Gig103

Same, and given how tight the cabins are I would go so far as to wish the seat has to be upright during meal service (in addition to take-off and landing). Of course, that won't happen so it will come down to having the FA request it. On a KLM flight we had a great FA who, as she was placing our trays, asked/told the man in front of my wife to sit up during the meal service, and he complied.

gfunkdave

My only objection is when people recline their seat quickly. The person in front of me was, for lack of a better word, lurching back and forth during a flight last week. Every time, it made my iPad fall down (I'd been leaning it against the seat back).

Now, when the seat was reclined their seatback was inches from my face, which was annoying...but that's on Air France for cramming the rows that close together. I just leaned my seat back a little to compensate. Sucks to be the person in back whose seat doesn't recline...

Often1

I recline if I wish. It is part of the soft product marketed by the carrier and mine to use if I wish. As a courtesy, I recline just a bit and do it slowly at first. I then recline as far as I wish to and am able.

If asked politely, I will make minor adjustments so that someone can get out of their seat or otherwise adjust.

Those who can't deal with it should either fly F/J or private charter.

Silver Fox

I think on Air NZ they ask you to put your seat in the upright position for meals. The only time I recline is if the person in front of me does and their seat back is right in my face. It wouldn't worry me in the slightest if they did away with the recline in economy.

COSPILOT

Red Eye flight OGG-DEN and the lady behind insisted I keep my seat upright because her and her husband wanted to play cards the entire flight. Sorry, I want to sleep, not my problem. I have plenty of annoyances with airlines and passengers alike, but don't tell me what to do with my seat.

I do agree that keeping it upright during meals is considerate, in economy or domestic first even.

Ilove2fly

There are many entitled people. I had a woman asked me to put my seat up on a TAlt flight while she was fully reclined. I told her that I would consider her request only if she can get the guy in front of me to put his seat up. Also, I had a woman insisted that I wanted her middle seat instead of my aisle seat on a LAX to New Zealand flight. I told the women, no thank you for each of the 5 or 6 times she told me to switch seats.

Seats are designed to recline. It is part of the price we pay. Of course, I will put my seat up during the meal. I also do not put the seat down if the flight is less than 3 hours but that is my choice and only my choice.

Chr04

In many European trains instead of recline seats, the horizontal part of the seat goes front and so you recline but you dont bother they guy behind behind.behind.

Why airlines dont dont use this kind of seat, so you can recline but also its yiu that get the minimized space and not the guy behind you.

Gig103

So since it wasn't me I can just laugh at her idiocy, but in person I would have been very quickly irritated by her insistence.

chipmaster

When one flies in the ever shrinking seat pitch, nobody should be surprised. Look at how we vote with our purchases for where we fly, always the cheapest, why should we expect anything but the cheapest experiences.

That being said, courtesy and sympathy is something we should all maintain when crammed together, whether 1 hour or 14 hours. A nice request with a good reason is rarely ignored by reasonably people.

Sounds like the passenger behind was neither reasonable, nor nice so no reason to feel bad.

For meals it makes a lot of sense for both side to have the seat up, rarely saw it more comfortable and smart to be "reclining" in this confined space and trying to eat.

Seats recline for a reason, for the passenger to use, if the one behind needs a bit more room, they can also recline too, call it "even" LOL

rdh0924

Seats are made to recline, so I recline. When they are no longer made to recline, I will quit reclining.

I would never complain because you signed up for it by flying economy. Fly F or J if you need more legroom. (This coming from a 6'2" guy.)

MaxBuck

I used to think reclining one's seat wasn't rude, but that was before diminished seat pitch basically put the forward seat back roughly on line with my nose.

BuildingMyBento

Reclining bothers me, but I keep mum b/c it's just a fact of flying with many airlines.

As to your point, Gulf Air's A330's J class angled-flat went back waaaaaay too far...

Tizzette

flubber

Thanks for all your thoughts and sharing your experiences. Just for the record, I always put my seat back up when it's meal time. I just didn't know that her child was eating when she first got the FA to ask me, and also, it wasn't the reason when I was first asked. In any case, the child wasn't seating behind me; it was the rude lady who was right behind.

Also, for the record (some of you got it, clearly others didn't) - I was reclined only about halfway.

tom911

Check out this classic FT thread:

Passenger reclined the seat to my knees- so I grabbed and pulled the seat often