Most airline passengers are relatively polite and respectful of other people's spaces.
Traveling long distances by air is convenient and safe, but for most people it is not the most comfortable experience, compared with how they spend most of their days.
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Since most people understand that a long trip is simply something to be tolerated with a degree of patience and dignity, a certain amount of respect for others dealing with the same circumstances is generally understood.
But, alas, some travelers aren't quite so forgiving.
Case in point: an American Airlines (AAL) -) passenger who took to Reddit to express frustration at other passengers who choose to recline their seats in the row in front of them.
'You shouldn't recline,' an airline passenger says
The passenger expressed their opinion on the matter in no uncertain terms.
"If you recline your seat you are diminishing the space that the passenger behind you has. I don’t know why planes even have the option," the Reddit user wrote.
The disgruntled traveler explained the actions they plan to take when the passenger in front of them reclines.
"And if you pull this shit imma tug on ya seat and kick yo seat and do whatever I can to make yo trip miserable," they continued. "You entitled jerk. Don't recline. Don't. Just don't. When you recline your seat, what the F do you think happens to the person behind you?"
One travel expert read this diatribe and took the time to express his opposing view on the subject.
"Since this is a commonly-held view, it seems to be one worth correcting," wrote Gary Leff on View From the Wing.
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The etiquette around seat reclining
Passengers have the right to recline their seats but should consider some important things when they do, according to Leff.
"There is an etiquette to exercising your right to recline," Leff wrote. "Don't recline during mealtime. Try not to recline unless it serves a real purpose (if it doesn’t actually benefit your comfort, don't recline). And recline slowly, don't slam your seat into the person's laptop behind you."
"If you don't want the passenger in front of you to recline, politely ask them not to," Leff continued. "And if they want to recline and you don't want them to, consider whether it's worth your while to make not reclining worth their while."
Leff explained that he likes to use the travel time to get work done.
"Usually I want to work," he wrote. "I can sometimes do that with Southwest Airlines’ (LUV) -) seat pitch, they give 1-2 more inches of legroom than most airlines do in their regular coach seats. And I can generally work in extra legroom coach. But I’m going to have a hard time using my laptop in coach with 30 inches between seats."
"If the passenger in front of you reclines, all bets are off," Leff added. "Politely ask them if you might work for a bit before they recline, offer to buy them a cocktail, or even to switch seats with them. Or if it’s valuable to you, then offer a small amount of cash."
The View From the Wing writer offered a few more points.
Seat recline is important for passengers on long flights with poorly-padded seats. Recline works to distribute passenger weight and reduce back stress.
Reclining is also a passenger’s right when it’s a feature of your seat. A passenger controls their own seat. Airlines ban the Knee Defender device, which prevents recline – a device was designed to stop reclining. While their interest is prevent damage to the seat, they do not allow the passenger seated behind to interfere with the recline function.
If you want to ensure that the passenger in front of you cannot recline, get a bulkhead seat – or fly Spirit Airlines (SAVE) -) or Frontier (ULCC) -). Their seats don’t recline.
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