Would someone please explain to me why a child (around age 8 or 10), would need to recline his seat?

It's certainly not because they're really tall. Even on US/CO/NW/DL coach, a kid's knees are not going to reach the next seat. Are they tired from a long day at work? Unlikely. Are they trying to get some shut-eye in advance of a long day at work? Unlikely.

In the last three months, there have been two instances of a kid sitting in front of me who either reclined or attempted to recline.

In one case, the kid couldn't get the seat to go back because my legs were in the way. The seat next to me was empty, so I moved my feet over, and his bleached-blonde foreigner mother helped him push the seat back.

In the second case, on a full red-eye, the kid in front of me kept pushing and pushing and pushing. Next to him was his sister (for some reason she didn't need to recline), and his mother was next to her, so no help from Mommy in this case.

Lucky for him, he wasn't that strong, so I was able to withstand the pushing. I save my screaming for an adult who pushes back really hard, because that actually hurts.

I've read posts from people who say they have the "right" to recline, and we just finished discussing that "right" recently.

In this thread I would like to discuss kids who recline. My kids don't recline and they don't ask me to help them. They're kids -- they don't need to recline!

Does anyone here fly with their kids and help them recline into the aft passenger's legs?

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"Yippie-kay-yay, Mr. Falcon!" -- John McClane, Die Hard II As Seen on TV

Does anyone ever deign to speak with children on flights? I'm sure if you had politely mentioned that the recline wasnt working because your knees were there, he would have stopped.

Kids don't sleep sitting up any better than adults do. The little sister was probably laying across her mother and/or brother with the arm rests up.

Although children don't have long days at work, perhaps the parents had them up and active early so that they would sleep on the flight as not to annoy those who rank children right up there with root canals.

A little polite communication on board would have probably answered your question and educated the child as well.

Sometimes we forget that our BOS-LAX is someone else's third flight of the day. Perhaps these children had earlier made a flight from Europe and were tired. I really don't see what age has to do with it. As missydarlin said, kids don't sleep any better upright than adults do.

...his bleached-blonde foreigner mother...

And this has exactly what to do with your complaint?

One problem with speaking to the child or the parent is that I risk angering the parent. One must be careful not to mis-communicate, or the parental instincts may come out in a blast of fury. I guess it's safer just to be silent.

Second problem is that I shouldn't have to ask someone not to recline (whether child or adult).

It should be pretty **** obvious. If the seat doesn't move back, look behind you and see if there's someone taller than Hamburglar sitting there.


I must disagree with you that kids can't sleep any better without recline. With their short stature, they have more room to sit at an angle and create their own recline. They're not sitting next to a stranger, so it should be no big deal to share some lap space.

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"Yippie-kay-yay, Mr. Falcon!" -- John McClane, Die Hard II As Seen on TV

[This message has been edited by JS (edited 10-20-2003).]

Probably because it is available to them just as it is to adults. Unless you ask them directly, there is very little you can do about anyone reclining his or her seat.

This isn't a database, it's just a bulletin board. I see nothing wrong with adding a few details to complete the picture.

I guess we could conclude that all bleached-blonde foreign women are inconsiderate rubes.

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"Yippie-kay-yay, Mr. Falcon!" -- John McClane, Die Hard II As Seen on TV

[This message has been edited by bnaboy (edited 10-20-2003).]

[This message has been edited by bnaboy (edited 10-20-2003).]

Well, if they're already tired, then why would they need to recline in order to fall asleep?

Since age is irrelevant, does this mean you wouldn't mind if a two year is sitting in front of you, and the parent reclines the seat?

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"Yippie-kay-yay, Mr. Falcon!" -- John McClane, Die Hard II As Seen on TV

The implication here is that tall people have the right to recline, but short people (or kids) do not.

Or is it...tall people shouldn't be reclined upon, but short people are fair game?

C'mon - make up your mind.

I'm tall. I know what it feels like to be reclined upon. Therefore, I don't do it to others, regardless of their size. In this case, I feel for you because you were reclined upon, but the logic that small people shouldn't do it but tall people can is wrong.

It's not so much age, but height. Kids don't need to recline in order to get the feeling of more legroom if they can barely reach the seat pocket. Kids' heads are not at or above the top of the seatback. I'm so tall that even with a pillow, if I lean my head back, I'm staring at the PSU like I'm in a dentist chair.

It's not so much "comfort" as it is "freedom from pain". If it were merely uncomfortable for someone to recline in front of me, I wouldn't care. The fact of the matter is that if you're sitting in front of me, you CANNOT recline your seat, because my legs are in the way. If you push back on your seat really hard, it will really hurt me.

No, fine, and yes. I am talking about seat recline, not all that other stuff.

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"Yippie-kay-yay, Mr. Falcon!" -- John McClane, Die Hard II As Seen on TV

I didn't say it's OK for tall people to recline but not short people. If you're sitting in front of me, it doesn't matter how tall or how short you are, you just cannot recline, because my legs are in the way and will not shrink with pressure.

The point of this topic is to see if anyone disagrees with my belief that it's not necessary for kids to recline.

Forget about "right to recline" -- it doesn't exist (our rights are in the Constitution). This discussion is whether it is necessary or proper or rude for kids to recline.

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"Yippie-kay-yay, Mr. Falcon!" -- John McClane, Die Hard II As Seen on TV

Precisely. They paid for the seat; they're entitled to its features.

If I'm in coach, I'm one who doesn't recline unless the person behind me reclines and I seldom do it then because I find it's not that comfortable. But if the person in front - no matter what their age or height - reclines so be it. If it really bothers me, I would fly airlines that offer me more room(which is what I do) or pay for a higher class of service that gives me more room.

My father-in-law is 6'7", my brother is 6'6". Neither would ever tell the person in front of them they couldn't use the seat they purchased because it would make them uncomfortable. Both have found alternative ways of dealing with this. My father-in-law when he traveled for work agreed to do so only on the condition he was in a premium cabin. My brother flies American.

Reclining creates a different angle, and does not increase legroom. The only way to avoid recliners, JS, is to get a bulkhead seat. Perhaps the "right" to recline should be based on a formula using age, revenue and the same variables for the person behind you?

I'd much rather sit behind a reclining, quiet child than an upright screaming one.

Sounds to me like someone with a bad attitude.
I've always used recline because sitting upright for hours hurts my back.

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Best regards,
Dairenn Lombard
Los Angeles, CA