate to fly.
I love watching other people and their oddities. I hate rude people and those that put their seats back without looking or asking the person behind them.
I love sitting next to the organized small sized traveler that sits quietly next to you. I hate the overweight selfish traveler that invades my seat area.
I love the well dressed traveler. I hate the jammy bottom traveler.
But...most of all I enjoy watching people walking down the isle as they look for their seat...knowing you could have the small petite pixie sitting next to you, or the overweight smelly tubby sitting next to you...the anticipation is tantalizing! Who will it be?....Dammit its the tubby again!
I love watching other people and their oddities. I hate rude people and those that put their seats back without looking or asking the person behind them.
I love sitting next to the organized small sized traveler that sits quietly next to you. I hate the overweight selfish traveler that invades my seat area.
I love the well dressed traveler. I hate the jammy bottom traveler.
But...most of all I enjoy watching people walking down the isle as they look for their seat...knowing you could have the small petite pixie sitting next to you, or the overweight smelly tubby sitting next to you...the anticipation is tantalizing! Who will it be?....Dammit its the tubby again!
JFC, I am like 5'-9" and pay for roomier seats. With some neck bone spurs and arthritis I am not usually good neckwise for sitting perfectly upright for four hours or more even with a little inflated collar pillow. The reduced isle room in economy sucks and that's on the airlines but some of you tall cheap bastards should pony up a few extra dollars for comfort + or something and/or select the seats in exit rows that do not recline.
I can see some of you pricks banging on the seatback of some elderly lady that can't sit upright straight as an arrow for 4 hours or more.
I can see some of you pricks banging on the seatback of some elderly lady that can't sit upright straight as an arrow for 4 hours or more.
Here is a relevant question, should morbidly obese/ just massive humans people be required to purchase two airline seats. Some airlines have the policy that if you require a seat belt extension or are unable to fit in a seat with both armrests down, you need to buy an extra seat.
These types are what I am talking about.
Brian has said that when he has to fly, which is relatively frequently, he will always fly first class providing it's available. This is a small plane for even your average human.
These types are what I am talking about.
Brian has said that when he has to fly, which is relatively frequently, he will always fly first class providing it's available. This is a small plane for even your average human.
So no, you don't. Of course life is more comfortable the more money you have, 'merica! I guess we should just all have more money, makes sense.
It's a very odd response to read dozens of reasonable explanations why it sucks and the response to be "Lever there, me pull lever!".
And those of us who chose to recline have reasonable explanations as well. The tall man's problem is not everyone else's to cater to. For all of your "it's just one flight, deal with it", I can easily turn that back on you. Deal with it or pick a seat that gives you more room.
Seems like the recline issue is pretty settled here, unless you have a medical reason to do it you're the *******.
I don't get thinking there should be a dress code though. As long as nothing is hanging out we're good.
I don't get thinking there should be a dress code though. As long as nothing is hanging out we're good.
I assume you live in Minneapolis because of your teams. There's literally no flight in the lower 48 that's 4 hours or more from Minneapolis.
I think reclining seats should only be available in the higher priced sections of the airplane. Economy just doesn't have the room for this functionality. If someone wants to recline, they should have to pay more. I think it would solve a lot of problems.
This is all a byproduct of airlines being too greedy and cramming way too many people onto planes. I'm 6' 5" and barely have enough leg room as it is, and if someone reclines it becomes nearly impossible to get comfortable.
So I'm all for reclining, but they need to reconfigure these airplanes to provide people with a little more space.
So I'm all for reclining, but they need to reconfigure these airplanes to provide people with a little more space.
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There have been some pretty reasonably explanations to recline and that's fine. Depending on the day my back needs different things.
I have zero patience for the people that think just because it reclines that you own that space. You own that space just as much as I own the right to use my tray table and a reasonable amount of space for my legs. You don't get one without the other.
Happens a ton. They are either doing it intentionally or just really stupid. I say they're both.
I've switched from my window seat one time... I boarded and there was a mother and a little girl (5ish) in their seats already. They were middle seat and aisle seat. As I was putting my carry-on away I noticed the girl was trying to look out the window. Little kids like looking out the windows so I asked the mom if they wanted to slide in and I made a 5 year old's day.
But if you're a grown ass man taking my window seat? Gtfo. That's my seat.
My allotted space is the full recline of seat and all the area in front of me. If I stay in Upright then I am allowing you to use MY Unused space of the recline. That is MY space. Delta ADVERTISES that Main and Economy Seats recline up to 4”. So that is MY Space if I choose to use it. I choose to use it. You want more space? Then purchase a seat upgrade. Why should I give up because your are cheap? I am fine with everyone using the space the airlines allow them. No more. No less. Area of recline is MY Space.
Lol at all you suckers who don’t recline because of some non existent ‘etiquette’. Thanks for not reclining.
