Anti recliner got told off on my delta flight

The recline is the function of the seat. Period. Take it up with the airlines, not your fellow passengers. The debate on “right to recline” is so tired.

This is not a knock at you, OP, but the guy arguing.

Last transatlantic flight I was on the guy in front of me got seated, took a sleeping pill, and fully reclined his seat before the seat belt sign was even off.

I was like, fine, that's his prerogative. So I reclined my seat too so that I could actually see the screen. Not even all the way. Otherwise it would have been at my chin. The woman behind me freaked out and started kicking the back of my seat violently. She called the flight attendantand the flight attendant sided with HER. She wouldn't even listen to me.

And they wouldn't do anything about the guy in front of me because they couldnt wake him up. It was a truly awful flight and that woman behind me was/ is a bitch and I hate her. I hope something bad has happened to her since. Sorry lol. Maybe I don't mean that but I can't believe I had to sit in a middle seat like that for 10 hours.

Wish people would hold the airlines accountable for shrinking the space between rows. Used to be enough room that the person in front of you could recline and it would just slightly get in the way of using the tray table. Now reclining makes the economy seats way too small.

I’m 6’3”. I don’t like it when people recline in front of me. I don’t recline on other people (on domestic flights at least).

However, it’s well within the rights of person in front of me to recline. Will I be upset if they do? Internally, absolutely. Will I say something? Absolutely not.

Nobody hesitate to suggest a passenger above weight to buy another seat. Following this analogy, shouldn’t the tall passenger look to buy an exit row or a better seat?

By the way, I am 6’1” I don’t recline in domestic flights to avoid the commotion , but I do recline on long flights. I don’t mind if people recline back on my seat…. It is a little tighter, but is right for everyone.

What actually annoys me is when the passenger behind me pulls on my seat full strength to get up, on when passengers that are boarding walk hitting everyone with their backpacks….

There are only TWO rules related to seat reclining.

ONE: If it's during taxi, takeoff, or landing, no one is allowed to recline. Seat backs and reclining backs must be in the upright position.

TWO: Unless your seat is mechanically prohibited (i.e., in an exit row), you are allowed to recline your seat unless rule one (above) is not in play.

That's it. It cannot get any simpler.

EDIT: Not a "rule" but a custom of kindness that is usually followed: Seat back forward for meal service, if applicable.

I often fly after little or no sleep following work. If I want to recline, I’m gonna recline.

The guy had to be made to switch seats with his wife? He couldn’t figure that one out himself lol? Or were they still expecting someone to show up?

Did he tell her this before she even reclined? Sounds like the initial dispute happened when the plane was still at the gate.

I'm 6'4" and I hate it when the people in front of me recline. But I have never tried to stop anyone from reclining. That is ridiculous. Sometimes I do have to rearrange myself when the person in front reclines to get my knees out of the way. So people may have felt their seats hit my knees before. But I have never complained about it.

I would suggest that you always recline at a moderate speed (don't slam the chair back) out of consideration. But it is not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Whenever possible I book the exit row or fly in a higher class where I have more leg room.

I’ve been told by American Airlines that I can’t recline on a flight to London once, because the dude behind me complained.

I was in C+ on a 9 hour flight once when the man (who was reclined) behind me told me that I needed to put my seat back up because his daughter (who was also reclined) couldn’t watch tv properly. I was pretty nice about it at first and said sorry but I really need some sleep on this overnight flight and that I’ll put my seat up during meals. I tried to explain that since we were both reclined, the screen was the same distance from the daughter’s face as it would be if we were both upright. I also told him that I’d be enjoying the recline feature as both he and his daughter were. The guy completely lost it. Called ME entitled and told me that he was going to make my flight “hell”. I called over a flight attendant who politely told the man I was doing nothing wrong. For the next hour or so, he kept leaning forward and whispering things like “asshole” between the seats into my ear. I called the flight attendant again and told them that the passenger behind me was continuously harassing me, put my headphones on and went to sleep. I don’t know what they told the guy, but he left me alone for the remainder of the flight.

