Originally Posted by
vicarious_MR'er
the inconvenience mostly (but not only) relates to the person or people in the seat(s) in front of the parents. Someone who paid for a seat on a long-haul flight should be able to recline if they desire and be comfortable in a seat they PAID FOR and not have to sit straight up the whole time in order for a child to be comfortable in a nonseat they did NOT pay for (or BARELY paid for, as it were...)
that's one of the major aspects.
In my experience, they usually move as many lap infants as possible to the bulkhead seats. I don't think I have ever NOT been in the bulkhead seats when I had a lap child. I may be getting my trips confused, but I think the only times I actually sat behind someone with my son, he had his own seat.
And why would the person not be able to recline the whole time? (FAs make people sit their seats up during mealtimes anyway, so the WHOLE time isn't an option, but I know what you mean) I have never seen another passenger be TOLD not to recline because there was a child behind them. If someon sees a baby behind them and decides that it wouldn't be kind to recline their seat... well, that's their call, isn't it?
If you're talking about parents complaining to people who recline... well I also have never seen THAT happen, but I suppose it might. I wouldn't do it myself though, I never have the gall to complain to anyone, even if I DO think that they're doing something inconsiderate.
If the mother and child also recline their seat, they have abount the same amount of room as they'd have anyway. And reclined or not, I don't think anyone is COMFORTABLE in coach.
Maybe not on a plane specifically, but of course I've seen moms who sue their baby as a shield to shove to the front of the line, or as an excuse for just about ANYTHING. If you complain about someone who's doing something completely routine (like reclining), I'd say that complaint and that attitude is a stunning example of bad manners... the act of buying a lap infant ticket by itself is not.