I just flew LHR-ORD and encountered two radically types within 24 hours!

We were in London for a long weekend with our daughter who lives and works there. Somehow, we got into the "who's space is it, anyway?" discussion. She was saying what she does when boarding the plane is tell the passenger behind her that she would like to recline slightly during the flight, but she also says that if she's making him/her uncomfortable, let her know and pull her seat back up. (Of course no person in FRONT of her has ever returned the favor....but I digress).

Anyway, I decided this would henceforth be what I would do myself. Prior to today, for most of my 26 years of commercial air travel (about a dozen trips a year), pretty much the only time I've ever reclined my seat is when there's nobody seated behind me.

Then today on AA 47 (777), the wife and I were in 32 H&J behind a couple who obviously had status with AA or they wouldn't be in the row ahead of me, row 31, the bulkhead. They easily had eight feet of space in front of them, but that apparently wasn't enough. They "bolted" back well before we were at cruising altitude....all the way back. There they stayed throughout the flight.

Now I realize this is their right, but what's wrong with a little common courtesy on a long flight?...especially when they were fortunate to be blessed with all that extra legroom. I certainly don't object to a slight or modest recline even on a full flight like the one I was on. The person behind me was returning my favor to the person behind her.

I wouldn't charactarize the couple in front of us as rude. "Less than considerate" might be a better description. As I said, they have every right to recline. But I also think a little consideration in today's cattle car airplane cabins would make the increasingly unpleasant experience more bearable for everyone.