Seat kicker — what would you do?
Dec 11, 2017, 9:30 am
#31
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 687
Let me guess, you also put both bags in the overhead and fight with the person in the middle over the armrest? They are both there for you to use, right?
Dec 11, 2017, 9:34 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
then you didn't actually read the post I was referring to.
Your comfort is your choice. If you want to deliberately make yourself uncomfortable and wallow in aggreived self-pity, that's your prerogative, but don't expect the rest of us to play along.
Your comfort is your choice. If you want to deliberately make yourself uncomfortable and wallow in aggreived self-pity, that's your prerogative, but don't expect the rest of us to play along.
Dec 11, 2017, 9:54 am
#33
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: AA Gold, Enterprise PLT, Marriott Gold
Posts: 604
I’m assuming you are short. If I’m in a coach seat and someone reclines their seat my knees are now pressed up against the seat. If I move my legs at all, which is bound to happen since I’m cramped, I will be moving your seat. Sure, moving to get comfortable is deliberate.
Let me guess, you also put both bags in the overhead and fight with the person in the middle over the armrest? They are both there for you to use, right?
I will say I don't necessarily agree with the "Should have bought a better seat" narrative though. Case in point, I was flying OGG-LAX, my flight left very late and instead of then connecting LAX-DFW in a bulkhead PE seat I was able to choose ahead of time, I was rerouted LAX-ORD in an A321 in the back in the window for 4 hours because that's the best seat that was left. You never know the case of the person as to why they have that seat.
Dec 11, 2017, 10:03 am
#34
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,417
As this is not an AA-specific topic, let's move this over to TravelBuzz for further discussion. Thanks.
/JY1024, AAdvantage and TravelBuzz co-moderator
/JY1024, AAdvantage and TravelBuzz co-moderator
Dec 11, 2017, 10:17 am
#35
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
To be fair, a lot depends on just exactly how tall 26A was. If their legs were truly jammed up against your seat pre-recline, in my opinion your right to recline ends when it begins to cause physical pain to other passenger. That being said, I highly doubt that was the case if he's having room to kick and you did the right thing by involving the FA who resolved it well.
We've been flying on long haul flights with our son since he was 4. He has ADHD. We have come up with 5 strategies to keep him occupied during the longest flights. Every once in a while he used to push the touch screen in the seat back too hard or inadvertently kick the seat in front of him. We quickly (and loudly) admonished him, explained them impact on the person in front of him and required that he apologize to the person in front of him. That both dissuaded him from doing it and inspired understanding from the person in front.
In short, my view is that we parents own this behavior or we don't fly.
In short, my view is that we parents own this behavior or we don't fly.
6’3 here and unfortunately if I’m not in MCE or upgradesd you reclining your seat is going to be going into me knees. Every time I move you will feel my knees “kicking” at your back seat and being so uncomfortable, I will have to move a lot. Your 2 inches of minimal reclining comfort will be negated by my constant knee jabs.
Sorry, but reclining is a jerk move. You have unlimited leg room, and also want to recline into the poor guy in a non-MCE seat. Not cool.
Sorry, but reclining is a jerk move. You have unlimited leg room, and also want to recline into the poor guy in a non-MCE seat. Not cool.
I’m assuming you are short. If I’m in a coach seat and someone reclines their seat my knees are now pressed up against the seat. If I move my legs at all, which is bound to happen since I’m cramped, I will be moving your seat. Sure, moving to get comfortable is deliberate.
Let me guess, you also put both bags in the overhead and fight with the person in the middle over the armrest? They are both there for you to use, right?
As for the overhead bins, the instructions are clear: personal item under the seat and larger carry on in the bin. There is no instruction governing seat recline usage, outside of upright for critical phases. Same for the armrest, though most opt to give the middle seat both of them. Again though, the person in the middle seat chose to be in that seat... he could just as easily have paid for a different one.
you also have to be okay with my knees “kicking” your backseat. If you don’t want that, you can buy first, MCE or don’t recline.
Majority of people on your airplane fly once or twice a year, they don’t understand the nuances of seat selection, seat guru or where they are going to end up. Show a little compassion and stop reclining when the seat behind you is non-MCE or you’re not in F.
Last edited by kb9522; Dec 11, 2017 at 3:30 pm
Dec 11, 2017, 10:18 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL, UA, SPG, HH
Posts: 113
This was a 320B refurb with the new slimline seats. The appeared to almost swivel recline rather than traditional recline (like the 738's).
The dude kept on staring at my when he moved up to 16D. It was rather odd. Needless to say my senses were heightened when I left he jetway but he wasn't there.
All in all it was a very peculiar day. Before I boarded the flight I went to the bathroom in the terminal. Next to me a guy next was hurling like crazy. Then this nutjob and when I left the plane in DFW and went to the bathroom a second time someone else was hurling like crazy. To top it opp, when I got on the DART train platform some dude came up to me and said "hey can you help me?I"m drunk and i need to get to IHOP". Not wanting to know really anything more about his predicament, i said "No, sorry pal" and boarded. Sure enough he did too and passed out swiftly within 5 minutes.
