# Is reclining your seat a right or a privledge?



## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

It's 10:30 p.m. and you're finally sitting in your seat on the plane and ready to go home after a long business trip. You're harried. You battled heavy traffic to get to the airport which made you late, you hurriedly dropped-off your rental car, stood in a long line to get your luggage checked then stood in an even longer line to go through security, then raced to the gate to get on the plane in time for the long, non-stop, Red-Eye flight from NY to LA.

Now you're at 20,000 feet. It's late and you're determined to get as much sleep as you can during the flight. So, to get comfortable you push the button on the armrest to recline your seat back only to find that your seat didn't go back very far -- a measly 2 inches -- because the knees on the big guy behind you bang up against the back of your seat and the guy lets you know he just won't have enough room if you recline and he lets you know he paid a lot of money for that seat and it's HIS space you're encroaching on and he lets you know that his seat isn't reclined out of consideration of the woman behind him. You paid a lot of money for your seat as well and you're very tired and won't be able to sleep well with your seat sitting straight up.

There are a few open seats. You end up moving to one of them -- and recline without problem -- but it's in front of a woman and her crying kid which adds up to a restless sleep for you but it's the lesser of the two evils so you stick it out and arrive home the next day dead tired.

Since you paid the airline for the seat do you have the right to recline the seat if you want to or is reclining your seat really a privilege and you should only recline it if you know/think the person behind you won't object or be uncomfortable if you do so?

What do you think?


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## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

I recline.


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## Andrew Kaufman (Jun 16, 2010)

I'm definitely a pro-recline advocate. I say, stand up for your right to recline! The things are made that way--deal with it!. Besides, they don't go back that far


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Blame the greedy airlines. Reclining is an option but it's extremely inconsiderate the person behind you. Is that your fault though? No. It's the airlines' for trying to cram more seats into a plane.


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

I've never reclined my seat, but I think everyone has the right to. Of course, I'm only 5' tall, so I have plenty of room even if the person in front of me fully reclines (which they often do).


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## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

Jessica Billings said:


> I've never reclined my seat, but I think everyone has the right to. Of course, I'm only 5' tall, so I have plenty of room even if the person in front of me fully reclines (which they often do).


I need to start bringing you along to flights, and seating you behind me.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

My right to recline ends where creating discomfort for someone else begins. Yes, I paid for my ticket and theoretically have the right to put that seat back and relax, but the person behind me also paid for their ticket and has a right to not have my seat in their face.

I can suck it up and sit upright. That seat is going to be uncomfortable no matter what I do anyway.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Thumper said:


> My right to recline ends where creating discomfort for someone else begins.


Anytime your rights infringe upon the rights of another human being, they stop. You have a right to your seat, but if reclining causes you to hurt or injure another person, you don't have that right.

Just like you have a right to own a gun, but if you shoot someone with it, your rights end.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I never, ever recline my seat. I don't want to inconvenience the person behind me.


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## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

I stopped reclining after one flight where the seat in front of me was reclined to about an inch from my face. I felt trapped and claustrophobic the whole flight.


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## gadgetgirl003 (Mar 22, 2009)

I agree with Thumper and BTackitt. I hate it when the person in front of me reclines his seat and I have been in that uncomfortable situation that RReed mentioned many times and was amazed that the person in front of me was so rude.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

I do hate it when someone in front of me pushes their button and puts their weight into it and their seat-back comes slamming down in front of me. Other than that I feel they have the right to do it (I'm doing it because I'm 6'2" and would be uncomfortable sitting straight up) and that's the way it goes.

For me, if the guy behind me has long legs and the seat-back won't go down very far I just keep it to myself and fume and scope out the cabin for any open seats that I can take. 

I see it this way when flying: you get what you get so don't throw a fit. If there are open seats then move. If not, then you don't have a choice but to accept it -- fume for a little while -- then get over it and move on.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I think people have every right to recline; that being said, I rarely do it.  I don't find it makes that much difference to be worth inconveniencing the person behind me....plus, if I'm asleep as the plane is preparing for landing, the attendant has to wake me up to tell me to put the seat upright.  

Betsy


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## D.A. Boulter (Jun 11, 2010)

This brings up a strange occurrence.  I took a flight yesterday and was so tired that I fell asleep (a rare thing for me) shortly after take-off.  When I awoke, perhaps an hour later, I found the seat in the reclined position (which I rarely do--both out of consideration for the person behind and because I find it bad for my neck).  Did my neighbour push my button by mistake?  Through compassion?  Did I do it unconsciously?


