Seat Reclining
 

I am sure this has come up before, but I couldn't find it (probably my mediocre search skills). Anyhow, I was flying ZRH-BOS this past week when the passenger in front of my fully reclined his/her seat. No worries, I'm not too tall (5'10) but it did cram my knees a bit, so in response, I reclined my seat, not the whole way but I would say about 3/4 of the way.

Behind me was an overweight woman and as I reclined her husband/boyfriend threw me a dirty look and said something, which I didn't hear since I had my headset in. Trying to be a nice guy, I pushed my seat so it was only reclined about 50%, which was still uncomfortable. With two hours left in the flight the boyfriend/husband asks me to push my seat in the upright position, because the lady could not even sit or something. Feeling sad, I obliged, but it was a very long 2 hours!

Did I do anything wrong or was I fully within my rights to recline my seat? Should I have just told the guy that my knees hurt too and that I could do nothing about it?

If it isn't obvious, this has never happened to me before.

I guess it's time for the monthly Seat Recline thread. :D

Yes, you were within your rights to recline your seat. I'd have told the fatso to go pound sand at the first request to reduce your recline.

If you ask me, good manners is to not recline during meal service. But apart from that you should be in your right to recline. Especially on long haul. I would guess the oversize pax should have asked the FA if there was another seat available?

I'm sorry I'd hate to say this (since I am a LARGE fellow :D ), but that lady should have upgraded to at least an exit row if she knows that she has a problem with tight spaces.

You have every right to recline just as much as the person in front of you. Perhaps if the couple had asked you nicely to not recline then it probably would have been easier to simply ask the person in front of you the same. You are to nice. The only way I would have considered sitting up would be if I was asked nicely. Treat others that way you'd like to be treated.

Exactly. If they are less than polite in their request I would blow off their request for that very reason!

....Or maybe simply switched seats w/ the person next to her that was complaining?!?!

Exactly. Its your right to recline, or there wouldn't be that button there in the first place.

However, IMHO reclining can be at least somewhat rude on full flights...especially depending on the size/weight of the person behind you.

As for the "fatso", there are many reasons for persons being obese. Not unlike alcoholism, sometimes the reasons are not totally within the obsee person's control.

I don't mean to suggest to others what they should do, but I personally try to be considerate. (Even when the guy in front of me couldn't give a rat's *** about MY comfort). I normally don't recline, or...on long flights...ask the person behind me if they mind if I recline slightly.

I always recline. I cannot stand sitting in the straight up position. Additionally I have never had anyone have a problem with me reclining even on those cramped RJ's.

Drinking game anyone? ;)

When I fly in Y, I rarely recline as the 6.07 degrees of difference seems to make no difference.

I just can't believe the bad attitudes being expressed here. regardless of whether you are on a plane or not, how about just being nice to other people.

The original poster knew his seat recline caused the passenger behind discomfort, so don't recline. Simple. Some people don't ask politely initially, because they just don't have the communication skills, and find any situation like that difficult to deal with. The fact the passenger was over weight is pretty irrelevant, do you know why the person was overweight? there are many possible explanations, including medication, cancer therapy, metabolic imbalance. Not everyone who is overweight eats donuts all day long, but even if they did it is NO EXCUSE for sh*tty behaviour. Everyone has faults.

Most of what I have seen in this thread is based around petty prejudices, and an "I don't give a **** about anyone else" attitude. Jeez, what is up with you people.

Try being nice to people, it really works, and is a helluva lot less stressful. It also means you don't need to ask silly questions about whether or not you should recline your seat, as the answer is pretty bl***ing obvious.

Please enlighten us with the obvious answer. It appears that everyone here feels the same way except you. You seem to contradict yourself.

Try weekly. :rolleyes:

I don't see where the OP was anything but courteous. On a long flight, it is unacceptable, imho, to expect someone not to recline his seat. If someone has a physical condition which makes it difficult to fly, that person has the option not to fly or to request different seating. The OP had every right to recline his seat all the way back for the duration of the flight, unless directed not to by the flight crew. But he chose to compromise for the sake of the person in back, and I find this to be completely acceptable and decent behavior.