If it’s painful for you to sit in economy, then pay for premium economy or comfort+. If you can’t afford the petty surcharge, you can’t afford to complain, either.

But people who recline during meal service are complete assholes. I was on a Finnair flight and the FA tells the people to unrecline the seat during meal service, and will remind people to

I has one guy on r/unpopularopinion try to argue that he'd have to allow me to recline and I'd have to ask nice otherwise he'd block me from doing so...okay sweetheart not onky will I bash your legs but I'll also call the flight attendant

I think there should be no reclining outside first class, it’s always a bad time for the person behind

Anti-recline people can fuck right off. If you don't like that the seat in front of you reclines, book a different one or don't fly on an airplane.

Flying to Rome from Seattle tomorrow-ready for asshats like this (sleep aid!). On a short flight this year, I suffered w/moron behind pushing & shoving my seat. I cut my teeth on this crap as the youngest of 3 kids-kept seat back on purpose bc she was an ass. It was even better when she needed her bag above. 😂

I watch hard and when they try to recline in front of me I push hard on the seat hoping they give up thinking it’s broke.

it's his fault for not booking an exit row seat or business class.

Do they tell you anywhere in the booking process how much space any of the seats give you?

I’m a recliner, but I ALWAYS turn and ask/tell the person behind me in case they have drinks, a laptop, whatever. Never had an issue, but if someone asked me not to or I simply saw that it would be wildly uncomfortable for them, I wouldn’t…although a 10hr overnight? That’s a pretty tall (sorry) order.

Honestly folks, it’s an empathy game. You’re a human, they’re a human, capitalism sucks, don’t just THUNK backwards and think it’s cool.

Sure it's allowed, but full recliners (and fast recliners) are douches.

It’s your right to recline, just as it is my right (as a 6’6” individual) for my knees to bump your seat the entire flight!

All this bullshit over a seat that reclines 2 inches. Soon they will be having us all spoon to fet more people on the planes.

the lady should be able to recline, but the 6'6 guy should be able to exist behind her without paying a lot extra, the fault is the airlines packing us in like sardines for extra profit.

I spent a miserable cross country flight with my knees jammed into the seat in front of me and the woman in that seat continuously SLAMMING her seat back trying to recline. I tried telling her why it wouldn't recline but she ignored me and kept doing it the whole flight. Flight attendant was no help. I'm 6'1 with long legs. I won't fly again unless I can afford first class. I had some nice bruises.

I don’t really understand the hubbub, the seats don’t even recline that much at all. You’re on a metal tube that burns dinosaurs to thrust itself through the sky… expecting absolute convenience and comfort at all times is utterly absurd. A lot of folks have seriously lost the thread.

If he is 6' 6" she wouldn't be able to recline anyway. Source, I am 6' 2" and you cannot recline on me, there is literally not a mm of space. My knees are jammed inyo the seat, economy is so awful for tall people.

Since when is London to Seattle an overnight flight? 

Perk of being short.

As a 6’7” person, I know that economy will not work for me; that’s why I freaked out when they cancelled my flight to SYD last month and put me in the last row of main. However, this person should have booked comfort plus, PS or D1. While I don’t love it when people recline in front of me, I acknowledge that they are allowed to do so. No fuss from me.

6'4 here. I never TRY to stop anyone but my legs simply don't allow it. And no there is nowhere to put them. And no I am not paying extra because of something I can't control. I apologize to anyone I've ever inconvenienced but sometimes one simply doesn't have the option to buy a different seat. My solution is I simply do not fly anymore. Period.

Tall people need to unite and demand an ADA lawsuit lol if obesity can get 2 seats the tall people deserve more room too.

Shouldnt y'all be mad at the airlines who only design seating for people 5'10 and below?

 The FA sided with the lady which proves the anti-recline argument is bs

Which argument are you referring to? It proves that everyone is entitled to recline their seat if they wish, but the man's argument that it makes people with long legs uncomfortable is just as true.

