rooivalk

I guess this comes down to how tall you are. if you're tall, you never want seats to recline. if you're short, you'll always want seats to recline.

I'm short enough that even if the passenger in front of me reclines fully, I still have enough room to feel comfortable.

puddinhead

I'm tall and if I don't sit up straight my knees hit the seat in front of me.
I prefer to sit with me feet under the seat in front of me. The seats are small - width and pitch - but that's what I'm buying.

I never complain if the passenger wants to put their seat back. I never use a laptop in coach and in FC it is limited in usefulness. if I'm uncomfortable I just put myself into a state of relaxed meditation and I don't let anything bother me.

Using an airplane as an office is unrealistic. If your job requires you to work while traveling, I feel sorry for you. When I travel for work, my time in the seat is billable but I will only sit in the seat. I bill from door to door so I make money if a flight is delayed/cancelled.

This weekend will be my first flight in coach in 2 years so I'll see what all of the chaos is about. I'm tall and my knees will touch the seat in front of me if I don't sit up. Mrs. P and I both sit in aisle seats - same row just across the aisle.

I suppose the first seat behind EC would really suck but part of flying is being an informed traveler. That and not expecting the rest of the world to conform to your wants. I think everyone who uses a knee defender is a self centered Fxxx.

And remember no one has to do anything except die. Everything else in life is a series of choices. Chose to be angry or chose to be calm. Chose to be accommodating or chose to be demanding. Chose to accept the environment for the price you paid or chose to throw a tantrum until you get what you want.

yohanson

I missed the vote that the airlines had for the flying public that asked if we would rather pay $10 more/flight or be packed in more tightly. When was this?

hazelrah

It's been over 15 years since I sat in a middle seat. When I had status I was always able to avoid the middle. Status-less, I purchase F, EC or an assigned aisle.

My recollection is that sitting in the middle, particularly between two large pax. leaning forward a bit can sometimes be the most comfortable position.

kop84

I think that vote was the amount that Spirit et al LCC's are gaining market share.

sbrower

I am tall and I almost always recline my seat. That allows me to stretch my legs forward under the seat in front of me. Sitting up straight it is tougher to do because of the angle between my knees and the space under the seat.

I also recline slowly. I don't think this is unique to airline seats. I try not to run people over (with my feet on with my car) even if they are in my "right of way." It is all just common courtesy. Some people don't have it - but that applies to a lot more than airline seats.

hazelrah

I was going to say, there has been no conversation between customers and airlines with respect to cutting space.

On the other hand, there have been hundreds of conversations between airline executives concerning adding another row(s) to stuff more passengers in.

jimquan

Maybe this is a good time to say:

Happiness = reality minus expectations

Funny, you don't hear about SWA or Spirit or other LCC having to divert because if 'recliner rage.' Yet.

Maybe it's because all that advertising of UP, UP, UP, or friendly skies or roomy skies creates expectations when the reality is most travelers will always opt for the lowest fare and the experience (reality) that is delivered is: sit down, shut up and don't move around too much.

Jim

hazelrah

I think given the extreme hate that Spirit exhibits in its customers (consistently last in customer satisfaction) Spirit has reached a breaking point with its 28" pitch (if I recall correctly), and of course Spirit seats don't recline.

injera

It was 32847774 to 39274.

But in all seriousness, price is the #1 driver when buying a plane ticket. Not legroom, not free meals/drinks, not a frequent flier program. Maybe $10 isnt the right # but price matters most.

Two airlines have a noon flight from LGA->MIA. Airlines one has 36" pitch, a hot lunch, free booze, free checked bags, free standby, etc.... Cost - $300. The other airline has 31" pitch, a glass of water, charges $25 for a checked bag and charges you $200 to change a flight. Cost - $200

What % of customers choose the $300 flight? I'm guessing not many. Thus causing the airlines to race to the bottom in the interest of charging as little $ as possible with the least amount of service.

MichaelKade

Took the words right out of my mouth. Unless I'm sitting at my desk, I don't like sitting at the angle airplane seats are generally at. This isn't always the case with some international carriers but on Delta it's just too stiff backed for me to tolerate.

GUWonder

I have been whacked in the head or shoulders -- maybe it shows -- by a few cabin bags falling out of bins or while being placed in bins; and I've been whacked by passenger or crew bags as passengers or crew move down narrow aisles; but being hit in the head very hard by a reclining seat while sleeping? Never had that happen nor witnessed that. The shocking thing is how few people have the decency to apologize when their clumsiness hurts someone else. I can't find it in me to scream or utter profanities, even when a passenger decides to use my seatback as their seatback while sleeping with their back to the back of my seat -- the kind of thing I've been seeing on a few AB TATL flights.

It ought to be common courtesy not to slam back a chair into a fully reclined position, but people don't even have the decency to apologize for injuring others in far more blatant ways.

gooselee

I'm relatively short and I don't recline. I'd prefer if the person in front of me doesn't recline, but if they do, I've got no beef with it. When I do have to work on my laptop, I place it on my lap so it won't get crushed if they decide to slam their seat back instead of reclining slowly. Basically, I take responsibility for my own space and stuff.

This. There are thousands upon thousands of votes for this every day, with each purchase of a lower priced ticket without regard to the actual quality of the flight experience.

Yes, many of us on FT recognize the differences, do our homework, and actively decide to pay $10 or $20 or $100 more to take the nicer airline, better equipment, etc. The other 99% of the passengers out there either have a corporate booking engine that picks solely on price and timing or they're going to Orbitz, jumping at whatever the cheapest fare is, and then grumbling on Facebook about how they got crammed into a CRJ then misconnected while trying to make a 12 min connection in a blizzard.

emrdoc

Then you have never been in combat. Of course, maybe that isn't considered public.

jsmith50

Unfortunately this issue isn't restricted to Y. I was in F on a 737-900 a couple days ago and the only person in F that was reclining happened to be the lady sitting in front of me. The first time she dropped her seat back, she did it so quickly I was barely able to pull my laptop out of the way...she nearly crushed my screen.