I have an XPS 13 and it's pretty safe from surprise reclines except in the tiniest torture-device seats (because a 13" 16:9 screen just isn't that tall), but it--or any other laptop--is too close to type on in seats with a small pitch. E+ seats, exit rows, etc. are the key if you plan on typing. For movie-watching, it's less important. It's also easier if your arms are shorter

Another option, depending on what you're doing, is to travel with a Chromebook. We've got an older Asus and a Dell Chromebook 3100 that are both pretty good for travelling--the advantage there is that they're both more durable--including beer-proof keyboards and large bezels around the screen--and far cheaper to repair than a 'real' laptop.