Is It Ever OK to Recline When You’re in Economy?
Ariana Arghandewal March 24, 2018
A few weeks ago, I wrote about when it’s ok to press the call button and I’m back with another topic that really shouldn’t be so hotly debated: Reclining your seat in economy class. There’s already debate about who is allowed to use the center armrest and it seems etiquette dictates discomfort for all.
I get it – airplane cabins are turning into sardine cans these days, with personal space getting tighter and tighter. We’re already dealing with limited legroom, so when is it ok to recline your seat? And how far? My answer, to quote Phil Knight, is “Just do it.”
You Deserve to Be Comfortable
Airplane seats are built to recline and just because you didn’t spend an outrageous amount of money to sit in a La-Z-Boy recliner up front, it doesn’t mean you’ve given up the right to get comfortable. If anything, economy class passengers should be more entitled to recline their seats than anyone else on the plane.
It shouldn’t even be a question of “if” passengers should recline but rather “how far?” My rule of thumb? If my chair isn’t getting kicked or pushed back, I’ve reclined my seat by the appropriate amount.
Just kidding – some people are too polite to complain.
Proper Recline Etiquette
So what I do after I recline my seat is look back and ask the person behind me whether they’re still comfortable. I hardly ever get a “no” but even if they’re saying “yes” to be polite, at least I’ve asked.
Doing this also signals to other people on the plane that they should do the same – be conscious of how far they recline and considerate of other people’s personal space.
What Not to Do
There’s nothing more obnoxious than those people who recline all the way back and then keep pushing their seats further into my space. There’s absolutely no reason to do that. It’s inconsiderate and unnecessary.
Economy class seats are not meant to lie flat, so don’t try to make yours do that. You’ll never get truly comfortable and will only anger the person behind you. Another way to consider this conundrum? Don’t recline further than you’d want the person in front of you to recline. The Golden Rule goes a long way in preserving peace in an increasingly tense environment.
What about the guy in front of you who insists on pushing his seat all the way into your ribcage? Let him know. In my experience, most people who are rude don’t realize it.
They’re often more selfish than inconsiderate and letting them know you have no breathing room makes them back up quickly. The key is to be polite – regardless of whether you’re reclining your seat or trying to get the person in front of you not to recline theirs all the way back. Following these simple rules ensures everyone is (somewhat) happy and comfortable in the economy class cabin.
That being said, I want to hear from you: When do you think it’s ok to recline your seat in economy class, and how far? What do you do when someone in front of you reclines too far back?
What gets me is when I do NOT have my seat reclined (I almost never recline), and the dude behind me keeps digging his knees into my back anyway.
It's always interesting to see the "I paid for it!" crowd yell about their *rights*, but never talk about their obligations. I've had people on FT tell me that their "right" to recline extends to injuring the person behind them "because that person should have bought J if they didn't want me reclining." Sure, they paid for it. Sure, the seat does have a recline function. But you're not buying an absolute right, and you're certainly not buying a right to injure others. It's shared space with shared rights & obligations. As far as I'm concerned, your right to recline stops at the point where my knees begin. After all, if you wanted to recline further, you should have bought a seat in J, shouldn't you? ;)
As a tall (6'4") person who travels almost entirely domestically, this is a really interesting thread. I NEVER recline if I am in coach/economy and there is someone behind me. As Ariana says, the Golden Rule applies here. I have been on flights (looking at YOU United) where a fully reclined seat in front of me is less than 10 inches from my face. I don't like it, won't do it. These threads are always interesting, as tone of defensiveness can creep it. "It's my right!" Seems to follow much of our culture today: my biggest concern is 'my right', not my neighbor's welfare.
In the next edition: How to eat with a knife and fork...Geez
It is Economy Class. Everyone who books it, knows the seats recline. It is fine, just recline.