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Is it your "God Given Right" to recline your seat?

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Is it your "God Given Right" to recline your seat?

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Old Mar 1, 2006, 3:45 am
  #16  
BOH
 
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Surely a seat could be designed where instead of the back reclining, the bottom part moves forward. In other words, the "pivot" for the recline becomes the top of the seat back so the base of the seat moves forward when reclined.

That way a pax reclining their seat has no effect on the person behind - but will get slightly less legroom themselves as an effect. Just a thought
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 6:00 am
  #17  
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On a 757, from a bulkhead seat, I reclined it. the person behind me went crazy. He grabbed the back of the seat and started shaking it, jerking it, and yelling at me. I put the seat up, and called for the FA. She told the person to behave, and that I could recline my seat.

I reclined it, and he went into the act again. FA came with Purser. Purser explained to him if he did not behave, they would cuff him and put him in a closet.

More amazing, this was a Xerox award flight with at least 100 xerox employees on board, and both my wife, and the guy behind worked for xerox.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 6:14 am
  #18  
 
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I always recline my seat, that’s what it is designed to do. During meal time I do put the seat back up to give the person behind me more room, plus it’s easier on myself to eat anyway.
I do notice Europeans tend not to recline their seats on the entire flight. On a short one-hour flight intra-Europe flight last year, I tried to recline my seat and the person behind me put his/her knees against the seat preventing me from reclining unless I force it. Since it was only a short flight I did not make an issue if it.

Last edited by CAPT Tee; Mar 1, 2006 at 3:28 pm
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 6:32 am
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by BOH
Surely a seat could be designed where instead of the back reclining, the bottom part moves forward. In other words, the "pivot" for the recline becomes the top of the seat back so the base of the seat moves forward when reclined.

That way a pax reclining their seat has no effect on the person behind - but will get slightly less legroom themselves as an effect. Just a thought
If I recall correctly, the Y seats on JALs 777 do pivot as you suggest. It was this time last year I flew with them and found it cool that it did so. It still invades the person behind's space, but not as much as before and felt a whole lot more comfortable.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 6:54 am
  #20  
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I strongly believe that the airlines have allowed the seats to recline to far back. I think they should be reconfigured so they do not go back so far. With that in mind, I think the passengers should think of the people behind them and recline only half as much as allowed.

Reclining all the way back is very selfish.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 7:13 am
  #21  
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Talking

Originally Posted by LZ-HMI
The meaning of "your right" has become rather diluted.

Last I remember, the declaration of rights was about things like freedom of speech, movement, residence, fair trial etc.... And of course each country adds their own to this list (like freedom to own a gun with which to kill people).

On the other hand, we have a duty to be considerate to each other, I would argue. This includes not banging each other on the head with an airline seatback during mealtimes.

Despite what the speed signs might say, you don't have a "right" to drive at 60 kph if there are pedestrians crossing the road in front of you, do you?
Do the pedestrians have the walk light?
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 7:29 am
  #22  
 
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I never use the recline feature, unless the seat behind is empty. In fact, I'd be quite happy to see it done away with completely. Seat recline, IMHO, is a bit of vestigial remnant from an era where aircraft passengers generally had more room between the seats and were not packed in the high density configurations of today.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 7:42 am
  #23  
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im sure the original intention of airline seats was to allow the function of recline. Perhaps with evolution and everyone learning how to be a "smart alex", travellers have started to speak up or say things in away that makes people uncomfortable and give in to them...

u can choose to ignore people who ask you to recline but if it makes them really uncomfortable that they start behaving in away that seems overly harrasing, then yes, use the call button.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 7:58 am
  #24  
 
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There has been so much discussion on this topic, nevertheless, IMHO I think it is quite simple.
1) Seats recline - people take advantage of this feature for a couple of reasons like facilitating sleep or making one more comfortable. If the posterior pax has a problem with this they should make the extra effort to sit in a bulkhead...especially those related to Andre the Giant
2) People should "check their blind spot" before reclining to make certain the person behind them isn't using a laptop or eating (using the meal tray). If they are, wait until they finish or politely work out a compromise.
3) People should recline slowly so as to allow the posterior pax a chance to move their knees or shift anything that may be blocking.
Done, enough said...lets all join hands now and sing "I'd like to buy the world a Coke...." and run through the daisies.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 8:11 am
  #25  
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Originally Posted by viajero7889
There has been so much discussion on this topic, nevertheless, IMHO I think it is quite simple.
1) Seats recline - people take advantage of this feature for a couple of reasons like facilitating sleep or making one more comfortable. If the posterior pax has a problem with this they should make the extra effort to sit in a bulkhead...especially those related to Andre the Giant
2) People should "check their blind spot" before reclining to make certain the person behind them isn't using a laptop or eating (using the meal tray). If they are, wait until they finish or politely work out a compromise.
3) People should recline slowly so as to allow the posterior pax a chance to move their knees or shift anything that may be blocking.
Done, enough said...lets all join hands now and sing "I'd like to buy the world a Coke...." and run through the daisies.
Those are definitely the Golden Rules. Now, if travelers could only follow them. It's really a matter of respect. Of course, with so many self-absorbed people in this world, they're happy as long as they get what they want
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 8:12 am
  #26  
 
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I've made this point on other thread related to the subject - anyway:
- I do recline a little bit generally - it gives your spine more natural position
- if person in front of me reclines, I will recline too - it is just incomfotrable to have someone's seat back to stick up to your nose
- Airline seats are made to recline, as such, people who bought the right to remain in this seat during the flight (ticket) can not be stripped of their right to recline. if people object someone in front of them reclines, try flying ryanair - their seats do not recline by design

AX
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 8:28 am
  #27  
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A "God-given right"? I think more on terms of "God-given responsibilities" than "rights". If we walk around with chips on our shoulder about our 'rights' when talking about the reclining of an airline seat in very tiny space, I think we are off base. If reclining my seat is going to give greater discomfort to the person behind me, I won't do it.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 8:41 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by LZ-HMI
Despite what the speed signs might say, you don't have a "right" to drive at 60 kph if there are pedestrians crossing the road in front of you, do you?
I personally believe I have the right to drive 60 MPH. 60 kph is too slow for this yank.
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 9:02 am
  #29  
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It depends...

Of course it is my "right" to recline, since I paid for the seat.

However, if the person behind me asks me nicely, I usually compromise and recline only halfway.



If the person behind me is rude, I simply recline all the way, from take-off to landing. If he/she doesn't like it, I just call the FAs who will always be on my side. Worst case scenario, if he/she doesn't comply with the FAs, the FAMs will probably take care it...


The only exception: during meal service, I always go back to the upright position, no matter what... just as a courtesy to my fellow passengers.

No if only somebody tell me how to handle a crying toddler behind me who likes to bang my head with his chew toy... I can't deal with babies...
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Old Mar 1, 2006, 9:16 am
  #30  
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Last flight we got someone behind that had just had knee surgery and for some reason the reclined seat caused them pain. I ended up not reclining on a trans-pacific flight.
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