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?