To recline or not to recline that is the question
Nov 17, 2018, 2:38 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Mucci Chevalier des Internautes Amables; BAEC
Posts: 971
I was mildly embarrassed last night when I sat down in CE 1A and went about my business without realising the seat had been pushed back somehow. A 40m delay meant we were sat on the stand for ages, until a CC asked me to put my seat up for take off.
Cue flustered mild apologies of not realising it was back, with internal self-loathing that the person behind must have thought me one of ‘those’ 1A pax...
Cue flustered mild apologies of not realising it was back, with internal self-loathing that the person behind must have thought me one of ‘those’ 1A pax...
Nov 17, 2018, 2:43 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Mucci Chevalier des Internautes Amables; BAEC
Posts: 971
Nov 17, 2018, 2:50 am
#18
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: LHR & JER
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 253
Not that this applies any more but I was on a 767 flight to Athens and the seat I was in reclined by itself with only the lightest pressure. I actually found this really irritating both for me and I'm sure the person behind also found it irritating.
When the seat isn't broken I normally don't bother reclining and will only do so if the seat behind is empty, I would have no issue with BA removing the functionality.
When the seat isn't broken I normally don't bother reclining and will only do so if the seat behind is empty, I would have no issue with BA removing the functionality.
Nov 17, 2018, 2:59 am
#19
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: HAJ
Programs: BA Bronze, AVIS Preferred Plus
Posts: 53
We had this talk a couple of times and it's normally escalating on way or the other, so I hold back on the conversation. But this time I give it a try eventhough a lot of people won't like my point of view
Being 6'1" i always recline and I have no problems with people in front of me doing the same. I still have way enough space for my legs. Though I can see why it might be uncomfortable for people being 6'3" or taller. I normally double check how tall the person behind me is before I do recline. And honestly if the person behind me is shorter than me, has no kid on the legs but complains about me reclining, I would still do it as sitting upright is too painful for my back and I don't see the discomfort people always talk about when they are not tall and the person in front of you reclines.
Being 6'1" i always recline and I have no problems with people in front of me doing the same. I still have way enough space for my legs. Though I can see why it might be uncomfortable for people being 6'3" or taller. I normally double check how tall the person behind me is before I do recline. And honestly if the person behind me is shorter than me, has no kid on the legs but complains about me reclining, I would still do it as sitting upright is too painful for my back and I don't see the discomfort people always talk about when they are not tall and the person in front of you reclines.
Nov 17, 2018, 3:31 am
#20
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 756
...Whether 'tis nobler in the plane to suffer
The aches and tortures of outrageous seat pitch,
Or to push back against a cabin of confinements
And by reclining end them: to lie back—to sleep
Much more; and by a sleep to say we end
The back-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That knees are heir to? 'Tis a reclination
Devoutly to be wish'd.
The aches and tortures of outrageous seat pitch,
Or to push back against a cabin of confinements
And by reclining end them: to lie back—to sleep
Much more; and by a sleep to say we end
The back-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That knees are heir to? 'Tis a reclination
Devoutly to be wish'd.
Nov 17, 2018, 3:49 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Bonvoy LTTitanium, BAEC Silver
Posts: 591
There is nothing worse than that selfish pax who reclines as soon as the plane begins take off and is not even airborne. It shows a complete disregard for the safety instructions issued by the FAs not to mention the person behind them.
I saw this happen to a pax sat in the front row of EC last week. The DYKWIA idiot in the last row of business reclined as the plane left the tarmac and as it was angled upwards it pushed the divider curtain into the face of the person behind who was looking around with a WT.. expression on his face.
I saw this happen to a pax sat in the front row of EC last week. The DYKWIA idiot in the last row of business reclined as the plane left the tarmac and as it was angled upwards it pushed the divider curtain into the face of the person behind who was looking around with a WT.. expression on his face.
Last edited by Saint4805; Nov 17, 2018 at 3:59 am
Nov 17, 2018, 3:53 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Don't recline, ever. I'm not going to be able to sleep anyway, so what's the point? I can read/eat/drink better in an upright posture.
CW - a different story. Go flat and sleep asap!!
And ^ ^ ^ for newyorklondon!
CW - a different story. Go flat and sleep asap!!
And ^ ^ ^ for newyorklondon!
Nov 17, 2018, 4:16 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Germany
Programs: BA GGL, CCR - TK G
Posts: 809
Mr recliner
There is nothing worse than that selfish pax who reclines as soon as the plane begins take off and is not even airborne. It shows a complete disregard for the safety instructions issued by the FAs not to mention the person behind them.
I saw this happen to a pax sat in the front row of EC last week. The DYKWIA idiot in the last row of business reclined as the plane left the tarmac and as it was angled upwards it pushed the divider curtain into the face of the person behind who was looking around with a WT.. expression on his face.
