Consolidated thread: Seat recline etiquette.
Jan 9, 2013, 3:33 am
#76
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ/NYC/CDG/NRT
Posts: 171
+1 for tough luck to tall people, don't you earn 1.5% more then people of average height? Consider it upgrade money.
Jan 9, 2013, 5:07 am
#77
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AADULtArer
Posts: 5,681
I don't recline at all for an under 4 hour flight. I can sit up straight for 4 hours. If you cant sit comfortably like this for at least 8 hours, you arent taking care of the machine. I had a big guy behind me on TLV to EWR once for 14 hours and I didn't recline the whole night. I hope I got good karma points for that. I'm 6'1" 210#
On a short red eye flight like LAX ORD I will turn and ask the person if I can recline to snooze.
On a short red eye flight like LAX ORD I will turn and ask the person if I can recline to snooze.
Jan 9, 2013, 9:15 am
#79
Join Date: May 2001
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Whenever this topic comes up I'm bemused again by the contrast between the sympathy FT generally gives fat passengers and the utter vitriol expressed towards tall ones. You do realise that tall people can't control their height, yes?
Jan 9, 2013, 9:18 am
#80
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Jan 9, 2013, 10:58 am
#81
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
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Jan 9, 2013, 11:21 am
#82
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 314
I don't recline at all for an under 4 hour flight. I can sit up straight for 4 hours. If you cant sit comfortably like this for at least 8 hours, you arent taking care of the machine. I had a big guy behind me on TLV to EWR once for 14 hours and I didn't recline the whole night. I hope I got good karma points for that. I'm 6'1" 210#
On a short red eye flight like LAX ORD I will turn and ask the person if I can recline to snooze.
On a short red eye flight like LAX ORD I will turn and ask the person if I can recline to snooze.
Jan 9, 2013, 12:02 pm
#83
Join Date: May 2001
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People have back issues and other health related issues that might require them to recline in order to tolerate a long haul flight (in particular). And when the person in front of you reclines, in coach anyway, it does get uncomfortable after awhile because you are that much more cramped.
Jan 9, 2013, 12:06 pm
#84
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I'm honestly amazed at the selfishness and one-directional nature some of you think "rights" go. It's all about reasonable compromise with your fellow passengers. The immediate snideness of the replies is disappointing.
Jan 9, 2013, 12:09 pm
#85
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When I purchase a seat, I purchase everything that seat offers (leg room, pitch, etc.) and everything that seat does (recline, etc.) just like the person in front of me and behind me. Everyone else is also free to use their entire seat and space that they've purchased. But it should be tempered with a common sense of decency if it is causing someone pain or extreme discomfort. If they're just annoyed because you're intruding on their space they can then too recline their seat and get out of the way.
Last edited by SeriouslyLost; Jan 9, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Jan 9, 2013, 12:11 pm
#86
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Jan 9, 2013, 12:21 pm
#87
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Not all seats are created equal on WN. Moreover, she would have been fine to recline half the distance. I simply objected to her reclining all the way during taxi, takeoff, and, the entire flight. She's within her rights to recline as far as she wants, but by the same token in that instance, the reality is that it will cause me to have to get up periodically.
I'm honestly amazed at the selfishness and one-directional nature some of you think "rights" go. It's all about reasonable compromise with your fellow passengers. The immediate snideness of the replies is disappointing.
I'm honestly amazed at the selfishness and one-directional nature some of you think "rights" go. It's all about reasonable compromise with your fellow passengers. The immediate snideness of the replies is disappointing.
Maybe she was tired. Half the distance is like nothing in coach. Doesn't make a difference.
If you don't want to get up, buy an E+ seat. Buy the seat in front of you (like a heavy person should buy the seat next to them. Book earlier and get a bulkhead or exit row. Buy C. Take a train. You have options, but chose the one that was easiest and cheapest for you and you expected to impose on someone you don't know. I'm amazed at that. That's the bottom line.
Why should she give up any of what she bought and paid for you? Did you offer her a few bucks to keep her seat up? United would have given her something if the seat didn't recline because it was broken. How about offering $100 next time?
And you didn't answer my earlier question: What if the person in front of her reclined all the way? Can she say, hey, I can't recline, so you can't either because I don't have enough space? Should the entire column of passengers be imposed upon because you bought a seat you knew you couldn't fit into comfortably without imposing on the rest of the plane?
Jan 9, 2013, 12:34 pm
#88
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I'll say it again: not all the seats are the same.
Untrue. Half the distance wouldn't have caused outright pain for me and still would have provided increased comfort for her. I'll say it again: your idea of absolute rights is childish because it fails the instant it meets reality or another competing right.
I didn't expect to impose anything. As I've said, it's a dynamic situation where pragmatic attitudes prevail best for the greatest happiness across the most people. I'm not the one talking about how because I paid my money my rights are absolute. That was you. (Again, you haven't answered any questions about how that works when everyone's in the same situation. Care to?)
Ah, so she paid money so her right is ablsoute, but my having paid money is irrelevant? Care to explain that further? Or to the person at the end of the D rows at the back of the plane who has no recline?
Your argument is hollow.
I did answer it, but you missed it, it seems: it's a dynamic situation with many actors and pragmatic solutions. I simply don't regard "I bought a ticket and that gives me absolute rights, and your having bought a ticket means nothing" as either practical or pragmatic. Or rational, come to that. I also think reclining during taxi, takeoff, and transition, is simply dangerous (are you going to argue she has the right to reduce my safety too?), but you ignored that as well.
