Consolidated thread: Seat recline etiquette.
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta 1MM, Delta SM, United Silver, Amx Plat, Delta Amx Plat, Six-T Plat, IHG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 590
Consolidated thread: Seat recline etiquette.
so I need some advice, please. I'll try n state the facts honestly. So i was on a flight recently (can't remember if it was a 57 or 37) but I was in 2D and another gent in 3D. it was a LONG day of travel for me and so as soon as we reached 10,000 feet, I reclined my seat. the gent behind me immediately states sternly, "hey I need you to put your seat up so i can use my computer." Perhaps it was not one of my finer moments but I replied equally as gruffly "and so I should be inconvenienced and made uncomfortable b/c of that?" he then grumbled something else and I'm sure I was on my way to sleep just that quickly. I THINK i remember him complaining to the FA and the FA replied something like "well sir he is entittled to recline his seat." of course this didn't make him happy and the poor woman next to him wound up trading seats w/ him. i REALLY don't want to be the A-hole traveller so i'm really interested in knowing if i breached some unwritten rule of "if someone asks you not to recline ur seat, ur supposed to do so?" help, please. I'm really a good guy thnx.
#3
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: TPA
Programs: AA PLT, Hilton diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 235
Wouldn't that then require asking each additional person behind you the same question till you get the last row which probably has restrcited recline. It's not my responsibilty to let them know I'm going to recline or not. Courtesy maybe, but who has that nowadays
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,275
It is your seat. You can recline it if you want (slow is courteous, though, power reclines are not).
Mos people are courteous about asking if you would un-recline (usually my answer is still no, but a polite no), but some people are instant jerks when you recline. My line for those people is "if you had any say over the recline of MY seat, they would have put the button for it on YOUR armrest."
Mos people are courteous about asking if you would un-recline (usually my answer is still no, but a polite no), but some people are instant jerks when you recline. My line for those people is "if you had any say over the recline of MY seat, they would have put the button for it on YOUR armrest."
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Somewhere between here and there...
Programs: WWF, Appalachian Mountain Club
Posts: 11,595
Oh, and don't lean back like you're trying to win the recline 100yd dash. Give it some finesse.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,062
I have a colleague at work who is 6' 6" and weighs about 280. You can try to recline into him if you want, but it's pretty much physically impossible on most domestic coach configs. Feel free to argue with him about your "right to recline".
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
so I need some advice, please. I'll try n state the facts honestly. So i was on a flight recently (can't remember if it was a 57 or 37) but I was in 2D and another gent in 3D. it was a LONG day of travel for me and so as soon as we reached 10,000 feet, I reclined my seat. the gent behind me immediately states sternly, "hey I need you to put your seat up so i can use my computer." Perhaps it was not one of my finer moments but I replied equally as gruffly "and so I should be inconvenienced and made uncomfortable b/c of that?" he then grumbled something else and I'm sure I was on my way to sleep just that quickly. I THINK i remember him complaining to the FA and the FA replied something like "well sir he is entittled to recline his seat." of course this didn't make him happy and the poor woman next to him wound up trading seats w/ him. i REALLY don't want to be the A-hole traveller so i'm really interested in knowing if i breached some unwritten rule of "if someone asks you not to recline ur seat, ur supposed to do so?" help, please. I'm really a good guy thnx.
OP, you did nothing wrong. Might want to be less gruff in the reply though.
#9
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,786
I always try to slowly recline. Of course I recline typically very soon after take off thus most computer users do not have their computer out yet. That said, as a computer user when the seat in front is relined it does make things tight. However, I do not use the tray table and have slight build so having it in my lap gives me enough room to work.
#12
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta DM, 4MM, SC, AmEx Reserve, UA Plat, SPG/Marriott Platinum, Hertz Gold
Posts: 2,383
See the ongoing thread regarding seat recline etiquette and one FA's take on this...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...s-recline.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...s-recline.html
#13
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: MKE
Programs: DL-MM-Diamond HH-Diamond
Posts: 3,218
#14
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: HSV
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/1.2MM, UA Premier gold/1MM, Choice diamond, Marriott gold
Posts: 1,374
I always try to slowly recline. Of course I recline typically very soon after take off thus most computer users do not have their computer out yet. That said, as a computer user when the seat in front is relined it does make things tight. However, I do not use the tray table and have slight build so having it in my lap gives me enough room to work.
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta 1MM, Delta SM, United Silver, Amx Plat, Delta Amx Plat, Six-T Plat, IHG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 590
i'm the OP so I just wanted to say THANKS to everybody for your response. upon reflection, I admit I didn' have to "meet" his gruffness with gruffness so lesson learned there but thanks for all the responses and to clarify two things: yes, it was FC and i generally recline after 10,000 feet b/c I generally do so with my Ipod on but on the aforementioned day, I didn't have Ipod on, it was just habit. Thanks everybody, i really appreciate your responses!