So, the “recline issue” finally hit me in the face. I think we handled it well. But, would still like feedback…

I’m 6’6”

If a person buys a seat with features, they are allowed to use those features, and I fully expect them to.

Reclining is a feature of the seat.

My seat selection does not remove a feature from someone else’s seat selection.

If the person in front of me wants to recline, then they’re allowed to recline. I either deal with it or buy more leg room next time.

Tall Tax is very real lol.

I have been in many situations where my knees physically keep the seat in front of me from reclining. I couldn’t adjust myself in any other way to allow them to recline. That’s just a no win situation.

His problem, not yours

The airlines should just recline all seats a certain % and do away with the adjusting. I think most would be happier for it.

If you weren’t supposed to be able recline your seat, the seats wouldn’t recline.

I’m 6’4”. I solve this issue by almost exclusively flying FC.

Anyone who reclines their seat during boarding is an asshole.

I don't love when people recline, and I try not to do it myself, but I understand it's a feature of the seat. If someone elects to do it, it's completely their right to do so.

Jeez, looks like your wife was ready to chose violence with that comment 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, no one else can tell you what to do with your seat, so f that guy.

If a plane seat is broken and cannot be secured in upright position,some airlines won't let anyone sit in it. So don't claim it's broken and won't go upright as those can result in your being moved or if full flight, denied service.

Im not the tallest, but Im 6'5 and no economy seat is big enough for me to not have my knees in the seat in front of me AND also have no neck/head support. However, it is completely on me. I either book legroom/FC or sometimes just suck it up in a crap seat. It is NO one elses responsibility - we are all fighting our own fights when it comes to terrible passenger seat comfort.

Only time a recliner is really annoying is when it is the middle of a meal. I can barely get to my food. Rest of the time not a huge deal.

I hate when people recline, but the fault is fully on the airlines who have decided we need less space than physically possible for some people.

Why would I like when someone takes away from my already tiny space? But then why would I blame them for trying to be even remotely comfortable while they sit cramped for hours with nowhere to go? It’s just crappy all around, and I hate battling fellow passengers over it while the airline companies just quietly rake in the money and change nothing.

The only thing I will blame people for is when they shoot their chair back. Unless it’s your first flight ever, you should know those seats need to be reclined gently. It’s like blood boiling rage when I get smacked or my stuff gets knocked over because the person shot their chair back. If it was an accident, not enough people act like an adult and apologize for it.

His lack of wanting to pay for a legroom seat was not my issue, but his own.

And the fact that he came in asking you to tilt up means he knew it was an issue and did it anyway.

There is no solution. There is no correct answer. Only design changes or Federal legislation will fix this problem.

It is all about money. More seats per airplane. Lower ticket prices.

This is not only a length problem. It is also a width problem

I used to hate when people reclined but I found the simple solution was to recline my own seat as well.

The only thing I get annoyed about is when someone drops their seat back and I need to snap my laptop back to avoid them crushing it. I have a framework laptop, so I would replace it, but that’s still $250 or so.

If you reclined during boarding you’re in the wrong. During flight you can do whatever you want

Why are we always mad at fellow passengers and not the cheap ass airlines who look for more ways to squeeze more people in with less room wherever they can? All airlines in America are pretty shitty in this regard

As a fellow tall person, if someone is that tall that a reclined seat in front of them causes discomfort, they should purchase a seat with extra leg room. If they don’t, it’s on them. Your ticket entitles you to all the functionality of the seat.

I pay more for leg room whenever I can, but tall seats are not available on every flight, and if you get your tickets later, the flights that did have them may be sold out.

And my wife wonders why I want to drive everywhere.

Overall I personally only recline a couple inches at the most. The ever decreasing space available is damn near criminal. Just my own general perspective.

I am very opinionated on this due to having tailbone issues, which can only be relieved by taking pressure off my tailbone, which typically involves reclining or lying down. Anyone who complained to me would be told to pound sand. I generally only fly first class though, so that this is NOT an issue.

I am 6’2 and I request emergency exit seats when I’m at the gate because I know I’m guaranteed extra legroom. The seats do not recline and you do not have a tray that folds down either. You sacrifice that for a budget seat with extra legroom. If you’re 6’2 or taller it’s totally worth it.

If the seat reclines, I recline. I use the space I have and keep it tidy. Others can do the same with theirs.

• Airlines are creating their own conflicts to manage. Nothing new with that. The upper brass is all too comfortable with stuffing off their poor decisions onto the FAs to manage.
• It all sucks. You’re not comfortable and neither is he. Sometimes the onboard snack is a s*** sandwich we have to eat.
• Don’t have a big bag crammed down by your feet
• Finally, it’s your seat and it reclines. Do it as you said in your synopsis.

