B747-437B

Slightly OT but one of my pet peeves is the robotic Singapore Girls who insist that all pax put their seats upright for the meal service, even if there is nobody sitting behind you. When asked why this was neccessary, I got a sweet smile and a response of "it looks neater this way". Only in Singapore....

kkjay77

I have no problem pulling my seat back up if I'm not sleeping, but if I'm in F and sleeping, don't wake me up for whatever the reason is.

SkiAdcock

I pick bulkhead aisle whenever possible so I don't have to deal w/ the tray thing.

Having said that I put my seat up during meal time. Having said that I put it back down post meal cuz I sleep on flights, especially domestic after international.

Umguy, totally stunned by your responses on this thread. Someone doesn't agree w/ you & you acuse them of being non-American, etc. What's that about? I don't know you/never met you/never read one of your threads 'til now, but boy you went down in my viewpoint, and you're a mod on other forums? Whether you like it or not, makes me wonder about your mod capabilities. But that aside, think you were offbase on your response on this thread.

essxjay

I have to disagree with you here. Daytime to your body clock doesn't mean it's so for everyone else. If it's daytime and I need a nap, I'll wait til the meal service is over, then politely recline for some much needed shut-eye. That's my perogative.

PUCCI GALORE

Isn't that the truth. I could just imagine it.

Analise

Whether in F or coach, if I'm asked to put my seat up so someone could eat, of course I would do it. In coach I've asked the person in front of me if he would move his seat up while I ate and I have never had anyone say "no". To me, it's just common courtesy.

Skyman65

Understood, and that's fine. I guess my point is that unless you need to sleep, my recommendation would be to keep your seat forward while seated in coach. Space is already so limited there, why make it worse for the pax behind you. I'm not expecting everyone to follow this advice. But it's how I choose to operate. Knowing how much I hate to have people recline into me, I choose not to recline unless it's sleeptime, or there is no one seated behind me.

doc

Quote:\
Originally Posted by Skyman65
With the tight quarters in steerage these days, I think it is just common courtesy to not recline at all except during late-night or overnight flights when people are trying to sleep. I only recline on red-eye flights, or if the seat behind me is empty.

---

I concur heartily. My seat is nearly always up and I would most assuredly have complied! Courtesy prevails!

Mark

colmc

I'm surprised this is even an issue. Common courtesy would seem to indicate that one could put ones seat up while someone behind is trying to eat. After all, the seating arrangements on board demand some collaborative effort. The trays are designed to be used when the seat in front is upright, not reclined. If you are the reclining passgenger you are reclining into someone elses space, so the hope is that they will have the good grace to allow you your comfort, so I guess it's not too much to ask for the same grace when they want to eat.

USAFAN

I agree 100% ^
To leave the seat reclined and the person behind has problems to eat, is bad behavior.

LapLap

I also agree 100% ^ ^

Something my Japanese partner always complains about is that when on flights that start or terminate in Japan and where the passengers are mostly Japanese, the instant the 'fasten seatbelt' sign is extinguished WHAM, every single seat goes into full recline almost on cue, and remains that way until the plane begins descent.

If the ladies from Singapore Airlines have to insist that all their pax have their seats up even if the seat behind is empty, it must be because of situations like this where they have to enforce an actual policy.

Personally, it wouldn't occur to me to keep my seat up whilst somebody behind me could be eating (whether I am or not - and regardless of their size), and I will pull up my seat at breakfast time even if I am still sleeping and have declined the meal.

I don't like the idea of being forced to do this if there is nobody behind me, but if this is going to help the airline crew (i.e. dealing with someone else refusing to comply because they're pointing me out and saying "well SHE doesn't have her seat up!") get people to implement this basic courtesy, then I understand and accept this.

If I was in C (unlikely to go to F) and there was tons of room, I'd look round and make sure the person behind was comfortable - adjusting my seat as necessary. Mind you, the last time this was an issue, the pax behind me was an FTer, so there were no problems with calling out: "you alright mate?" periodically.

SJC1K

I agree that it's common courtesy to put your seat up to allow the person behind you to eat in comfort, but I don't think you recline into someone else's space. I think you are entitled to use full recline any time except when required to do otherwise by the cabin crew, and the space you recline into is yours. There's no inconsistency here--there are many things that are rude that you are nevertheless entitled to do.

candaceg

I would put the seat up, especially in coach. But as long as it wasn't the middle of the night or very early in the morning, I wouldn't mind in first either.

Bogey90

Yes, I agree. I woke up in Y, on a NRT to MSP as the FA was placing my breakfast tray down, (Xanax is the best) and did not realize that my seat was still reclined. The pax behind me asked me to move the seat forward. I was happy to comply and, said that I would have already unreclined, but I was still 1/2 asleep.

colmc

I don't know if I can totally agree with that. To be honest, I'm think the seats on most short-haul aircraft recline too far as it is, a hangover from the days when travel was a little more genteel and the seats a little less close together. I never recline my seats out of respect for the person behind me when travelling in economy/coach. Even in shorthaul business/domestic US first, I'd still be use the recline quite judiciously depending on the pitch etc.

Unfortunately most people don't feel the same, and only recently I had one gentleman recline (quite suddenly too, almost giving me a nasty whack!) so far I got to look at the top of his bald head for pretty much the entire flight. Alas it was a short flight, so no meals were served. If they had of been, I would have perched the tray on his head and seen how long he wished to remain so reclined.

Perhaps Ryanair have the right idea, fitting non-reclining seats on their 737-800's thus eliminating this argument altogether!