Reclining on an airplane? and other flying etiquette

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Do you recline your seat while flying

  • Yes

    Votes: 52 20.4%
  • No

    Votes: 132 51.8%
  • Sometimes

    Votes: 71 27.8%

  • Total voters
    255

jbindm

Well-Known Member
Dec 2, 2010
13,073
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113
Des Moines
If airlines did not want seats to recline then they wouldn’t recline. There are a couple rows of seats near the Exit Rows that do not recline so as to keep access for exits. Bottom line is if you want extra room and don’t want a reclining seat in front of you then pay for first class or Comfort seats. The guy continually thumping seat of reclined seat was a prick. His conduct was inexcusable. The Flight Attendant that agreed with the guy should be fired. Flight Attendant has no people skills. Airlines have added more and more seats. They are to blame.

I don't disagree that the airlines have basically turned airplanes into cattle cars with the additional seating and all. However, what the airlines do shouldn't mean that people can't try to coexist on a flight. It should be fairly simple. If you want to recline your seat, check with the person behind you first to make sure they're cool with it or at least so they have a fair warning and you're not throwing your seat back into their knees at 100 miles an hour. That hurts like a son of a *****. If someone in front of you does recline and they're right up in your personal space, then just ask them to move the seat back up a little.
 
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Clonefan94

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
10,393
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Schaumburg, IL
I don't fly that often. I'm a bigger dude who's conscious of people around me. I don't recline. If i happen to be stuck in the middle seat, I usually sit with my arms strait out at my knees and crossed at my wrists, to bring my shoulders in. (My torso and ass easily fit in the seat, it's my shoulders that are usually the problem.) Because of this, when i'm in the middle seat, both armrests are usually open for the others next to me to use. If I'm at the window, I usually ask those around me their preference, with the stipulation that it will be open on approach as I love looking at cities from the air.

That being said, the fact that this is even an issue, makes me want to book a flight now, just to immediately recline my seat as soon as we are airborne. I don't think I've ever thought twice about someone reclining in front of me. The seats recline, I just assumed it was for comfort, not some deep state conspiracy to piss off the person behind you.
 

jbindm

Well-Known Member
Dec 2, 2010
13,073
7,604
113
Des Moines
That being said, the fact that this is even an issue, makes me want to book a flight now, just to immediately recline my seat as soon as we are airborne. I don't think I've ever thought twice about someone reclining in front of me. The seats recline, I just assumed it was for comfort, not some deep state conspiracy to piss off the person behind you.

Yes, the seats recline. But there's a right way and a wrong way to go about doing it. It's just a matter of being considerate to the person behind you. Cranking the seat all the way back without even considering what's going on behind you is really disrespectful. as it's been noted, the airlines have left us all with precious little space on flights now. When you recline all the way back, you're cutting into someone else's space. That **** doesn't just happen in a vacuum.
 

GrindingAway

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 27, 2006
5,071
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Related to flying... Personally I think on any non red eye domestic flight it's silly. Red eyes and international though go for it. I also don't think it's that big a deal though. I'm 6'6 and fly a lot. Planes are freaking uncomfortable and I don't think reclining really changes the poor comfort that much.

Related to overall air etiquette it's amazing how my thoughts on that changed when I went from rarely flying to flying a lot. I used to think things like "why is everyone in such a hurry to get on the plane?" "why is everyone getting up to pee already" "why not recline"? Get a few 15 hour flights under you belt and you quickly become someone that gets annoyed at every little thing.
 

Beernuts

Well-Known Member
Nov 9, 2017
1,155
1,145
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55
Did anybody see my earlier post on the book:

"Fortunately"

51PwFBmWhDL._SX347_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


Did anyone else have this book as a kid?
 

madguy30

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2011
49,352
45,944
113
I never recline but I can see how it would be helpful if I had a condition.

Etiquette: for anyone that starts talking to the person next to them, when they're getting their headphones out of their bag, and putting them in, that's a basic social cue that they don't want to chat.

Anyone else an aisle person? I hate making people get out of their seats and like having quick access to the bathroom.
 

jsb

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Mar 7, 2008
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I never recline but I can see how it would be helpful if I had a condition.

