Before MRTC on AA, this is why I would upgrade at every opportunity...

On a normal 31" pitch seat, if the person in front of me reclines, my knees are going to get it if I don't happen to be looking when it happens. If I know about it, I can make sure that my legs are fully extended.

All I ask for is:

1. Recline your seat S L O W L Y. Give me a second to react before putting it down all the way. If you are thoughtful about it, I'll try hard not to grab the seatback when I get out, although sometimes if somebody is next to me it's difficult.
2. Please don't recline too much during a meal. If you shove my tray into my stomach, geometry means that I now cannot cut my food - because I can only eat with my aisle hand if I don't want to smack the person next to me in the face with my elbow.
3. If you're not asleep, please lift your recline for a second when I come back from the restroom. And in return I'll try not to get out of my seat more than once every couple of hours. Otherwise, I'll bounce in and out of the seat all night (which is definitely my right as long as the seat belt sign is not illuminated...)

One partial solution for #3 is for the airlines to let the aisle armrest swing up. NW had that on its DC-10s on the outside aisles, and that really made a difference.

Oh and FAs - if you see somebody who is so tall that the headrest of the seat is going into their shoulder blades, please be careful when you take the trolley past them....