To recline or not to recline that is the question
Nov 17, 2018, 6:03 am
#31
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Bonvoy LTTitanium, BAEC Silver
Posts: 591
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.
Nov 17, 2018, 6:04 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
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, 6:24 am
#33
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
My wife likes to take a nap on a short haul flight after connecting off a 13 hour overnight flight. So as soon as it's allowed she reclines.
Nov 17, 2018, 6:41 am
#34
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 574
If you purchase a seat with a recline feature, recline if you like. To ask someone not to recline is bad manners. The exception to this is when people are eating and it's a commonly found courtesy standard to place the seat upright on certain flights.
Last edited by AnaTravel; Nov 17, 2018 at 7:17 am
Nov 17, 2018, 6:45 am
#35
formerly skyccord
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: United Premier Platinum, Hertz President Circle, Marriott/SPG Premier Plat Elite, Avis Preferred
Posts: 269
If you didn't want me to "be in your space" you should've bought a ticket in the front of the cabin. Everyone is allowed to recline including the person who's upset that you are doing it.
Nov 17, 2018, 6:50 am
#36
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 289
I recline, but only when I'm intending to sleep/snooze, and never before meal service. Slowly and respectfully, but I wouldn't ask permission first.
BA seats aren't as bad for this as some others. I think it was a Qantas aircraft I was on where reclining the seat would render the tray table entirely unusable.
BA seats aren't as bad for this as some others. I think it was a Qantas aircraft I was on where reclining the seat would render the tray table entirely unusable.
Nov 17, 2018, 7:12 am
#37
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 681
I’ve never really understood the fuss about reclining apart from at meal times or where there is a lap child behind. The design of the seat is such that seats recline from a point above knee height so it does not impact legroom. It does reduce the amount of space at stomach height and above but all that is really lost is the perception of spaciousness rather that useable space.
Nov 17, 2018, 7:31 am
#38
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,586
The function is there to use, although I personally dislike reclining my own seat.
Simply remember to follow the golden rule and recline gently, instead of slamming it back!
Simply remember to follow the golden rule and recline gently, instead of slamming it back!
Nov 17, 2018, 8:40 am
#39
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,378
At 6ft6 in both ET and CE legroom is at a premium though I never recline. I can’t stop people reclining into me but sadly with nowhere for my legs to go and with the seats so thin they will have my knees in their back. Not a lot I can do really.
Nov 17, 2018, 9:38 am
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
Well, first, I think people need to acknowledge that air travel is no different than any other form of public transportation today. It's a bus with wings to put it simply. So having said that, people need to manage their expectations as to what they can get for the price they paid. If you choose to fly in Y, you get very little indeed for your money, as is appropriate given that you paid very little for it. I leave it to those who fly Y to argue over whether reclining 2 inches which is as much as most will recline now, is a major point worth arguing over or not.
I will no longer fly in Y since seat pitch went from 34-36 inches to 30 inches and sometimes even less. Perhaps some posters are not old enough to remember back to when seat pitch was 36 inches in Y and funnily enough, no one was bothered by whether or not the person in front of you reclined their seat or not. The seat could be reclined and it was the passenger's right to do so at any time other than take-off and landing. This whole ISSUE of recline or not did not EXIST. When flying in Premium type classes now, you get that same 36 inch pitch and no need to think about reclining or not, you do as you please and bother no one.
That someone is 6'4" is not anyone else's problem, it's SOLELY the problem of that tall person who bought a seat without enough room to accommodate their height. Buy more space if you need it. Otherwise, put up with what you bought, without trying to say someone else should accommodate you. The same applies to those who cannot comfortably fit in the ridiculous 17" wide seats in Y these days. Overflowing into the adjoining seats is not something you should be doing. Buy a wider seat, they are available. Reading comments about 'I am 6'4" and people should be considerate towards me', is ridiculous. You bought the cheapest seat on the bus, that was your choice, live with it and stop whining.
The people get what the people deserve as always. If the public insists on cheap seats, then that is what they get. I don't see any flood of posts by people saying, 'comfort is my first priority, not price. I will pay whatever I need to pay for comfort.' Instead they prioritize price and then COMPLAIN about comfort but aren't willing to pay for it. Imagine if you will someone insisting on buying a base model car and then complaining that it didn't come with air conditioning. What would you be saying to them?
I will no longer fly in Y since seat pitch went from 34-36 inches to 30 inches and sometimes even less. Perhaps some posters are not old enough to remember back to when seat pitch was 36 inches in Y and funnily enough, no one was bothered by whether or not the person in front of you reclined their seat or not. The seat could be reclined and it was the passenger's right to do so at any time other than take-off and landing. This whole ISSUE of recline or not did not EXIST. When flying in Premium type classes now, you get that same 36 inch pitch and no need to think about reclining or not, you do as you please and bother no one.
That someone is 6'4" is not anyone else's problem, it's SOLELY the problem of that tall person who bought a seat without enough room to accommodate their height. Buy more space if you need it. Otherwise, put up with what you bought, without trying to say someone else should accommodate you. The same applies to those who cannot comfortably fit in the ridiculous 17" wide seats in Y these days. Overflowing into the adjoining seats is not something you should be doing. Buy a wider seat, they are available. Reading comments about 'I am 6'4" and people should be considerate towards me', is ridiculous. You bought the cheapest seat on the bus, that was your choice, live with it and stop whining.
The people get what the people deserve as always. If the public insists on cheap seats, then that is what they get. I don't see any flood of posts by people saying, 'comfort is my first priority, not price. I will pay whatever I need to pay for comfort.' Instead they prioritize price and then COMPLAIN about comfort but aren't willing to pay for it. Imagine if you will someone insisting on buying a base model car and then complaining that it didn't come with air conditioning. What would you be saying to them?
