To recline or not to recline, that's the question

[Cinderella94]

I'm posting this one because virgin atlantic have this going on Facebook and some of the comments have shocked me greatly.

Is it ok to recline your seat or not on a long flight?

I've always thought that we were ok to recline as long as it wasn't meal time because there's so little space for that anyway. The rest of the time it's free reign surely?

Thing is people are saying well the person behind you might be tall or have a child on their lap but what am I supposed to do then? I'm tall too and if the seat in front of me reclines, I have no choice other than to recline my seat too.

So whats the etiquette here? I mean it's ok saying well ask the person behind but what if they say no?

[AKLnut]

omg Im amazed its even a question of course you're allowed to recline and if people have a problem tell them to go speak to a member of staff who'll put them right back in their place and will tell them that the seats recline for a reason

its one thing to be considerate and not recline at 100mph so you hit whoever is behind you, and polite to sit straight at meal times until the trays have gone, but other than that reclining is fine and anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get over themselves and order themselves a private jet :lol:

[ukwdwnut]

if the seat reclines you can recline

this question on other sites causes sooooooo many arguments and what some passengers will do to stop the passenger in front of them from reclining absolutely staggers me its beyond belief and downright abusive if you ask me.

i have always reclined and will carry on doing so as long as my seat will allow me to. no one but no one can stop you reclining or have the right to do so if the seat has a reclining facility.

i agree with the above as long as you are considerate, and dont move the seat back really fast and put the seat up at meal times you are fine, other than that feel free to recline :)

[MystikPiglit]

If you recline carefully and not at mealtimes that is acceptable. :thumbsup:
They are, after all, reclining seats. :yes:

(Sadly, not everyone takes these points into consideration. :sigh:)

[arkvilla]

I don't understand why it's an issue - they wouldn't be made to recline if you weren't supposed to recline them :yes:

Of course it's good manners to have the seat upright at mealtimes. The people behind you couldn't eat if you were reclined.

It's like people who moan about children on a flight to Florida :thumbsdown: D'oh - it's a flight to Florida - what do you expect. Of course they are going to be excited and as long as they're not abusive or overly ruly, then for goodness sake, have some patience :yes:

Sandra

[WDWFigment]

I don't mind well behaved kids it's the ones who scream down my ear for 10 hours, crying, screaming, crying then kicking the seats, running up and down then being sick :( I admit to wanting to stick them in the hold :lol:

[Coolape]

The seats were designed to be reclined, to give you comfort and is also to do with your health. Long durations in one position is not healthy. Plus, if someone went out of their way to tell me I couldn't recline my seat, I'd have to disable their entertainment for the duration of the flight :D

Ps. Am an Aircraft mechanic.

[arkvilla]

The seats were designed to be reclined, to give you comfort and is also to do with your health. Long durations in one position is not healthy. Plus, if someone went out of their way to tell me I couldn't recline my seat, I'd have to disable their entertainment for the duration of the flight :D

Ps. Am an Aircraft mechanic.

Nice one :thumbsup:

Sandra

[Florida Deals]

Just don't sit in the front of the seats that do not recline as I have done in the past and the people behind kicking, constantly pushing the seat etc then asking the airhostess to tell me to put my seat up which I have always done during meal times.

I always advise people now which seats to be wary of and book there seats for them where possible.

If people choose not to recline their seats that is their choice but don't let them winge to me LOL!!!

I say RECLINE and be comfortable!

[Esmeralda]

I meet people halfway, I recline but not fully and never at meal times and only when I want to snooze. Plus I buy the next premium seats up so they and I have more room. HTH?

[Johnie]

I do not recline. Of course, I have not flown for many, many hours either.

However, if you do want to recline...may I ask that you please give a heads up to the person behind you? I didn't say you have to ask permission, just let them know so they can move their head or their drink. I've been bonked in the head and had my drink spilt on me.

[Keith]

You know what? the real problem is with an industry that packs people in like sardines in the first place! heck, if I was stuck on a bus with so little legroom I'd be unhappy yet we put up with it for 10 hours on a plane!

I saw this question posed by virgin atlantic as a bit of a game on facebook and I don't want to make a federal case out of it or anything but I did kinda shake my head and think ouch that they'd ask the question in the first place. There'd be no need for an etiquette if there was just enough space to recline a little bit without jamming your seat into the face of the person sitting behind.

