Crewed Talk: Contrary To Misconceptions, Flight Attendants Care About the Reclining Seat Debate

As the debate over seat reclining behavior in the Main Cabin has unfolded, I’ve read and received a fair amount of pushback aimed at flight attendants. It’s usually in the form of a complaint that the “flight attendants did nothing” because we “don’t care” since we “don’t have to sit there” and it “doesn’t affect” us. These complaints are loaded with misconceptions that I’d like to set straight.

Misconception #1: Flight Attendants “Don’t Care”

If we “do nothing,” it’s because there’s little we can do. You’ll be hard pressed to find a flight attendant who thinks 31 to 32 inches pitch is just dandy. We agree that it’s awful.

If we can move you to another seat, we will (not Premium cabins, because that’s a trick we know well). Otherwise, we’re short on alternatives.  The service part of our job has always boiled down to “offer and market all amenities provided.” There is no “unless another passenger makes a stink” clause.

When pressed, some airlines are saying they “have no policy on reclining seats,” but that’s just their way of hiding from the debate via terminology. It’s technically true — there is traditionally nothing that specifically distinguishes seat reclining from any other amenity. In reality, the response from these airlines means nothing more than “seat recline” never had its own titled subsection in their policy books.

It feels like the airlines are shrugging and telling us to “figure it out.” But if we suddenly decide to tell passengers, here and there, “You, specific-person, can’t recline,” on what grounds do we base that? And who is going to back us up (besides the one passenger seated behind the specific-person)?

Misconception #2: …Because We “Don’t Have to Sit There”

Actually, we “sit there” all the time. It’s estimated that over 70 percent of crew members commute to work by plane. And don’t forget about personal travel or deadheading (flying on company business)! Trust me, we know your pain.

However, we’re an adaptable bunch by trade, one with a long list of ways we’ve been “squeezed” by the airline industry. We don’t like a seat back in our face any more than the next traveler, but it’s simply not at the top of our list of complaints. We just tend sigh and adjust, both physically and mentally. We’re good at that.

Misconception #3: …And It “Doesn’t Affect” Us

Forget about Misconception #2 for a moment. Pretend that we never sit in those seats. In that case, Misconception #3 still isn’t true. In response to last week’s column, 1StRanger left a comment about “FAs’s aggravation,” and you know what? He’s not wrong. Flight attendants are probably aggravated often, just like passengers.

All the squeezing in that airlines are putting you through? We’re being squeezed in there, too! The fact that it’s for less pay and we have to do it far more often these days is relevant.

Bonus: All that crowding inevitably makes people act crazy and throw tantrums. We’re tasked with keeping the lid on all that, even when sometimes it seems all for naught. Yup. This can aggravate.

1StRanger’s comment made me reflect on something I shared last week.

I’m understanding. I’ve broken up in-flight fistfights without calling the cops. But those days are probably over thanks to the attitudes [I’ve seen].

Seems I’m showing signs of lowered tolerance, too! While I’m not convinced it’s unjustified, it’s an interesting observation. I promise to mull that over while I ask you to take this away: When you’re crowded, we’re crowded! When you’re miserable, we’re miserable! Whether or not we’re in that seat, it definitely affects us.

~~~

P.S. Here’s wishing Joan Rivers a happy Whatever-Comes-After. Did you know that flight attendants loved her? I wasn’t fully aware of this seemingly special relationship myself until after her passing, when oodles of colleagues who met and loved her came out of the woodwork to share really nice stories (like this one). Many described her as “a friend to flight attendants” due to the fact that she liked to make fun of us in a way we found hilarious, and she was reportedly a spectacularly warm and genuinely friendly passenger. Sounds like I really missed out! RIP Ms. Rivers.

[Photo: iStock]