You're not very good at this, are you?
Maybe she was tired. Half the distance is like nothing in coach. Doesn't make a difference.
If you don't want to get up, buy an E+ seat. Buy the seat in front of you (like a heavy person should buy the seat next to them. Book earlier and get a bulkhead or exit row. Buy C. Take a train. You have options, but chose the one that was easiest and cheapest for you and you expected to impose on someone you don't know. I'm amazed at that. That's the bottom line.
Why should she give up any of what she bought and paid for you?
Your argument is hollow.
And you didn't answer my earlier question: What if the person in front of her reclined all the way? Can she say, hey, I can't recline, so you can't either because I don't have enough space? Should the entire column of passengers be imposed upon because you bought a seat you knew you couldn't fit into comfortably without imposing on the rest of the plane?
You're not very good at this, are you?
Jan 9, 2013, 12:34 pm
#89
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 400
Maybe, but it is all cattle class and you should have known that.
Maybe she was tired. Half the distance is like nothing in coach. Doesn't make a difference.
If you don't want to get up, buy an E+ seat. Buy the seat in front of you (like a heavy person should buy the seat next to them. Book earlier and get a bulkhead or exit row. Buy C. Take a train. You have options, but chose the one that was easiest and cheapest for you and you expected to impose on someone you don't know. I'm amazed at that. That's the bottom line.
Why should she give up any of what she bought and paid for you? Did you offer her a few bucks to keep her seat up? United would have given her something if the seat didn't recline because it was broken. How about offering $100 next time?
And you didn't answer my earlier question: What if the person in front of her reclined all the way? Can she say, hey, I can't recline, so you can't either because I don't have enough space? Should the entire column of passengers be imposed upon because you bought a seat you knew you couldn't fit into comfortably without imposing on the rest of the plane?
Maybe she was tired. Half the distance is like nothing in coach. Doesn't make a difference.
If you don't want to get up, buy an E+ seat. Buy the seat in front of you (like a heavy person should buy the seat next to them. Book earlier and get a bulkhead or exit row. Buy C. Take a train. You have options, but chose the one that was easiest and cheapest for you and you expected to impose on someone you don't know. I'm amazed at that. That's the bottom line.
Why should she give up any of what she bought and paid for you? Did you offer her a few bucks to keep her seat up? United would have given her something if the seat didn't recline because it was broken. How about offering $100 next time?
And you didn't answer my earlier question: What if the person in front of her reclined all the way? Can she say, hey, I can't recline, so you can't either because I don't have enough space? Should the entire column of passengers be imposed upon because you bought a seat you knew you couldn't fit into comfortably without imposing on the rest of the plane?
Do people have the right to recline? Yes. However, a little bit of common courtesy wouldn't go amiss; I would never recline if it was clearly putting the person seated behind me in severe discomfort.
Jan 9, 2013, 12:38 pm
#90
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TPA 50%/BKK 30%/HKG 20%
Programs: UA 1K MM - AF G – TK G – AZ Ex – Hilton D – Marriott G – IHG P
Posts: 1,990
I'll say it again: not all the seats are the same.
Untrue. Half the distance wouldn't have caused outright pain for me and still would have provided increased comfort for her. I'll say it again: your idea of absolute rights is childish because it fails the instant it meets reality or another competing right.
I didn't expect to impose anything. As I've said, it's a dynamic situation where pragmatic attitudes prevail best for the greatest happiness across the most people. I'm not the one talking about how because I paid my money my rights are absolute. That was you. (Again, you haven't answered any questions about how that works when everyone's in the same situation. Care to?)
Ah, so she paid money so her right is ablsoute, but my having paid money is irrelevant? Care to explain that further? Or to the person at the end of the D rows at the back of the plane who has no recline?
Your argument is hollow.
I did answer it, but you missed it, it seems: it's a dynamic situation with many actors and pragmatic solutions. I simply don't regard "I bought a ticket and that gives me absolute rights, and your having bought a ticket means nothing" as either practical or pragmatic. I also think reclining during taxi, takeoff, and transition, is simply dangerous (are you going to argue she has the right to reduce my safety too?), but you ignored that as well.
You're not very good at this, are you?
Untrue. Half the distance wouldn't have caused outright pain for me and still would have provided increased comfort for her. I'll say it again: your idea of absolute rights is childish because it fails the instant it meets reality or another competing right.
I didn't expect to impose anything. As I've said, it's a dynamic situation where pragmatic attitudes prevail best for the greatest happiness across the most people. I'm not the one talking about how because I paid my money my rights are absolute. That was you. (Again, you haven't answered any questions about how that works when everyone's in the same situation. Care to?)
Ah, so she paid money so her right is ablsoute, but my having paid money is irrelevant? Care to explain that further? Or to the person at the end of the D rows at the back of the plane who has no recline?
Your argument is hollow.
I did answer it, but you missed it, it seems: it's a dynamic situation with many actors and pragmatic solutions. I simply don't regard "I bought a ticket and that gives me absolute rights, and your having bought a ticket means nothing" as either practical or pragmatic. I also think reclining during taxi, takeoff, and transition, is simply dangerous (are you going to argue she has the right to reduce my safety too?), but you ignored that as well.
You're not very good at this, are you?
That actually answers all of your questions.
Buy a seat you fit in. If you can't be assured of that on WN, choose another carrier.
Last edited by TomA; Jan 9, 2013 at 12:49 pm