If they're not going to find more space for economy especially, then I think they have to limit the recline to make it slower to happen and only recline to about half what it does now.

I say all that as someone who firmly believes that we should all be allowed to recline but if we can make it better for everyone we should do.

[Coolape]

You know what? the real problem is with an industry that packs people in like sardines in the first place! heck, if I was stuck on a bus with so little legroom I'd be unhappy yet we put up with it for 10 hours on a plane!

I saw this question posed by virgin atlantic as a bit of a game on facebook and I don't want to make a federal case out of it or anything but I did kinda shake my head and think ouch that they'd ask the question in the first place. There'd be no need for an etiquette if there was just enough space to recline a little bit without jamming your seat into the face of the person sitting behind.

If they're not going to find more space for economy especially, then I think they have to limit the recline to make it slower to happen and only recline to about half what it does now.

I say all that as someone who firmly believes that we should all be allowed to recline but if we can make it better for everyone we should do.

I'd like to start off in saying, please don't shoot the messenger, as this is the knowledge I have gathered from the industry (not this specific case).

1. Changing a design, or creating a modification is a no no when that particular part is serviceable / in working order, it's just too expensive (trust me).

2. Airliners will always look to maximize profits (I don't think I need to gain any trust here!).

3. It would be easier and cheaper to take out a row of seats and spread the space in the cabin. But I refer you to reason #2 again.

Okay, we are jam packed like a tin of sardines... It could be worst!
Check these links out:

Link #1 (http://www.travolution.co.uk/articles/2010/09/10/3925/italian-firm-unveils-stand-up-airline-seat.html) Link #2 (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/8001351/SkyRider-new-saddle-seat-allows-airlines-to-cram-more-passengers.html) Link #3 (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/5753477/Ryanair-to-make-passengers-stand.html)

What we should be fighting for is the day light robbery Air Passenger Duty Tax! flying from Heathrow is already expensive, and they want to increase the duties again...

I much prefer the current layout! than to be standing up in a tin can.

[Keith]

definitely not going to shoot the messenger :) and certainly under no illusions as to why it isn't done but I think all the best innovation comes from asking why and how can we make things better. If it turns out that this is a big niggle for a large amount of people and one airline can find a clever fix, then the costs can be paid for by competitive advantage. So heck, it's worth a bit of a moan I reckon? ;-)

The standing up thing well, given security these days, I wonder how long before we're all just knocked out for ten hours, slid into a tiny capsule and woken up at the other end.

You're 100% bang on right about the scandalous air passenger duty tax of course. Nothing's going to come down on that one though, it's only going to go up and up until it's back to the bad old days when only the rich could afford to fly. Sadly, like fuel duty, it's too easy a tax to collect and any time anyone complains about it, they get the green argument thrown back at them. Very annoying

[Esmeralda]

The day they try to make me stand the whole way is the day I take my money elsewhere.

[Kate]

I always recline my seat on the way home (which is always a night flight) during the flight out i keep it upright. I always do it really slowly too, and feel slightly relieved when i check that the person behind me has already reclined theirs before i start moving mine!!

As for children, well if dd pulls herself up with the seat infront or kicks shes gets told not to do that because the person infront wont like it very much. There is nothing worse than being knocked about in your seat by the child behind!

[mainecoon lover]

This type of argument really annoys me as they do not think who it might affect. I agree to pre-warn the person behind you. Sadly our holidays to Florida with Beth are very curtailed now due to us having to fly UC with her and with rocketing prices I am unsure we will ever again. I booked to take her to London recently and had to choose an airline were seats reclined as I thought she could cope for an hour. Sadly that airline cancelled all flights, we were offered another carrier but their seats do not recline so we could not fly with them and will now have a 5 hour journey by train with Beth pumped full of pain relief to get there. We also have less time in London. People need to think how it may affect others by not being able to recline.

[Keith]

It goes both ways doesnt it thats for sure! no one seems to think about whether the person reclining really needs to for health reasons.

To be honest, it says more about a society that's becoming ever more intolerant. Not good really

[ukwdwnut]

To be honest, it says more about a society that's becoming ever more intolerant. Not good really

definitely true, same goes with driving here, its getting really out of control with road rage

[mainecoon lover]

It goes both ways doesnt it thats for sure! no one seems to think about whether the person reclining really needs to for health reasons.