Fuck idiots who can’t handle a seat reclining. The seats are made to recline….So I’m gonna recline it.

My last flight was this past Friday. And for the first time ever, I had the "tall dude" seated behind me, who I saw sit down. We both had the aisle seats. I never reclined my seat during the entire flight. He lifted his feet off the ground and embedded both of his knees into my back. Before take off. I turned and explained that I have a bad back and would need for him to keep his feet on the floor and knees out of my back. He acted like he didn't hear me. I stood up to turn around and politely repeated myself after takeoff. The flight attendant saw and interjected that he would need to keep his knees out of the seat back. She walked away, and he pushed his knees as far as they would go into my back. He had to be uncomfortable pushing that hard. I balled up my jacket and sat with it behind me for an hour. When I got up to go to the restroom, I saw this guy's buttocks were literally at the front of his seat. When I came back, I'd decided I'd been way too polite. I then used my battery pack to smooth out the lumps in my jacket. Somehow, this action also removed the knees in my back without another word exchanged. People are assholes. I hope he's still limping because my back still hurts.

You can 100% recline at any time you feel like. People behind you would be wise not to invade the space where the seat will recline. People reclining would be wise to do it carefully and not slam back just to be polite.

All good.

Seats wouldn’t recline if the rule were “don’t recline.”

I’m tall, I sit back ass-against-seatback, I use the tray table, I don’t keep my drink against the seatback, and I avoid putting any pressure on the seat in front of me. I’m 6’0”. It’s fine.

ESH. He should let you recline, but you shouldn't recline immediately / before 10,000 feet to show people anything. It isn't Southwest, the person has no choice.

It’s a him problem. I have back issues and sitting upright for several hours isn’t an option for me. I don’t ask nor do I feel the need to. I paid for the option to recline my seat and I’m taking it. If someone doesn’t like it they are welcome to talk to the FA and ask to be moved. Good luck.

Both of you are tall and should have some compassion to what the other is experiencing in these recycled air sardine cans. I’m okay with a little recline but fully reclined is problematic. The seats have the function to fully recline and that would be awesome if airlines didn’t cram rows into the aircraft to increase revenue.

Considering that Delta freely plays musical chairs, there’s the chance he could have been moved from his selected seat or rebooked from another flight.

The “I’m pretty tall” thing is such nonsense.

The difference, on average, from hip to knee between a 6’4” person and a 5’6” person is 2”. Unless you’re Shaquille O’Neill back there, you’re not taking up appreciably more space at the knee.

Second, the part of the seat that is at the knee reclines about an inch or so, because that’s how levers and fulcrums work.

I have not had a broken back, but sitting upright for hours absolutely does wreck my low back and reclining definitely takes some of the direct pressure off.

Recline all you want. Just do it politely, as it seems that you do.

There are a few times during a flight that I view reclining as a bad form. One when they just slam the seat back with no regard to knees (my legs are longer than my torso and jam above the fulcrum of the seat so it can hurt and reclining does shrink my space) or electronics people have set up on their trey. I have heard many a story of someone working on their laptop and the person infront of them slamming the seat back breaking the laptop. The other time is during long flights when the meal is being given. reclining then is inconsiderate to the person behind you eating since it can sometimes severly limit them eating or make the tray not work cause it is at an angle

There’s also a dozen or more exit row and bulkhead seats that can selected if the individual cannot fit in a standard seat. No sympathy here. There’s no expectation of being able to control someone else’s recline.

Being tall has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Regardless of height, the seats are too close together. If airlines had a way of allowing passengers stand throughout the flight (like trains and subways), they would.

The seats are designed and intended to recline. I purposely picked a certain seat and paid for it to make my own travel as comfortable as possible. Everyone has the same right to choose whatever is most comfortable to them. I will recline to the extent my chair allows it. 

Plus, many seats slide forward as they recline back and at least partially alleviate some of the lost legroom. 

When did this become okay? I had someone behind me on an overnight flight relentlessly tap my shoulder and pull on my seat because it was reclined SLIGHTLY. He was a big guy in a window seat, but dude, not my problem. Upgrade your seat if you are uncomfortable.

You are allowed to recline your seat. The end.

I'm not tall, but can't you just stick your feet under the seat in front of you?

Unless something has changed, the regular economy seats are absolutely brutal on legroom. Worse than the older southwest plans. Had to fly atl to phx once on delta economy and at 6'2 was absolutely in pain the whole time, reclining or not. Never again.

