To recline or not to recline?
Jun 30, 1999, 5:37 am
#1
Original Member
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To recline or not to recline?
(CNN's quick-poll)
Airline seat etiquette: To recline or not to recline? What's your golden rule?
Fine to recline the whole way 35%, 2097 votes
Recline only part-way 36%, 2145 votes
Don't recline 21%, 1294 votes
Only if person in front of me reclines 8%, 488 votes
Total: 6024 votes
Fine to recline the whole way 35%, 2097 votes
Recline only part-way 36%, 2145 votes
Don't recline 21%, 1294 votes
Only if person in front of me reclines 8%, 488 votes
Total: 6024 votes
Jun 30, 1999, 5:55 am
#2
Join Date: May 1999
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I think it also depends on your aircraft, flying in Business First on a DC 10 or 777 it really doesn't matter--given the room between the rows.
Jun 30, 1999, 9:11 am
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
Posts: 1,976
The person in front has paid for their seat - why shouldn't they recline? You can't really fly coach on a 737 and expect not to be cramped!
[This message has been edited by james (edited 06-30-1999).]
[This message has been edited by james (edited 06-30-1999).]
Jun 30, 1999, 9:15 am
#5
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Obviously that is one of the main reasons for obtaining elite status/upgrades on flights. If you are generally upgraded to First whether or not the person in front of you has reclined is not the biggest issue.
Jun 30, 1999, 12:22 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: DEN, UA PE, Hilton Gold, ** Reactivate Delete Feature**
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Firstly, the economy seat width and pitch is below "human dignity" level. It is cramped for normal sized people and beyond cramped for larger people. The real answer is larger seats, further apart, even if that means more expensive tickets. However, let us assume that this will not happen 
With that as a given, the next best solution would be to disable the recliners.
I don't like it when someone reclines into me, so I don't recline into others. I suppose that since the airline provides the recliner my ticket price gives me the right to use it. I could also argue that my ticket price gives me the right to behave just as obnoxiously I can right up to the point it gets me ejected from the plane.
The airlines are to blame for providing the combination of small seat pitch and recliners, but I still don't choose to make life harder for the person behind me. If the person in front of me reclines I do find I need to put my seat back partway during meals to be able to have room to eat. This is especially true when confined to Middle Seat Hell.
Just my opinions, nothing more.
With that as a given, the next best solution would be to disable the recliners.I don't like it when someone reclines into me, so I don't recline into others. I suppose that since the airline provides the recliner my ticket price gives me the right to use it. I could also argue that my ticket price gives me the right to behave just as obnoxiously I can right up to the point it gets me ejected from the plane.
The airlines are to blame for providing the combination of small seat pitch and recliners, but I still don't choose to make life harder for the person behind me. If the person in front of me reclines I do find I need to put my seat back partway during meals to be able to have room to eat. This is especially true when confined to Middle Seat Hell.
Just my opinions, nothing more.
Jun 30, 1999, 2:09 pm
#7
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
You and Me both Q-L on Middle seats being HECK! I alwasys get stuck between Ms. Figitidy and Mr I'm bigger than you and I will sprawl out and snore.
The Cat's RUle's for reclining are simple: I do it, very slowly and I turn around and watch as I recline so I don't bother the person behind me. When I start hearing the people behind me talk like those foul mouthed kids from "South park" then I know I went too far and I apologize profusely in nice, clean language.
But I need a reclining seat (WHEN I CAN GET A RECLINING SEAT) for my aching back.
Mauld is correct: another advantage of upgrades to business/first: You can recline to your hearts content generally.
You are also right Q-L when you note that don't make seats for NORMAL guys likes us. We need a little room, we are ALLY McBeal (who they design seats for)
SO I wish you Q-L lots of upgrades and happy Reclining!
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MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
The Cat's RUle's for reclining are simple: I do it, very slowly and I turn around and watch as I recline so I don't bother the person behind me. When I start hearing the people behind me talk like those foul mouthed kids from "South park" then I know I went too far and I apologize profusely in nice, clean language.
But I need a reclining seat (WHEN I CAN GET A RECLINING SEAT) for my aching back.
Mauld is correct: another advantage of upgrades to business/first: You can recline to your hearts content generally.
You are also right Q-L when you note that don't make seats for NORMAL guys likes us. We need a little room, we are ALLY McBeal (who they design seats for)
SO I wish you Q-L lots of upgrades and happy Reclining!
------------------
MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!
Jun 30, 1999, 2:21 pm
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 46,817
What a sore spot! I'd assumed the results were based on coach travel, since it seems obvious that you can easily recline up front without cracking someones nose!
My rule is I never reline in coach!
My observation is most (>50%)_people in coach do fully recline and often immediately (upon boarding and prior to takeoff) and quickly (one instantaneous swoop). This would be fine with me, as long as they asked (hopefully relatively nicely) just as a courtesy (and a warning)!
It's a major reason to yearn for the upgrade especially these days!
My rule is I never reline in coach!
My observation is most (>50%)_people in coach do fully recline and often immediately (upon boarding and prior to takeoff) and quickly (one instantaneous swoop). This would be fine with me, as long as they asked (hopefully relatively nicely) just as a courtesy (and a warning)!
It's a major reason to yearn for the upgrade especially these days!
Jun 30, 1999, 3:16 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 1999
Posts: 3,709
If I'm looking to doze, I'll recline IF the person BEHIND me is reclining.
Being a dad of a 4 year-old, 2 year-old and 10 month old, I can pretty much sleep standing up, so I'll sleep just as comfortably in an unreclined seat.
On a recent trip, the moron next to me spent virtually the entire flight fidgeting with the recline on his seat. The poor guy behind this moron nearly lost his soda and laptop on several ocassions.
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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."
[This message has been edited by Jon Toner (edited 06-30-1999).]
Being a dad of a 4 year-old, 2 year-old and 10 month old, I can pretty much sleep standing up, so I'll sleep just as comfortably in an unreclined seat.
On a recent trip, the moron next to me spent virtually the entire flight fidgeting with the recline on his seat. The poor guy behind this moron nearly lost his soda and laptop on several ocassions.
------------------
"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."
[This message has been edited by Jon Toner (edited 06-30-1999).]
Jun 30, 1999, 4:17 pm
#11
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Never in coach and rarely in first. Hate those insensitive people who fly the seat all the way back without regard for what is on tray or lap. Worst though are the ones who give FA's a hard time about going upright when we are coming in to land. I, shy type that I am, have more than once informed the louts that my safety was at stake and listen to the FA.
Jun 30, 1999, 9:26 pm
#13
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What is needed is a change of the design for the reclining seat, move the pivot point from the bottom of the seat back up to a position slightly above the knee level of the passenger to the rear, the seat bottom would be linked to the seat back, and slide foward as the seat reclined. The effect of this change in the geometry would preserve the knee clearance of the innocent passenger behind while the person reclining would be doing so at the expense of his own leg room!
Jul 1, 1999, 7:36 am
#15
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I wasn't really paying attention to this on a recent trip so maybe someone else can confirm it.
I was on a DL 737-800. I reclied and it seemed that the seat moved forward a bit in combination with the reclining.
Was I dreaming?
TW
I was on a DL 737-800. I reclied and it seemed that the seat moved forward a bit in combination with the reclining.
Was I dreaming?
TW