Etiquette: for anyone that starts talking to the person next to them, when they're getting their headphones out of their bag, and putting them in, that's a basic social cue that they don't want to chat.

Anyone else an aisle person? I hate making people get out of their seats and like having quick access to the bathroom.

I always like to be in the aisle. Especially on an international flight where I think the best seats are about 6 rows from the bathroom. When I fly internationally with a friend, we actually pick two aisle seats across from each other rather than the same row.
 

Stormin

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
44,405
12,601
113
If you cant fit without reclining.. you buy the upgrade. I fit just fine regularly until people lay back...

I fit fine with the person ahead of me reclining. And even better if my seat reclines. No upgrade needed for me. And I will exercise my right to recline the advertised 4 inches of recline. It is MY Space. Otherwise the airline should restrict recline like they do on the seats ahead of exit row. Your problem if you don’t have enough room. I am reclining. Don’t need your permission.

Aisle seat. Two new knees. Recline is necessary and allowed for MY health regardless how the person behind me thinks.
 

flycy

Well-Known Member
Jul 17, 2008
2,012
2,102
113
Crescent, IA
Here is a relevant question, should morbidly obese/ just massive humans people be required to purchase two airline seats. Some airlines have the policy that if you require a seat belt extension or are unable to fit in a seat with both armrests down, you need to buy an extra seat.


These types are what I am talking about.



Brian has said that when he has to fly, which is relatively frequently, he will always fly first class providing it's available. This is a small plane for even your average human.


You should pay for your seats by what it costs the airlines to fly you, by space and a combination for yours and your luggage's weight. This will never happen but should.

For those of you complaining about the cattle car seating, if they made the seats more spacious every seat would cost more with less tickets being sold per flight. The current configuration is a balance of the amount of discomfort people will put up with and the price they will pay with some safety considerations. Not the airlines "fault", its market forces and consumer choice. More spacious options are available.

I have heard people say if the person reclines their seat in front of them they can't sit "in a normal position with your knees bent at 90 degrees" because they are 6' whatever. Guess what, no one beyond children sit like that. Everyone needs to put their feet fully under the seat in front of them somewhat straight. If you put a bag under the seat in front of you and can't that's on you. Travel lighter.

I always recline my seat, they are already hell enough on my back without reclining no matter the length of the flight. The only time it is reasonable to expect seats to be upright is during the rare meal service. not just beverage but the rare actually meal on long haul flights. I don't get upset at the person in front of me if they recline while I'm in a nonreclining seat in front of the emergency exits or back of the plane. I just realize I lost the airplane seating lottery.
 

ImJustKCClone

Ancient Argumentative and Accidental Assassin Ape
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Jun 18, 2013
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traipsing thru the treetops
I never recline but I can see how it would be helpful if I had a condition.

Etiquette: for anyone that starts talking to the person next to them, when they're getting their headphones out of their bag, and putting them in, that's a basic social cue that they don't want to chat.

Anyone else an aisle person? I hate making people get out of their seats and like having quick access to the bathroom.
I'm always in the middle seat because spouse needs the window as he's mildly claustrophobic; having an open window to look out helps that some. However, my legs are short, and the seats restrict blood flow behind my knees, so my doc recommends that I get up and walk up/down the aisle a couple of times every 1.5 hours or so. I know how frustrating that is to the person next to me on the aisle especially on an overnight flight, so I try to get up when they're up, and avoid disturbing them when they're eating. But if I have to choose between disturbing them or blood clots...yeah, gonna get up & walk when I need to. Sometimes there's a reason people get up frequently. :)
 
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cycloneworld

Facebook Knows All
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 20, 2006
27,702
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Urbandale, IA
These two things are not at all comparable. You're not a jerk for reclining your airplane seat. If travelers need special accomodations, then they should make prior arrangements. It isn't on the passenger in front of them.

You aren’t a jerk for reclining. But reclining basically means you don’t care at all about the person behind you.

For tall people, someone reclining usually means your knees will be buried in the back of the seat for the entire flight. And if you want to work on a laptop, it’s impossible when the person in front of you reclines.