Originally Posted by Efrem

I'm sorry, but I can't agree that anyone who uses a seat as it was intended to be used (including the recline) is for that reason alone a "wild animal." Economy airline seats are uncomfortable enough as it is. Forcing someone, who paid for a seat known to recline and who reasonably expects to use it as advertised, to endure a flight in its fully upright position is cruel. Flight attendants have been known to inform people behind reclined seats that it is a passenger's right to recline. Several airlines, as posted elsewhere, forbid the use of any device (such as the "knee defender") that is intended to block full recline.

That doesn't mean we have the right to bounce up and down at any time during the flight with total disregard for the poor bloke or blokess behind us. Reasonable courtesy, including checking to make sure we won't bump anything critical if we recline, reclining slowly, accepting some amount of bumping from the confined space to the rear, and not reclining during mealtimes, ought to be standard expectations. But those are not the same as being considered a "wild animal" for letting one's hand approach the recline button.

It comes down to reasonable consideration for fellow passengers, in both directions. Overreactions on either side tend to escalate and get out of hand, as some of us witnessed in a professional basketball game (or in news shows about it) a few days ago. Can't we all get along?