I saw this happen to a pax sat in the front row of EC last week. The DYKWIA idiot in the last row of business reclined as the plane left the tarmac and as it was angled upwards it pushed the divider curtain into the face of the person behind who was looking around with a WT.. expression on his face.
Its a feature of the seat. I buy it at ba. And I use it because I mostly sleep on short hauls. I am 6feet and try to get an exit row. Preferably with one behind so I don't bother.
And it may sound rude but I don't like the political correctness where I who do exactly what I get offered and what I buy have to apologize to someone who buys the same product but doesn't like it. It's not me who is doing something wrong if I recline. Of course I would love to have more space, too.
I just got back from a flight with Air koryo who have a tokulov that reclines by felt 140 degrees in Y . Luved it.
So the correct and polite way is.. I recline . The guy behind me asks, sorry I am so tall would you please not recline.. I think for a moment and tell him very friendly if you don't want anyone to recline into you, you have to by an exit row or a front row. They are here especially for people like you. If you are to greedy to spend the extra few bucks. I am very sorry but you will not ruin my flight As soon as I wake up I will see if I may cline back a little bit. Thank you
Nov 17, 2018, 4:21 am
#24
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Bonvoy LTTitanium, BAEC Silver
Posts: 591
That is me. It seams like I am the only selfish, I don't gaf idiot. But to me.. Reclining is a very important part of comfort on a flight and I am glad ba still has recliner seats.i heard the new ones won't recline anymore so I can fly Ryanair after all.
Its a feature of the seat. I buy it at ba. And I use it because I mostly sleep on short hauls. I am 6feet and try to get an exit row. Preferably with one behind so I don't bother.
And it may sound rude but I don't like the political correctness where I who do exactly what I get offered and what I buy have to apologize to someone who buys the same product but doesn't like it. It's not me who is doing something wrong if I recline. Of course I would love to have more space, too.
I just got back from a flight with Air koryo who have a tokulov that reclines by felt 140 degrees in Y . Luved it.
So the correct and polite way is.. I recline . The guy behind me asks, sorry I am so tall would you please not recline.. I think for a moment and tell him very friendly if you don't want anyone to recline into you, you have to by an exit row or a front row. They are here especially for people like you. If you are to greedy to spend the extra few bucks. I am very sorry but you will not ruin my flight As soon as I wake up I will see if I may cline back a little bit. Thank you
Its a feature of the seat. I buy it at ba. And I use it because I mostly sleep on short hauls. I am 6feet and try to get an exit row. Preferably with one behind so I don't bother.
And it may sound rude but I don't like the political correctness where I who do exactly what I get offered and what I buy have to apologize to someone who buys the same product but doesn't like it. It's not me who is doing something wrong if I recline. Of course I would love to have more space, too.
I just got back from a flight with Air koryo who have a tokulov that reclines by felt 140 degrees in Y . Luved it.
So the correct and polite way is.. I recline . The guy behind me asks, sorry I am so tall would you please not recline.. I think for a moment and tell him very friendly if you don't want anyone to recline into you, you have to by an exit row or a front row. They are here especially for people like you. If you are to greedy to spend the extra few bucks. I am very sorry but you will not ruin my flight As soon as I wake up I will see if I may cline back a little bit. Thank you
Last edited by Saint4805; Nov 17, 2018 at 4:27 am
Nov 17, 2018, 4:37 am
#25
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,754
SH, very rarely, LH, almost always, and I do it slowly.
I don't check who is behind me, how tall they are, etc. If I want to make use of the space as best as I can, then I will. They have the same option available to them. That said, I always put the seat back upright for meals and only leave it reclined if the person in front has failed to put theirs upright. And will always get CC to address that one as I don't feel like getting into a possible scrap with some muppet who feels like having an argument about it.
I don't check who is behind me, how tall they are, etc. If I want to make use of the space as best as I can, then I will. They have the same option available to them. That said, I always put the seat back upright for meals and only leave it reclined if the person in front has failed to put theirs upright. And will always get CC to address that one as I don't feel like getting into a possible scrap with some muppet who feels like having an argument about it.
Nov 17, 2018, 5:11 am
#26
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 175
It is one thing for people to try to recline. But, I very much dislike when people try to recline, hit my knees, decide the seat must be broken, and then repetitively try slamming the seat back as hard as they can to fix it. On one flight, I stood up, leaned over, and said, “Those are my knees you are hitting.”
Basically, I think I’m just asking for people to show the same manners on planes that they would in other social scenarios. But, somehow, on a plane, we seem to have a tendency to forget that there are other human beings around us who are impacted by our words and actions.
Basically, I think I’m just asking for people to show the same manners on planes that they would in other social scenarios. But, somehow, on a plane, we seem to have a tendency to forget that there are other human beings around us who are impacted by our words and actions.