I figure we all are stuck in the aluminum tube for 10 hours and anyone saying "I'm entitled to X and I don't care what impact it has on you" is a bit of a jerk even if they really are entitled to X. (As another example, people take their shoes and socks off too, which they have a perfect right to do. That doesn't mean they aren't a jerk.)

An old man, in his 80-90s, hit me as I was in a deep slumber on my way to Germany. He chose violence lol

Thank goodness! I’ve had the same happen with a tall, older man behind me. He seemed outraged that I reclined my seat. I’m short but I’ve had a bunch of abdominal surgeries and really need to recline - not that I owe anyone an explanation. Everyone is supposed to recline! Especially after the meal on an overnight flight. If everyone reclines it all equals out. Wonder if the 6’6” guy reclined his seat. I’m always tempted to say, “is this your first time on a plane?”

6’-4” and I won’t fly in economy more than a 1 hour flight. Above this, I am forced to pay more for legroom or my knees would survive the trip. We only have the stingy airlines to thank for this reduced seat pitch.

6’7 if I can’t fly first class I don’t go dude should have known better

There’s a little device that you can buy that keeps the seats in front of you from reclining. I only know this because someone used it on me on a long flight. I finally called the flight attendant over and they politely asked the guy to remove it. I didn’t even get mad. I was just happy to sleep a little bit on the flight.

I'm not a huge guy, but at 6' and 190 lbs I'm on the larger end of the spectrum. And with modern airplane seats it doesn't bother me when people recline in front of me. It doesn't effect my legroom at all.

My husband is 6'6", and I'm claustrophobic, so we know we can only fly D1 or FC. Our physical and mental issues are not other people's problems. If he can't sit in economy, then he needs to be in business or FC. Period.

Question is why do the seats need to recline at all. Personally I never do as it’s pretty much useless going back a couple of inches. Just don’t have the recline feature and problem solved for everyone.

Give me an old style, well padded seat any day over the slimline junk that makes everything hurt.

Tell the dumbass to take a fucking boat across the ocean, instead.

WHOA! They forced the man's wife to change her seat to accommodate HIM?!?!?!? That's insane! Why the fuck should she pay for his issue? She's likely already paying for his attitude in every other way in her life.

Oh my God that is so gross.

Ahhh, the peasants fight amongst themselves…Airlines have significantly reduced the space available to travelers over the years, through reductions in seat pitch and width.

1.  Seat Pitch: This is the distance between a point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front of it. In the 1970s, the typical seat pitch was about 35-36 inches. Today, most economy class seats have a pitch of 30-31 inches, with some low-cost carriers reducing it to as low as 28 inches.
2.  Seat Width: The width of the seat has also decreased. Historically, economy class seats were about 18-19 inches wide. Modern economy class seats are often around 17 inches wide, and some can be as narrow as 16.5 inches.

These reductions have allowed airlines to increase the number of seats on their aircraft, thereby maximizing their revenue per flight. However, this has led to more cramped and less comfortable conditions for passengers and of course the fight about the recline!! Keep fighting peasants.

Guess he should not have flown coach.

This reminds me of my first flight to the UK from JFK. The "knee defender" things came out that year and the lady behind me installed them on the hinge of her flip down tray. This device stops the seat in front of you from reclining.

After a minute of me asking what the hell is wrong with my seat I mentioned to the flight attendant and she inspected and saw that the lady was blocking my seat from its function and immediately made her take those shitty pieces of plastic out and I promptly kept that seat back until the moment the flight attendant told us to straighten up for landing.

I fucking hate other human beings.

The only thing that is up for debate is the speed at which one reclines as Ive almost had my computer screen snapped in half with someone slamming the seat back.

The seats in economy barely recline. What's his deal?

The button is there to be used. This should be a non argument. If you don’t like it, fly private or first class. End of discussion. People being high and mighty saying it’s rude to use are off their rocker.

I've never understood why this is a hot debate/issue when the seats only recline like 1.5 inches.

10 bucks says the complainer is one of those “use the seat in front of me to pull my self up out of my seat” types, too.

