Maybe you fly on better airlines that provide more space on international flights?
I flew on a Gulf Air flight once where I didn't have enough space to read a newspaper or put down my tray table when the person in front of me reclined. The flight attendant made him put his seat up at meal time so that I could eat, but he reclined again as soon as the trays were collected. He was close enough that I could have given him a scalp massage without leaning forward...