Reclining on an airplane? and other flying etiquette

[ISUCyclones2015]

This is a thing? People sitting in wrong seats intentionally? Full disclosure I fly very seldom.

All. The. Time. It's actually crazy how many people assume they can just switch seats by sitting in the seat first then ask. Most common are couples, particularly newlyweds.

My system is this:
If you sit in my seat before I get there and then ask me. I always say no out of principle. You can't just sit in my seat and expect it.

If you ask me once I've arrived at my seat or after I've sat down, I'll only switch for a comparable or better seat.

Someone had the nerve one time to ask me to switch out of my first class seat into an economy seat because it was their honeymoon. Yea go **** yourself lol. You switch with whoever your wife is sitting next to in Economy.

 

[Stormin]

Delta Airlines advertises recline of seats in their seat descriptions. WHY would you promote recline if a person is not supposed to use it?

if you need additional space to do work on your computer and Economy or Main Cabin does not provide the space the employer should pay the additional money for that space. So I am supposed to stay upright because a company is cheap?

https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/onboard-experience/basic-economy.html

 

[Cyclonepride]

Since my knees literally touch the seat back in front of me in most airplanes, I'm going with no, don't recline.

 

[cycloneG]

I don't recline. I'm far more comfortable sitting upright.

 

[Angie]

• Do you guys recline your seat? What do you think of people that do without asking? Largely, I do not recline (although I have the same issue as Cowgirl with where the headrest hits) - I do if I'm on a red-eye or international, or if I just got off of an international coming home and am super-exhausted.
• Do you guys ask to leave the windows closed? No, but I am grateful when people do quite often. I have a touch of photosensitivity - but overall don't get too worked up if the sun isn't going right in my eyes.
• Who gets the middle armrests? The person in the middle seat. It's rough being a small female sitting in the middle of two guys.
• Should first class have a dress code? It's not the 1950s, I don't particularly care about people wearing jeans - don't love when people are wearing their PJs. Although I have worn yoga pants on overnight international flights.

The bigger question for me is if it's acceptable to turn on your fan and point it at those surrounding you. Those things are just spraying around farts and poop molecules.

 

[cowgirl836]

As for crying babies, kids have a right to travel too. I always put earbuds/earplugs in my backpack to deal with that. Now when they are kicking the back of your seat I will side eye.

 

[Doc]

I travel for work and do not recline for 2 reasons.
1. If the person in front of me reclines, it makes using my laptop very difficult if I need to work.
2. i'm taller than average,, and have had people recline hard into my knees without warning.

Yeah, I'm 6'4" and there was once when I was mostly asleep and the person in front of me tried to recline, hit my knees partway down, and must have thought it stuck because they straightened it up and then just slammed it back. Ouch.

 

[MeanDean]

I'm the odd duck that really has a tough time sleeping in any seated position and reclining does not help in the least. I actually do better placing my carry on and/or personal item on the tray and leaning forward resting my head on my crossed arms in front of me. So the person in front of me reclined can be a negative.

That said I don't expect them to cater to my desires just because they're different than his/hers. The airlines make the seats to recline so if the person in front of you chooses to recline you live with it.

Your ancestors took 120 days to get to California. You're there in 3-4 hours in relative comfort. Stop ******** at everything.

 

[Angie]

I'm the odd duck that really has a tough time sleeping in any seated position and reclining does not help in the least. I actually do better placing my carry on and/or personal item on the tray and leaning forward resting my head on my crossed arms in front of me. So the person in front of me reclined can be a negative.

That said I don't expect them to cater to my desires just because they're different than his/hers. The airlines make the seats to recline so if the person in front of you chooses to recline you live with it.

Your ancestors took 120 days to get to California. You're there in 3-4 hours in relative comfort. Stop ******** at everything.