Nov 17, 2018, 10:08 am
#42
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,378
Well, first, I think people need to acknowledge that air travel is no different than any other form of public transportation today. It's a bus with wings to put it simply. So having said that, people need to manage their expectations as to what they can get for the price they paid. If you choose to fly in Y, you get very little indeed for your money, as is appropriate given that you paid very little for it. I leave it to those who fly Y to argue over whether reclining 2 inches which is as much as most will recline now, is a major point worth arguing over or not.
I will no longer fly in Y since seat pitch went from 34-36 inches to 30 inches and sometimes even less. Perhaps some posters are not old enough to remember back to when seat pitch was 36 inches in Y and funnily enough, no one was bothered by whether or not the person in front of you reclined their seat or not. The seat could be reclined and it was the passenger's right to do so at any time other than take-off and landing. This whole ISSUE of recline or not did not EXIST. When flying in Premium type classes now, you get that same 36 inch pitch and no need to think about reclining or not, you do as you please and bother no one.
That someone is 6'4" is not anyone else's problem, it's SOLELY the problem of that tall person who bought a seat without enough room to accommodate their height. Buy more space if you need it. Otherwise, put up with what you bought, without trying to say someone else should accommodate you. The same applies to those who cannot comfortably fit in the ridiculous 17" wide seats in Y these days. Overflowing into the adjoining seats is not something you should be doing. Buy a wider seat, they are available. Reading comments about 'I am 6'4" and people should be considerate towards me', is ridiculous. You bought the cheapest seat on the bus, that was your choice, live with it and stop whining.
The people get what the people deserve as always. If the public insists on cheap seats, then that is what they get. I don't see any flood of posts by people saying, 'comfort is my first priority, not price. I will pay whatever I need to pay for comfort.' Instead they prioritize price and then COMPLAIN about comfort but aren't willing to pay for it. Imagine if you will someone insisting on buying a base model car and then complaining that it didn't come with air conditioning. What would you be saying to them?
I will no longer fly in Y since seat pitch went from 34-36 inches to 30 inches and sometimes even less. Perhaps some posters are not old enough to remember back to when seat pitch was 36 inches in Y and funnily enough, no one was bothered by whether or not the person in front of you reclined their seat or not. The seat could be reclined and it was the passenger's right to do so at any time other than take-off and landing. This whole ISSUE of recline or not did not EXIST. When flying in Premium type classes now, you get that same 36 inch pitch and no need to think about reclining or not, you do as you please and bother no one.
That someone is 6'4" is not anyone else's problem, it's SOLELY the problem of that tall person who bought a seat without enough room to accommodate their height. Buy more space if you need it. Otherwise, put up with what you bought, without trying to say someone else should accommodate you. The same applies to those who cannot comfortably fit in the ridiculous 17" wide seats in Y these days. Overflowing into the adjoining seats is not something you should be doing. Buy a wider seat, they are available. Reading comments about 'I am 6'4" and people should be considerate towards me', is ridiculous. You bought the cheapest seat on the bus, that was your choice, live with it and stop whining.
The people get what the people deserve as always. If the public insists on cheap seats, then that is what they get. I don't see any flood of posts by people saying, 'comfort is my first priority, not price. I will pay whatever I need to pay for comfort.' Instead they prioritize price and then COMPLAIN about comfort but aren't willing to pay for it. Imagine if you will someone insisting on buying a base model car and then complaining that it didn't come with air conditioning. What would you be saying to them?
But it as long as people want low lead in fares and BA want to lure these people in with cheap seats the less and less legroom we will get.
The exceptiontin is the E190s to/from LCY currently the best legroom in Europe in my opinion.
Nov 17, 2018, 10:17 am
#43
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CT, USA
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat (won't last), Hilton Gold
Posts: 454
I usually recline about halfway because I have trouble sitting straight up (I have an L4 to S1 fusion in my spine, so it doesn't really do well at a complete right angle between spine and pelvis) - and then I shove a rolled-up small towel (which I always carry) behind me. I unfortunately can't do much about this and have definitely had people recline all the way into me - which is their right.
I make sure when I fly that I'm not in a row where reclining is not possible, and I'm on the aisle where I can get up frequently as well.
I make sure when I fly that I'm not in a row where reclining is not possible, and I'm on the aisle where I can get up frequently as well.
Nov 17, 2018, 11:00 am
#44
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dundee
Programs: BA Plastic. HH Diamond. Speedwell Bar Lifetime Platinum.
Posts: 1,425
I had some clown recline 30 seconds from landing, with wheels down recently.
I'm fairly ambivalent about reclining normally, but for idiots like that? No.
I'm fairly ambivalent about reclining normally, but for idiots like that? No.
Nov 17, 2018, 11:31 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: London
Posts: 778
If I need to sleep on short haul, I always recline as I find it more comfortable for a nap. I do not ask: as others have said, it's a feature of the seat. However, I am careful to do it very slowly, as I would hate to catch the passenger behind me by surprise (and potentially damage a laptop).
For people who can't stand others reclining into "their" space and don't have access to row 1, on most aircrafts on short haul (A320/A321) there is the simple solution of paying for the second exit row: either there is empty space in front (A321) or the first exit row does not recline for security purposes (A320).
For people who can't stand others reclining into "their" space and don't have access to row 1, on most aircrafts on short haul (A320/A321) there is the simple solution of paying for the second exit row: either there is empty space in front (A321) or the first exit row does not recline for security purposes (A320).