For me Im a pretty big guy. 5 10 and 220 lbs. on short flights I wont recline but on longer flights I will. I let the person behind me know I will be reclining but if its a problem I can alternate between reclined and upright. This usually makes the person feel more respected bexause this is the actual issue. People feel you are crowding them and invading “their” space.

I’d rather everyone just not have seats that recline because it makes it significantly more uncomfortable. But i could never tell someone to not use something that’s there.

I bet he reclined himself

With your seat being broken you really should complain and get some miles from delta. Moving back and forth like that must of been hurtful.

How does anyone take a cat nap with their seat fully upright? Reclining the couple of inches that the seats allow at least helps with the head bob.

I am also 6'2" and had two serious spinal injuries. If the seat reclines, I recline. I don't care if you don't like it or not, that's the design of the seats. If someone in front of me wants to recline, that's their right too.

I have a bad back too and will be always reclining because being upright is simply unbearable for me.

It’s an ableist take to demand someone doesn’t recline their chair. If anything people should take their qualms to the people in charge so they can give adequate enough room on the aircraft so that reclining (when it happens) doesn’t interfere with their space.

This new outrage at people reclining is so crazy to me. The seats are meant to recline and be more comfortable. When did we all start getting so upset about reclining? Everyone can choose their seats now and pay more if you need extra space. My niece and I were traveling in Delta comfort on a 10 hour flight and she commented on the guy in front of me reclining. I said absolutely he's reclining and I am about to also. There is no way I am not going to try and get comfortable on a 10 hour flight and he is allowed to as well.

End of the day that’s his problem. You were as considerate as anyone could’ve been.

I wish seats didn’t recline at all. Problem solved.

I've gotten tired of these sort of interactions when traveling, and I've just defaulted to "I am not interested in talking with you."

People generally get the right idea.

I agree with everyone. If the airline don’t want the seats to recline, they wouldn’t spend more money on buying seats that do recline. If it was that important to him for the seat in front to not recline, he should had self assigned a seat behind a row that doesn’t recline, bulkhead, or book on an airline with non reclining seats such as Frontier.

I will recline my seat every flight. Don't like it, fly an airline that doesn't have reclining seats.

You're right. Recline as you wish.

I'd like to point out that this is not exclusively a height issue; I'm relatively small (5'4/110) and there is something about the pitch of the seats that I find very painful. It feels like there aren't straight up, but rather pitched forward. In any case, they hurt my back, so I recline.

There have been many occasions in which the taller person behind me (often male) will shove me back, or tell me not to recline. With sufficient force, I find that my chair can be shoved out of a reclining position, as happened repeatedly on my last trans-Atlantic flight. It was infuriating. I have given up asking FAs for help on this issue.

If the seat reclines, the occupant is entitled to recline it (when permitted) during the flight. It’s mind blowing to me that as a tall guy, OP prefers window seats. I’m not all that tall but I feel super cramped in window seats and stick to aisles whenever possible.

My(our) thought in this is that a recline seat is paid for to be fully reclined at any time. It doesn’t depend on who is behind you. That is their responsibility to arrange for what they want, just the same as I arranged for the seat I wanted.

I'm 6'1" with not great knees and I do my best to select seats with extra legroom but since I'm typically traveling for work, I'm limited with what I'm allowed to pick (main cabin only) and even exit rows and Comfort+ don't always have enough leg room to keep my knees from cramping on long flights.

But as you said, you paid for a reclining seat, so you can recline. If someone reclines into me, I'm not going to make a big deal of it and I won't hit their seat on purpose, but I'm also going to make zero effort to avoid bumping their seat when I move around.

I was recently on a flight where the person in front of me wasn’t able to recline fully when my legs were crossed. I’ve never had this happen before since I’m only 5’6”. It’s ridiculous the airline had such small seats, but I’m also not going to not cross my legs for an 11 hour flight. The lady in front of me was visibility annoyed and kept turning about to glare at me as she rammed her seat into my knees over and over again.

It’s a shitty situation but my back would also hurt if I don’t cross my legs/ am not ever able to shift positions over the course of 11 hours…

The seats shouldn’t recline

To be fair, last week I flew Delta, im 6'6 and purposely chose an Exit Row seat and found out it was even smaller than a Frontier normal seat! Sometimes us tall people do choose the tall seats and get screwed. Also the crew were very unaccommadating for me to be relocated. Thankfully the person in front of me did not recline. You guys are acting like we are in control of our height, why should we have to pay extra in order to fly over a short person? Thats failed logic being presented here.

