beofotch

I am currently flying CLT – LAX on a US Airways A321. I am in seat 3D and once I began working on my laptop I reclined my seat. Within a few minutes of this, the passenger in 4D turned her air vent on my head, presumably to protest me having my seat reclined.

I summoned the flight attendant and asked him to ask the passenger behind me to take her air vent off my head. He asked her and she complied. About fifteen minutes later, the passenger in 4D got my attention and said, “if you continue to shove your head into my lap, I will turn my air vent back on you.” I replied, “what are you talking about?” She replied, “your seat is reclined too far, do you want to switch?” I responded, “no, this is my chosen seat”. I know that row 4 on the A321 doesn’t recline as far.

I then summoned the flight attendant again and noted to him what she had said to me and her threatening tone. She then spoke to him. He came to me and said, “She has taken her air vent off you, wouldn’t you be so kind as to not recline your seat? No other passengers are reclined.” I responded, “while I am working I want to have my seat reclined, I don’t see why this is a problem. I am 6’ 4” and fly enough to be a Dividend Miles Platinum and this has never been an issue in the past.” He responded, “well in that case I can’t stop her from putting her air vent on your head.”. I replied, “if she continues to do that, I will get out my camera phone and take her picture and post it on flyertalk.com and note that this is a passenger who puts her air vent on other passengers.” He paused for a moment and said, “if you take a picture of her, I will have the police meet this flight in Los Angeles.”

At this point, I continue to work (save for writing this post), and she continues to have her air vent on my head. I will wait to take her picture until I am finished with my work. I believe it is totally within my right to take a picture of other people in public (but I could be wrong, I am not an attorney). Also, note that as far as I can tell, she does not have any sort of medical condition or injury. I would be more inclined to suck it up if she were injured. Neither she nor the flight attendant noted she had any condition.

Have you had similar frustrating discourse with other passengers? So my question for you is, what would you do?

CLTF

just tell the cow to shut up!
ide fake taking a photo - might work very well and you wont have ANY issues with cops....

apeortdz

Can't we all just get along?

I would compromise and reduce the angle of your recline.

CLTF

i would also get the FA name and report him as USELESS
that lady needs to grow up

beachbrew

if you fake the photo, you still risk the chance, of the police meeting you at the plane. Its not worth the hassle. I would just deal with it and not get into a pissing match with the lady behind you its really not worth it. The air vent may be annoying, and you do have the right to recline your seat. But is it worth getting detained and having to explain your story to the police when you land.
On a side not i would also write a letter to the airline about the FA. Reclineing your seat is a right pointing the vent at you is not. The lady behind you should have been asked not to do it and nicely explained why. You never threaten a customer unless it is a saftey issue which this is not.

justhere

Interesting. You can make full use of the options that you have (seat-recline) but she cannot make full use of the options that she has (air vent)?

It's ok for you to ask the FA to instruct the passenger to move her air vent but it's not ok for her to ask the FA to tell you to put your seat up?

It's ok for you to disobey the FA's instructions to not take a picture but it's not ok for anyone else to disobey the FA's instructions?

Seems like there is a patter developing here. Yes you can recline your seat and yes she can point her air vent wherever she wants.

hginPHL

I think that just because the seats recline so far back, doesn't mean you have to recline into the person's lap behind you. (not specifically to the OP, just in general) You can recline just a bit so that everyone is comfortable.

Once recently on a flight I had to ask the person in front of me to adjust their seat since it was so far back I couldn't even get my tray table out. I don't think I was out of bounds to do so, and the person was quite apologetic for being so far back.

Just because you "can", doesn't mean you "should".

Compromise people, compromise.

mikeef

Absolutely. Passengers have every right to recline their seats. That's not even a question, particularly as he is doing it for his own benefit. On the other hand, the woman behind him has the right to use her air vent for her own benefit, not to annoy another passenger. This one isn't even close.

Due to fear and loathing over 9/11, FAs have been allowed to become judge and jury on a plane. That does not mean that the OP has no right to take a picture, though. There is no expectation of privacy in a public place. Threatening to put it on FT, though, is a bit much.

Mike

reft

Not a lawyer, but my $0.02: Not sure if the airplane is 'public' enough and what the expectation is privacy is. Some airlines don't mind if you take pictures of you and yours, most seem to not want you to take pictures of their 'processes' and if another passenger raises a stink about it, it could get ugly.

If you must, your options may be better in the airport instead of the airplane.

You're locked in a tube at 30,000 ft at the moment. Not the best place for an escalation past a point of no return. Get names and numbers and address it later.

The recline issue will not be resolved by the end of your flight (or this thread)

justhere

The same can be said about reclining one's seat. Do it for your own benefit but don't annoy other passengers.

FTR I fully agree that OP can and should be able to recline his seat as far back as he wants. But that same right also affords another pax the opportunity to point their air vent in the direction that is comfortable for them. If that happens to also hit the OP in the head, then put the seat up a bit and it won't.

cwe84

To be honest if I was the F/A on that flight. I would look at you both and say " You two are grown adults in the First class cabin, GROW UP" and I would walk away. F/A's are not there to settle your little squabbles. Next thing you know we get involved in the "nuh uhn" and "hes touching me" BS..... I bet one of you two stamped your foot too didn't you.... God knows F/A's have much better things to do than be your mother.

puchalskir

I'm with you on this one.

will2288

^

^^

coachrowsey

^^

aztimm

I think a little compromise on both sides is in order.

Is the seat in front of you reclined? I've seen it happen where the first row reclines, then it sets of a chain reaction.

Why not stand up in the aisle, leave your seat reclined, and see how far back it actually looks?

As someone else noted, I've been on flights where I could hardly move when the seat in front of me was reclined. Really had to fight to get out my tray table. This is especially difficult on the newer A321's where the tray table is one piece (the older folded ones are a little easier).

What, if any, is the reaction of other passengers around you?
(I think I'd have my headphones on and pretend to sleep)