I also have trouble sleeping sitting up. I've seen these, but never gotten them for fear I'd look like a total idiot:

LINK

 

[Bigman38]

Delta Airlines advertises recline of seats in their seat descriptions. WHY would you promote recline if a person is not supposed to use it?

if you need additional space to do work on your computer and Economy or Main Cabin does not provide the space the employer should pay the additional money for that space. So I am supposed to stay upright because a company is cheap?

https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/onboard-experience/basic-economy.html

I explained to my 4 year old that just because the window button in the car is on his door that he doesn't need to push it. He understood.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

As for crying babies, kids have a right to travel too. I always put earbuds/earplugs in my backpack to deal with that. Now when they are kicking the back of your seat I will side eye.

One time I had a toddler climb up the seat behind me and went over top and fell in my lap. The parent just laughed it off like it was no big deal. I laugh about it now but I was pretty miffed when it happened

 

[Doc]

I recline. It's way more comfortable for me and helps stave off migraines and airsickness for me. The seat is too tall for me to just stay upright and rest against the little head rest thingies. If you need more space, sit behind an exit row. And ***** at the airlines for cramming everything in so close.

There are some airplanes where the top of the extended headrest goes to about neck level and I have nowhere to put my big melon.

edit: maybe I should get one of those neck roll thingees.

 

[cb1030]

The real monster here are the airlines cramming people in like sardines.

 

[AuH2O]

There's been a study by MIT or the like that determined there is a 99.99% correlation between reclining an airline seat all the way back on relatively short flights and being a rude ******* *******.

Can't dispute science.

There simply isn't room to recline seats when a full grown human is behind you. I'm no giant (6'3"), but when people recline their seats it literally pushes against my knees when I'm in a normal sitting position, and I can't even have a small laptop open. You have the right to recline all the way, and I have the right to dig my knees into your rude inconsiderate back.

 

[Stormin]

Since my knees literally touch the seat back in front of me in most airplanes, I'm going with no, don't recline.

So you pay the premium to upgrade to Comfort Class or First Class because you need more room? Or rely on others to sacrifice their comfort for yours?

 

[cowgirl836]

One time I had a toddler climb up the seat behind me and went over top and fell in my lap. The parent just laughed it off like it was no big deal. I laugh about it now but I was pretty miffed when it happened

That's insane.

 

[Bigman38]

So you pay the premium to upgrade to Comfort Class or First Class because you need more room? Or rely on others to sacrifice their comfort for yours?

You don't see the hypocrisy here?

 

[VTXCyRyD]

All. The. Time. It's actually crazy how many people assume they can just switch seats by sitting in the seat first then ask. Most common are couples, particularly newlyweds.

My system is this:
If you sit in my seat before I get there and then ask me. I always say no out of principle. You can't just sit in my seat and expect it.

If you ask me once I've arrived at my seat or after I've sat down, I'll only switch for a comparable or better seat.

Someone had the nerve one time to ask me to switch out of my first class seat into an economy seat because it was their honeymoon. Yea go **** yourself lol. You switch with whoever your wife is sitting next to in Economy.

Wait.....Newlyweds on an airplane and the new husband is in first class and make his new bride sit in economy? I bet they didn't make it a year.

 

[NWICY]

All. The. Time. It's actually crazy how many people assume they can just switch seats by sitting in the seat first then ask. Most common are couples, particularly newlyweds.

My system is this:
If you sit in my seat before I get there and then ask me. I always say no out of principle. You can't just sit in my seat and expect it.

If you ask me once I've arrived at my seat or after I've sat down, I'll only switch for a comparable or better seat.

Someone had the nerve one time to ask me to switch out of my first class seat into an economy seat because it was their honeymoon. Yea go **** yourself lol. You switch with whoever your wife is sitting next to in Economy.

Huh, I'll be danged. The few times I've flown with someone and we wanted seats together we've just done that while booking them didn't think it was that big a deal maybe things have changed.

I've seen those nice seats upfront yeah I wouldn't be giving those up either. Safe travels 2015 it's always fun/interesting when you chime on stuff.

 

[mcblogerson]

I had a fat guy try to raise the armrest once b/c it was digging into his side too much. He wanted to spill his fat body into my seat, and got all upset when I wouldnt allow it. It was a small plane, he had the aisle and I the window seat. Plus Im over 6’ tall and 215 pounds so its not like I have room to spare.