Effort to request an exit row seat at gate or buy a more leg space seat (small)

Effort to be a dick about someone else using an amenity of their seat in front of you (high)

OP you’re fine 👍🏼. He’s TA.

Curious, how tall were you before you broke your back? I ask because I used to be 6’2” before I broke my back (multiple vertebrae compression fractures), and now I’m just over 6’1”. I can’t get very comfortable in any non-FC seats anymore. Thankfully I’m upgraded during most flights, but when I’m not my back is yelling at me by the end of the flight.

I'm 6'2" and while that may not be that tall I'm all legs so my knees are hitting seat in front unless in FC or exit row... But I've never bitched at anyone for reclining but once bc it is what it is... That one time was bc seat was broken and the seat went way beyond what it was meant to... Was like a car seat fully reclined

Man this guy behind me couldn't have been 6 feet but he had his knees jammed into my seat back for a 3 hour flight in main. So annoying and there's nothing you can do. Reclining didn't even work.

I’m with you here.

If the seat reclines, I'm reclining... the person behind me has that same option

Travel hack I discovered flying in main before I got Platinum (I could not afford to constantly upgrade, and exit row wasn't always available): Put your under seat item behind your legs and then you can stretch them out under the seat in front of you. This helped me when my knees were already in the seat in front of me and they wanted to recline and smash my knee caps.

Not exaggerating, I've limped off the plane many times and my knee was so injured after a flight I could barely walk the next day due to knee pain.

I’m flying DL in 2 weeks and have MS. I can’t sit up straight for 4 hours so I’ll be reclining. I did buy the Comfort Plus seat and chose the bulkhead seats because I also can’t always sit still and need more room to move if my muscles are spasming. So I got the seat that benefits me. I didn’t want to pay the extra, but I did since that’s what I needed. OP did the same. He got the seat that met HIS needs as that’s what are supposed to do. If someone wants to sit where they have more legroom or doesn’t want someone reclining in front of them, or doesn’t want to sit near the bathroom, etc. take that into account and purchase the seat that fits your needs!

As soon as I’m seated, I say to the person in front of me: “I’m so sorry to bother you but I wanted you to know I have very long legs and I’d appreciate a heads up when you recline so I can move my legs.” I know I’ll be uncomfortable but that’s a me issue, especially if I haven’t paid for extra legroom (which usually I do).

I have back problems too and I find that upright seats feel like they are actually leaning forward. For me to feel like it’s ergonomic, the seat has to be reclined. Like you said I end up in pain if I don’t recline. I don’t have an issue with legroom but I need to recline. I wish I could afford first class.

I was on a Turkish Airlines flight and reclined my seat after take off. It went from upright and fell to full recline and was very jarring apparently for the woman behind me in a full hijab. She started yelling at me in Turkish and shaking my seat like I had done it on purpose. Then her husband/brother (?) started yelling at me. I tried to explain the seat just fell back but they wouldn’t stop yelling at me.

I finally rang for the flight attendant and she would not tell this person to stop shaking my seat. She only said “let’s move you”. It was ridiculous. I also had had back surgery 3 weeks prior and was trying to be kind to my back. People are just so ready to assume you are a jerk. Makes me not care even when I should. Don’t give in to bullies.

I fly for work alot and recline fully every flight. It's my fucking seat

While I do agree with your right to recline in coach, try to save up your money and fly in business of first class. it really does make for a more comfortable flight, and with your back issue it would be money well spent.

back in college, I brought my laptop to do some work on the plane. The person in front of me reclined so fast, and I heard my laptop crunch (the top of the lap top went under the groove of the seat). Lap top was fine. I don't mind the recline, but I wish the person in front of me wasn't so excited to recline. lol.

Airlines should just lock seats into no recline. The tiny amount of comfort for the average flyer gets from reclining versus the encroachment into the lap of someone behind, their use of the tray table, etc. is an unbalanced equation. Or just make recline only in extended legroom sections: monetize recline.

I don't really understand the don't recline police

He knew he was tall and would need extra leg room before he booked his flight.

The seats are designed to recline an amount that is acceptable. You cannot over recline so that space is, yes, yours. If Mr. “I’m tall“ once more legroom, those options are available when he purchases tickets.

You’re TA. Not for reclining, so much as the attitude. Yes, if the seats weren’t supposed to recline they wouldn’t design them that way, etc etc, but we’re all sharing space on an airplane, so let’s try to be considerate of each other and recognize how our actions impact the people around us.