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

pidgeon92 said:


> I never, ever recline my seat. I don't want to inconvenience the person behind me.


But what if they don't care if you do it? That's a good possibility. Maybe they're doing it.

You can always recline and wait for a response from the person behind you. If they don't like it then they can always speak-up and let you know. If they don't like it and don't say anything, then that's their problem. I will certainly comply if someone says something to me about it and I'd try and find a reclining position for me that doesn't bother them. Although, if it's a night-flight and they don't like it (not because they have long legs and it would be uncomfortable for them), then I'll tell them to jump into a lake because getting some sleep is more important to me than being concerned about inconveniencing them.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I think it's an individual choice...there's only the answer that is right for you.  I don't think it's one of the great ethical issues of our time.  

I don't much care if someone reclines in front of me; I only care if they do it so abruptly that it spills my beverage, which has happened....

Betsy


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Personally I don't recline my seat, but I don't sleep on planes either, not even the 17hour flight to/from Japan. I think some planes recline more than others. I've been on some where when fully reclined, the seat only moved about 3 inches, and I have been on 2 where when the seat in front of my was reclined all of the way, it slammed me in the knees and I had to say something. 

I don't care if the person in front of me reclines their seat and it doesn't hit me, but when I get hurt, I have to say something.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Zell said:


> It's 10:30 p.m. and you're finally sitting in your seat on the plane and ready to go home after a long business trip. You're harried. You battled heavy traffic to get to the airport which made you late, you hurriedly dropped-off your rental car, stood in a long line to get your luggage checked then stood in an even longer line to go through security, then raced to the gate to get on the plane in time for the long, non-stop, Red-Eye flight from NY to LA.
> 
> Now you're at 20,000 feet. It's late and you're determined to get as much sleep as you can during the flight. So, to get comfortable you push the button on the armrest to recline your seat back only to find that your seat didn't go back very far -- a measly 2 inches -- because the knees on the big guy behind you bang up against the back of your seat and the guy lets you know he just won't have enough room if you recline and he lets you know he paid a lot of money for that seat and it's HIS space you're encroaching on and he lets you know that his seat isn't reclined out of consideration of the woman behind him. You paid a lot of money for your seat as well and you're very tired and won't be able to sleep well with your seat sitting straight up.
> 
> ...


I've had this problem and worse--the last international flight I took the lady behind me was playing a game on the headrest in front of her that required she "tap" the screen several times per minute--ie tap my head--hard, along with fingernail noise. I've also been told I had "no right to store luggage under my seat" and "no, you cannot use that other seat even though no one is storing anything there."

I've gotten so sick of flying that I really, really try not to fly anymore. I've concluded that as a flyer/customer, I have no rights--including searches, where I sit, how often I go to the bathroom...how much luggage I can take...I tell you what, it's easier to stay home. And in all other cases, if I can drive, I do so. What used to be a great time-saver has just devolved into something where I have to arrive early, can't take my water bottle...yeah. I'll stop now. Sorry. It's a sore button because the last 5 times I've flown, it has not be pleasant at all.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> Personally I don't recline my seat, but I don't sleep on planes either, not even the 17hour flight to/from Japan.


I can sleep almost anywhere. I'm a pro.  I fell asleep AT the 24 Hours of Daytona in the bleachers at turn one, where you're probably the closest to the cars and they're the loudest. Also, when we had our RV in the infield one year, I slept, even though it sounded like we were inside a hive of very large angry bees. No ear plugs either time.

My husband though, is like you! Consequently, I can't get him to consider flying again to Japan or Australia, both of which he's been to. Europe is bad enough....

The Head tapping thing, Maria, probably would have gotten me....I would have had to say something...

Betsy


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Zell said:


> But what if they don't care if you do it? That's a good possibility. Maybe they're doing it.


I'm not going to wait and see if I aggravate somebody. Airplanes are uncomfortable enough without me doing something to increase someone else's discomfort.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

If I feel a need to "recline", I only let it go back a couple inches, not all the way back. This is both because I know how much I dislike having the seat in front of me all the way back, plus I know if I'm trying to use my laptop on the table tray and somebody reclines all the way, I can no longer do so. As far as a "right" to do so, I doubt there is anything on the ticket or any purchase agreement you signed for that ticket that says you have a right to recline.


