United flight diverted over seat recline issue
Aug 25, 2014, 4:41 pm
#16
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I actually think the reclining seats are a little dangerous because no one ever looks behind them before reclining. I've leaned forward to get something from my laptop bag under the seat and had the seat back slammed into my head. It only startled me, but I let out a scream and curse so the idiot in front of me at least (hopefully) felt bad.
I wish seat designers could come up with an effective tray table design that isn't exactly the right height to catch a laptop screen between the seat back and tray table when the pax reclines (or jounces the seat).
Aug 25, 2014, 4:42 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Seats need to be upright, not partially reclined, for safety reasons during evacuation. Moreover, for many of us, to sit in the reclined position means a sore back. However, as was suggested by Bonehead, a reduced field of recline might be good idea.
Aug 25, 2014, 4:44 pm
#18
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Too bad the lady was not drinking hot coffee, though in that case I would have to vote she goes with him to the slammer.
People need to get over this "it is my space" thing. Clearly the seat is designed to recline. I will recline slowly to avoid an issue with breaking laptops and spilling food/drinks. And if a pax behind my politely asks me to not recline, I will comply.
But if the pax behind me is a jerk about the issue ...
People need to get over this "it is my space" thing. Clearly the seat is designed to recline. I will recline slowly to avoid an issue with breaking laptops and spilling food/drinks. And if a pax behind my politely asks me to not recline, I will comply.
But if the pax behind me is a jerk about the issue ...
Aug 25, 2014, 4:53 pm
#19
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I'm with you though, I don't recline. The only exception is on some of the pmCO planes, the seat is uncomfortably straight and rigid so I go back about an inch.
A governor is also a good compromise. I actually am very conscious of moving slowly when I do my 1 inch recline, it's just a matter of common sense and politeness. As soon as I figure out a way to regulate people's awareness of their surroundings, I'm going to suggest that too
.
Aug 25, 2014, 4:56 pm
#20
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It sure must take a special sort of narcissism to think that it's okay to use that product.
The marketing materials sound like a weird air travel version of the (insane) self-sovereignty "movement."
The marketing materials sound like a weird air travel version of the (insane) self-sovereignty "movement."
Aug 25, 2014, 4:59 pm
#21
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Just for avoidance of doubt, I would personally do whatever a FA told me and discuss it with the airline once on the ground if I felt mistreated. And as far as the story is accurate, I think both passengers disgraced themselves (my toddler behaves better on airplanes than these 48-year-olds).
Aug 25, 2014, 5:01 pm
#22
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Aug 25, 2014, 5:03 pm
#23
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For better or worse, the long-term solution in E is likely to be the seats where the back does not recline at all; instead, the seat slides forward within the "back shell."
While this avoids the "recline in my face" problem, some say those seats are less comfortable on long rides. I don't know, as I have not had the (mis)fortune of experiencing those seats.
While this avoids the "recline in my face" problem, some say those seats are less comfortable on long rides. I don't know, as I have not had the (mis)fortune of experiencing those seats.
Aug 25, 2014, 5:04 pm
#24
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Federal criminal law requires passengers to obey the lawful orders of the crew. UA prohibits the device. The FA was authorized to issue the order and Mr. Middle committed a crime. Whether the FBI pursues an investigation and the U.S. Attorney chooses to prosecute, is a different question.
Ms. Water committed an assault aboard an aircraft. She too committed a crime. Same thing respecting the prosecution.
Hopefully UA will ban both from flying UA and pursue Mr. Middle for damages associated with the cost of diverting the flight. If you do this just once in a while, you can actually modify bad behavior.
Ms. Water committed an assault aboard an aircraft. She too committed a crime. Same thing respecting the prosecution.
Hopefully UA will ban both from flying UA and pursue Mr. Middle for damages associated with the cost of diverting the flight. If you do this just once in a while, you can actually modify bad behavior.
If UA doesn't ban them from flying UA again, then both of these pax should only be allowed to fly as UM's in the future because both of them acted like children.
Aug 25, 2014, 5:05 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2008
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In some ways, being an airline passenger is like being a soldier. Both must obey lawful orders and both must refuse unlawful orders. If flight crew tells one to smother the child who is crying, the order is not lawful. But if the FA tells one not to use a gadget one must not use it -- unless failing to use it would be unlawful (e.g. failing to wear clothing on a non-clothing optional flight).
Aug 25, 2014, 5:09 pm
#26
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There's a difference between using a seat feature in a rude way, and buying a product that alters the airline seat in front of you out of an insane delusion that you have a "right" to your knee space.
Aug 25, 2014, 5:14 pm
#27
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Not to mention that some pax who do the full recline are just totally and completely clueless. Which is a somewhat lesser degree of culpability than knowing disregard for others' comfort.
Aug 25, 2014, 5:14 pm
#28
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Nope, just the regular sort of narcissism is required. Same as the guy who slammed his seat into full recline in front of me exactly 2 seconds after the wheels left the runway last week, or the guy next to me on that same flight who checked emails on his phone until he couldn't get a cell signal any longer. We live in a world where a lot of people feel if they don't like the rule than they don't need to follow it.
Aug 25, 2014, 5:18 pm
#29
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Aug 25, 2014, 5:21 pm
#30
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I don't generally use laptop on planes so I don't know the answer to this, but I thought that in E+ the whole recline-seat-into-laptop-thing wasn't an issue since there is enough room. Is that not the case?