These people act like the seat actually reclines more than a degree or two! I'm short so I guess it's not an issue for me but it really does NOT lean very far back. I tend not to recline mine because it doesn't make me any more comfortable (maybe it's more uncomfortable for me because my head doesn't really reach the head rest lol) if my opinion. Typically on shorter flights anyway. But I don't understand the can't recline. Your seat you purchased reclines, recline if you want. All 3 degrees.....

I once witnessed a woman freak out at the guy in front of her for recline his seat on a 9 hour International flight. The FA told her right off. It was hilarious to see her face after. Like, lady have you never been on an airplane before? I’m dumbfounded.

I really don’t have an issue with people reclining. Although if snacks/food were just passed out be considerate and warn the person behind you before adjusting

I was 6’8” and on some particularly tight configurations, I would politely ask the person in front of me “excuse me, when you do recline, if you could do it slowly, it will give me a chance to adjust my knees. I would greatly appreciate it”. Never had anyone flip out.

All of us should recline slowly so the laptop behind us doesn’t get destroyed.

I had a woman recline in front of me on an overseas flight recently. Not only did she recline but she then proceeded to lean extra hard backwards so that the seat reclined an additional 2-3 inches. And she had her hair over the back of the seat. So…I decided to use the monitor on the back of the seat (which is mine to use I presume) to aggressively play some blackjack with some extra hard pushing of buttons to place my bets. Average recline is fine. Extra reclining with hair over the seat is not.

This happened to my partner on a flight that crossed the Atlantic. The woman was freaking out over her reclining back. And I just calmly turned around and calmly told the lady “no it’s ok she’s allowed to do that.” And made my partner recline back and just ignore the woman. lol. The lady looked so freaked out and I gave no fucks.

Don’t ever surrender your power to entitled idiots.

Be nice if the airlines made big enough seats for everyone

I recently had a man sitting in front of me ask my permission to recline his seat (on an international flight). It was very gracious and socially-aware. I was shocked and appreciated the gesture but certainly did not feel like he needed my permission. The possibility of a passenger reclining the seat in front of you is a part of the Economy experience.

I don't recall which airline this was, but once I was on a flight where my knees were fully in contact with the seat in front of me. The guy in front kept trying to recline, but I physically couldn't move. Sorry homie, not my fault the airline took the last inch available to me. Anyway, unless you're a giant and literally pressed against the seat, you gotta accept the recline.

Many years ago, I got on a plane that was carrying a High School football team.

I got in my seat in front of the coach, a grizzled old fart who clearly thought he could talk to anyone the way he talked to his team. I hadn't noticed when I took the seat that it was reclined about an inch from upright, barely out of line with the others.

As the flight was preparing to leave, this guy started yelling at me really loudly and rudely to put my seat up: " I don't want to be dealing with your goddamned seat if we crash" A good twenty seconds of rudeness and abuse.

I am normally very polite, but just have this thing about bullies, so I turned around in my aisle seat to face him and said loudly "If we crash, you'll be too busy getting my seat back out of your big fat mouth, old man, so chill out and shut up".

Did the trick. Thanks to Billy Connolly for the inspiration for my retort.

I am 6'3 and I no longer sit in coach because of the lack of room and comfortability for myself. I don't want any about it I just pay extra for at least comfort plus or higher

When I fly I try to courteous with reclining, especially if there is a tall person behind me, but the second that person tries to tell I cand recline the seat is going full recline the whole flight 

I’m 6’5”. 99% of the time, I don’t recline. If the person in front of me reclines, then that’s the 1% of the time when I hit the button and gradually recline myself.

I just can’t find a problem with people reclining. I’m very tall and it’s uncomfortable no matter what if I can’t get the exit row but it definitely doesn’t make it that much worse than normal seats. Plus I recline too cause how tf else are you supposed to sleep?

LHR to SEA and it’s a night flight? Never seen a TATL to the U.S. be an overnight flight

Dang what a bully. The poor wife must be abused by him.