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

What a petty thing to worry about... I think we get caught up in way to much whining and complaining.  There are real problems in this world.  For instance, in my home town today a young couple lost their 12 yr. old daughter to cancer.  I bet they would love to have this problem of not enough room to lay back on the plane.    

Happy New Year.


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## unknown2cherubim (Sep 10, 2010)

pidgeon92 said:


> I'm not going to wait and see if I aggravate somebody. Airplanes are uncomfortable enough without me doing something to increase someone else's discomfort.


Not to mention sometimes it is very difficult to get up the nerve to ask the person in front of me to put their seat upright.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

When someone reclines into my lap, I get the sudden urge to pass gas.  A lot of gas.

I can't explain it.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I can sleep almost anywhere. I'm a pro.  I fell asleep AT the 24 Hours of Daytona in the bleachers at turn one, where you're probably the closest to the cars and they're the loudest. Also, when we had our RV in the infield one year, I slept, even though it sounded like we were inside a hive of very large angry bees. No ear plugs either time.
> 
> My husband though, is like you! Consequently, I can't get him to consider flying again to Japan or Australia, both of which he's been to. Europe is bad enough....
> 
> ...


She pretty much knew and didn't care. My mother traded seats with me for a while, and we 'mentioned' it. She was "trying to tap more softly." But when someone is gaming on the back of the seat, you're gonna feel it--those touch screens aren't that sensitive. It's a VERY poor design. THe thing is, airlines don't care much. They have no real competition. They are the fastest and in some case ONLY way to get from point A to B. Sure you can take another airline, but they're generally all the same and their prices are similar too. So the only alternative is to fly less or not at all. Shrug. So that's pretty much what I do.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

BTackitt said:


> Personally I don't recline my seat, but I don't sleep on planes either, not even the 17hour flight to/from Japan. I think some planes recline more than others. I've been on some where when fully reclined, the seat only moved about 3 inches, and I have been on 2 where when the seat in front of my was reclined all of the way, it slammed me in the knees and I had to say something.
> 
> I don't care if the person in front of me reclines their seat and it doesn't hit me, but when I get hurt, I have to say something.


Definitely true that some recline more than others. The newer planes recline less. I read an article about it. They recline differently and much less because they added seats and took out a bathroom (this was on larger planes for international flights if I recall correctly.) The "new recline" was supposed to be for all new planes though and they said that they made up for it by making the seats more comfortable. I happen to disagree because they had a Loooong way to go to get close to comfortable--the reclining is only one aspect. It used to be that you could recline and actually lay your head against the seat next to you that was not reclined. My husband and I used to take turns napping like this. These days if you recline, you can look at the seat next to you and if you have a micrometer with you, you use it to measure and tell the one seat is reclined.


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

Maybe they should not have the option on the seats...there is no room anyway.  Then there would be no problems.


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## ladyknight33 (Feb 2, 2009)

I think the person reclining the seat should ask if it is a bother tho the other person. I am 6'  and 9 times out of the 10 the person in front of me reclines, hits my knees and I when I mention it, they push down harder on the seat. I try to get exit row sitting so that I don't have that problem and those seats don't recline.


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## Tripp (May 28, 2009)

I generally don't recline and if I do, it is a very little bit.  On my last flight my seat was wonky and when we took off, the thrust made it gradually recline.  I kept trying to sit up and stop it, but I was not too successful.  I was really glad when we got to cruising altitude.


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## Guest (Jan 9, 2011)

I don't recline. In October I flew cross country and on the way there the jerk in front of me not only abruptly reclined his seat all the way and nearly broke my netbook which I was using on my table at the time, but kept fidgeting and moving the entire flight so his seat kept slamming into my legs. I didn't even have enough room to get up and use the restroom. 

It's not just planes either. The last time my husband and I took a Greyhound bus to visit my parents, the couple in front of us whipped out their HUGE laptops (they must have been at least 17"), shoved their seats all the way back and played computer games happily the entire 5+ hour trip. Their seats were wedged against our knees and we could not even move. I didn't even have enough space to use my netbook! We asked politely several times for them to move their seats up and were ignored. Finally the female half turned around and told us to shut the f up! I have a bad knee and was in a huge amount of pain when we finally got to our destination. Talk about selfish jerks!

That said, when I flew cross-country in October, there was an empty seat between me and the person in the aisle seat on the way home and we happily shared it-I used the tray table to hold my drink and snack while I used my netbook and she used the seat to spread out her files. No problem! Not all of us travelers are jerks.


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