To be honest, it says more about a society that's becoming ever more intolerant. Not good really

You have hit the nail on the head Keith, most but not all thankfully can not see past their own needs or wants.

[Esmeralda]

Going to WDW in December I slowly reclined part way, after looking behind me first and when I was asleep the guy behind pulled himself up to get out of his seat and ripped half my hair out, waking me with a loud yelp :( I wasn't fully reclined and he was thin as a reed so he didn't need to pull half my hair out :(

[josh.p.]

I don't recline, simply out of preference rather than giving thought to the people behind me.

[Johnie]

Playing devil's advocate, it may not be a lack of empathy and caring on people's part. It could be that you reclining back into their personal space (of which there is hardly any on a flight) may be too much for them as well.

[mainecoon lover]

Playing devil's advocate, it may not be a lack of empathy and caring on people's part. It could be that you reclining back into their personal space (of which there is hardly any on a flight) may be too much for them as well.

I see what you are saying but i think the issue lies with

1- the airline companies for cramming people in like sardines
2- that the individual needs to make sure they chose the correct class for them ie if they have very long legs then perhaps they should pay for extra legroom or PE.

This will always be a huge debate and has caused nothing but arguments else were. In the past when we have managed economy i have always made sure a family member is sat directly behind Beth and we all swap as not to cause grief for the other people. I would now never fly over an hour with Beth unless we were in UC. What i do not agree with though is airlines stopping the ability for seats to recline as this will stop those already limited in their everyday living to not be able to enjoy a holiday. We all need to stop and consider others in lives and not merrily go and not care about others. Beth would love to go back to WDW and we hope next year but with spiraling costs then its not looking very likely as we are looking at £3000 for just one person to fly UC let alone 3 of us and yes all 3 would have to fly UC.

I look forward to 2013 when new laws are brought in for airlines that do not provide the facilities for the likes of Beth to fly. This is an EU rule so unsure of USA.

[Kate]

that the individual needs to make sure they chose the correct class for them ie if they have very long legs then perhaps they should pay for extra legroom or PE.



My husband is tall, we wouldnt be able to afford to fly PE :sorry:

[mainecoon lover]

My husband is tall, we wouldnt be able to afford to fly PE :sorry:

I know what you are saying, just like us flying UC with Beth. This is why airlines need to rethink than cram in like sardines but at the end of the day its all down to profits. We only have one wage in this house due to me needing to be at home and this will never end unless i put Beth in residential or the worst happens. Why should your dh suffer and why should Beth not be able to go but there again in the end its down to individual and consideration. A no win argument

[Keith]

so so true :( I'm sure no one cares but society won't move forward an inch until we start caring about each other properly, realising that our lives are all intertwined and genuinely going out of our way to improve things for everyone.

I'm not trying to be a hopeless hippie or anything but who'd have thought that in the year 2011 someone who's a bit taller than average, has a disability or whatever should be worried about something as mainstream as flying because of something so DAFT as seats reclining and there not being enough space allocated to each person.

You can see why we haven't been contacted by aliens from another world can't you! they probably saw how we treat each other and thought whoa sod that :lol:

[Kate]

They shouldnt charge so much for PE and def not UC - is it really worth all that extra money? Flying upper class would be the cost of another holiday!!

[Britchick]

They shouldnt charge so much for PE and def not UC - is it really worth all that extra money? Flying upper class would be the cost of another holiday!!

It's how the airlines make their money, if you think how much the air taxes and fuel costs then it doesn't leave that much for profit on an economy flight.

[Johnie]

The US airlines that I typically fly don't even have extra legroom options.

I think the problem is the airlines cramming people in like sardines.

[mainecoon lover]

They shouldnt charge so much for PE and def not UC - is it really worth all that extra money? Flying upper class would be the cost of another holiday!!

Dh would say yes but I really did not get to really experience it to be honest as to busy seeing to Beth. It was good as Beth was comfy which made a huge difference and I did not get of feeling like I had been pulled through a hedge backward. I was also not as tired in the evening. It was good to be served my meal when I wanted it and I still got a choice unlike being left with what ever is left in economy. The beds were not that comfy but better than economy of course.