The dude kept on staring at my when he moved up to 16D. It was rather odd. Needless to say my senses were heightened when I left he jetway but he wasn't there.
All in all it was a very peculiar day. Before I boarded the flight I went to the bathroom in the terminal. Next to me a guy next was hurling like crazy. Then this nutjob and when I left the plane in DFW and went to the bathroom a second time someone else was hurling like crazy. To top it opp, when I got on the DART train platform some dude came up to me and said "hey can you help me?I"m drunk and i need to get to IHOP". Not wanting to know really anything more about his predicament, i said "No, sorry pal" and boarded. Sure enough he did too and passed out swiftly within 5 minutes.
Dec 11, 2017, 11:34 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Programs: AA PLT, 1.8mm
Posts: 6,988
6’3 here and unfortunately if I’m not in MCE or upgradesd you reclining your seat is going to be going into me knees. Every time I move you will feel my knees “kicking” at your back seat and being so uncomfortable, I will have to move a lot. Your 2 inches of minimal reclining comfort will be negated by my constant knee jabs.
Sorry, but reclining is a jerk move. You have unlimited leg room, and also want to recline into the poor guy in a non-MCE seat. Not cool.
Sorry, but reclining is a jerk move. You have unlimited leg room, and also want to recline into the poor guy in a non-MCE seat. Not cool.
Dec 11, 2017, 1:06 pm
#39
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Venice, Florida
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,607
I’m currently sitting on 259 back home. I’m in 25A. This is a great seat with no seat in front of me. Back at the gate the guy behind me started likely kicking my seat back. It was annoying. Fast forward 30 minutes later climbing up to cruise I press the recline back to go halfway back. Dude behind me flips. “”NO MORE — DONT RECLINE I CANT FEEL MY LEGS!” He then started going to town on the chair. I kid you not. I then hit my boiling point. Take off my headphones, turn around and say “dude what the hell is your problem? Sorry I have every right to recline.” He went off on me to the passenger next to him calling me every name in the book. Immediately I lean forward to the flight attendant seated in the jump seat directly in front of me and tell him what’s going on. He agrees it’s totally unacceptable and re-accommodates this man in 16D aisle.
Thoughts? What should I have done differently if anything?
Thoughts? What should I have done differently if anything?
Dec 11, 2017, 1:14 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,028
The guy next to him offered to switch places with him but before he could decide the FA offered him another seat. Of course everyone looked at me like I was the arse of the plane, not the other guy. I just re-donned my headphones and continued my munching of my chex mix.
Dec 11, 2017, 2:19 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
The guy next to him offered to switch places with him but before he could decide the FA offered him another seat. Of course everyone looked at me like I was the arse of the plane, not the other guy. I just re-donned my headphones and continued my munching of my chex mix.
Dec 11, 2017, 2:25 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Haze gray and underway
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott 'clink clink' Titanium
Posts: 1,784
Sorry, but reclining a seat is not a jerk move! If it was airlines would not have seats that recline! As for the poor guy (redacted) in a non-MCE seat he did purchase it without a gun to his head.
Last edited by StartinSanDiego; Dec 12, 2017 at 8:06 am Reason: removed masked vulgarity
Dec 11, 2017, 2:32 pm
#43
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Haze gray and underway
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott 'clink clink' Titanium
Posts: 1,784
I've had the occasional seat kicker. Most have been single digit aged. A few have not been. I have found it very fruitful to ring for the FA and in a loud voice ask if they could find the 'kicker's' mother.
But then again I have been called an A**hole on a good day.
But then again I have been called an A**hole on a good day.
Dec 11, 2017, 3:04 pm
#44
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 411
If people have an issue or reason for the passenger in the seat in front of you to NOT recline why is it people can't act like an adult and just ask politely? I've had people ask me to not recline in economy for various reasons, and I usually just say no problem and either sit up or just not recline all the way. Occasionally there's a jerk like the lady who pounded on my seatback when I started to recline. Rather than yelling, I just told her that banging my seat was unacceptable and childish and had she asked I would have gladly put it back up but not after her outburst. I also had a guy sitting behind me forcibly try and prevent my seat from reclining, may have been using his knees or bracing it with his arms or something, but sorry dude, you didn't win that one either. Just as nicely, instead you're going to get a chair in your lap the entire ride.
Dec 11, 2017, 3:07 pm
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
6’3 here and unfortunately if I’m not in MCE or upgradesd you reclining your seat is going to be going into me knees. Every time I move you will feel my knees “kicking” at your back seat and being so uncomfortable, I will have to move a lot. Your 2 inches of minimal reclining comfort will be negated by my constant knee jabs.
Sorry, but reclining is a jerk move. You have unlimited leg room, and also want to recline into the poor guy in a non-MCE seat. Not cool.
Sorry, but reclining is a jerk move. You have unlimited leg room, and also want to recline into the poor guy in a non-MCE seat. Not cool.