Nov 17, 2018, 5:20 am
#27
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Nov 17, 2018, 5:31 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Gold, SkyTeam Elite Plus, Sixt Gold
Posts: 418
In all honesty I do not get all this fuss about reclining.
I usually do not recline on flights shorter than 2 hours, simply because I am probably working or reading. I do recline when I want to close my eyes or watch a move, as I find the angle to be more comfortable.
Obvs I do that slowly and I first check who I have behind to ensure I am not causing much trouble. Nevertheless, it's a feature of the plane thus I do not feel "guilty" when I do recline nor I do feel angry when others recline. I try to avoid the latter by seating in the second exit row, whenever possible.
Being an introvert myself, I do not ask as 1) I want to avoid the exchange and 2) if it was to happen to me I would probably say yes even if I do not particularly like it, so I assume many others would as well.
I usually do not recline on flights shorter than 2 hours, simply because I am probably working or reading. I do recline when I want to close my eyes or watch a move, as I find the angle to be more comfortable.
Obvs I do that slowly and I first check who I have behind to ensure I am not causing much trouble. Nevertheless, it's a feature of the plane thus I do not feel "guilty" when I do recline nor I do feel angry when others recline. I try to avoid the latter by seating in the second exit row, whenever possible.
Being an introvert myself, I do not ask as 1) I want to avoid the exchange and 2) if it was to happen to me I would probably say yes even if I do not particularly like it, so I assume many others would as well.
Nov 17, 2018, 5:42 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
This is a difficult one for me. I generally think of myself as a considerate person especially when travelling so the last thing I wish to do is cause discomfort or distress for others but when it comes to seat reclining I have to consider myself in the equation too. Aircraft seats recline. That is normally a fact in most cases. I think it only right that if a person wishes to recline that they be allowed to do so without feeling embarrassment. I realise that it may be a bit inconvenient for the person behind that it isn't normally so much so to spoil their flight. When I recline I do it with consideration that the person behind may have a drink on their table so I do it gently and quite slowly. If the person in front reclines I often recline myself too.
If you really don't like someone in front reclining then you can always try to get row 1 or a row with a bulkhead in front (not always easy I know )
If you really don't like someone in front reclining then you can always try to get row 1 or a row with a bulkhead in front (not always easy I know
)
Nov 17, 2018, 5:52 am
#30
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
Programs: Mucci Des Oeufs Brouilles et des Canards
Posts: 3,671
I don't have a rule. If I need to recline, I do. On most very short hauls of circa an hour I probably won't - but if I've been up at 4am to get the flight, I'll want to used those short minutes in the air to sleep or at least doze comfortably. 3+ hrs crossing Europe on EasyJet or Ryanair leaves my back aching on their non-reclining seats, even at an economy friendly 170cm tall. If only BA had better timing and frequency to the destinations I want to go to. With the charter airlines, while they may have recline, the leg room is non existent on the flights I've taken.
On long haul, absolutely. My mother had an absurd situation on a 14 hour Emirates flight where the aggressive person behind her got the cabin crew to tell my mother to raise her seat in the middle of lights out period. This woman had been huffing and swearing for about 30 minutes, but hadn't approached my mum directly. Not wanting to cause a scene, she raised her seatback and spent the next 10 hours of the flight uncomfortable and the next two weeks at home in pain trying to recover from it. Despicable crew for even agreeing to ask someone to do that instead of saying no.
If it's a feature of your seat - and there aren't many features in economy seats, you are 100% entitled to use it. I would recline from when I see the cabin crew moving about until they announce they are preparing the cabin for landing. Just because somebody has decided they want to travel with an infant, should not restrict the person in front from using what they rightfully can do. If there isn't enough space, complain to the airlines for shrinking the leg room over the years and squeezing in more seats horizontally and vertically. They've created this situation by cramming more people into the same space.
On long haul, absolutely. My mother had an absurd situation on a 14 hour Emirates flight where the aggressive person behind her got the cabin crew to tell my mother to raise her seat in the middle of lights out period. This woman had been huffing and swearing for about 30 minutes, but hadn't approached my mum directly. Not wanting to cause a scene, she raised her seatback and spent the next 10 hours of the flight uncomfortable and the next two weeks at home in pain trying to recover from it. Despicable crew for even agreeing to ask someone to do that instead of saying no.
If it's a feature of your seat - and there aren't many features in economy seats, you are 100% entitled to use it. I would recline from when I see the cabin crew moving about until they announce they are preparing the cabin for landing. Just because somebody has decided they want to travel with an infant, should not restrict the person in front from using what they rightfully can do. If there isn't enough space, complain to the airlines for shrinking the leg room over the years and squeezing in more seats horizontally and vertically. They've created this situation by cramming more people into the same space.