The seats recline and anyone in a reclining seat should be able to use that feature. The person behind you can use it too. It’s not rude to use a feature which you are entitled to. It’s rude to ask someone not to use it. He could have asked to switch seats or upgraded if he was uncomfortable

It doesn’t matter your height, if you pay for the seat you are in control, not the person next or behind yourself!

If I’m paying $300+ for a seat, I’m using every single feature.

I think its obvious that seats shouldn’t recline. Airlines decreased legroom over the years but never took away the recline because none of them want to be the only airline without reclining seats.

I get that somebody’s back might hurt if they don’t recline but I guarantee my legs will hurt if they do. Plus the tray becomes unusable sometimes. Anytime a passenger thinks they have the right to recline an entire flight they are being selfish. Please recline only half the flight, avoid reclining during meal service, and make sure the person behind you doesn’t have a tray out with their laptop or a coffee first.

OP could just as well bought FC and the person behind them. Neither of them did so they should be considerate of each other.

I hate fucking full recliners with a passion. If I'm trying to get work done on my laptop it's impossible, and if I'm trying to watch TV it's like 2 inches from my face. I never say anything, it's whatever, but I find it selfish. Yeah, I'd like to lay down too, but I'm not an asshole. So I might recline a couple of inches just to ease my back. But again I never say anything to the recliner since they'll come back with the "well I paid for my seat". Good for you, pal. This is why 90% of the time I'm in an exit row where they can't recline, or in FC.

Seats recline for a reason. To use them. I don’t get the school of thought “don’t recline, be considerate of those behind you”. I get being considerate, but we all need space.

I really dont understand how the recline is somehow more comfortable to sit in, even eat meals reclined, for hours. L in our everyday lives do our dining room chairs recline? Reclining seats in a restaurant? People seem just obsessed with doing something simply because they can. Not because it is particularly required.

Your story is the first that makes me rethink my bias. I wish you good health.

I am 100% on the other guys side here. While much of the blame falls on the airline for making seats that small to begin with, its rude and impolite to shove your seat back like that.

If you have the mentality that you "paid" for the right to jerk your airline seat back onto someone's knees, your just an AH. End of story.

I specifically fly many long hauls each year, about 20-40, depending on the work schedule.

Seats recline for a reason. It's more comfortable and easier to sleep.

I would even go as far as to say everyone is more comfortable if everyone reclines together.

Long haul flights are different from domestic in that many people are trying to sleep to fight the jet lag and the long travel days. To do this, you need your back to be able to relax and not need to have any muscle support.

A half reclined seat primarily does the trick.

The only unwritten rule here is that you shouldn't recline during the meal service. Some FA are good at telling people to sit up when first serving meals and some aren't. I see this more on foreign air carriers than Delta, tbh.

It's not a lot of fun hitting your head on the back of a seat while trying to eat over the tray, as to not accidently spill food on yourself.

I will ask people to sit up at these points in time.

I'm also going to point out that bad posture is a problem for most people. I'm 6'1". I know what it is to be tall. If I sit up straight with my lower back properly against the seat, I still have several inches of leg room before my knees hit the seat in front of me.

However, that goes away if I slouch. Unless someone is over 6'5", the problem isn't that they are tall. It's likely they have bad posture and aren't really sitting up straight.

My take: Your height is not my problem. I purchase a seat with recline and i am using it!

Not everybody has control over when and how their flight tickets are booked. They should not be physically punished for having long legs. You know your back is bad you could have paid for an extra legroom seat so that your reclining doesn’t affect others. Meanwhile i will continue to point out that the real “bad guy” is the airline who is making record profits and does not need to cram as many passengers into each plane. They can take out two rows and give everybody ample legroom/ reclining room.

Some people may want to purchase they just can’t afford it. So I wouldn’t necessarily write them off as lazy, it’s a fairly large added cost to have more legroom there and back. I do think it was rude of them to ask you more than once, but your wife’s comment was unnecessary.

YTA, absolutely. They don’t leave enough space between rows for people to actually recline seats and people who do that to others are by definition assholes.

Nobody cares how many miles you’ve flown. It’s still an AH move to recline at the gate.

For 25 or so years, the US as a nation has encoded “accessibility” into our laws and values. As a result of the Americans with Disabilities Act, private businesses are required to make accommodations for people with immutable characteristics.

Now, no one thinks of “tallness” as a disability but height differences are qualities that we can’t control and that shouldn’t be subject to extreme discomfort, financial penalty or exclusion.

It would be a modest cost for airlines to reserve seats for use by people certifiably above 6 feet tall, with no additional charge. That would be in line with our laws and our (better) values.