Are you a seat recliner ?

[significance]

As harvyksaid, once the person in front of you reclines on long haul it has a knock on effect. If my back play up, I go for a walk and stretch. Getting exit rows and bulkhead seats help, but if you have a elderly mother you can't get the exit row because of their age and condition and getting Y+ or J is not an option, when they are on a tight budget.

I hate to sound mean, but if she can't afford to upgrade to Y+ and can't travel in normal Y conditions due to wounds and claustrophobia, she probably shouldn't be travelling at all. Perhaps with notice in advance, the airline could be persuaded to make some accommodation for her disability if bulkhead seats are not available. Surely that is more reasonable than requiring the passengers around her to make this accommodation at a cost to their own health and comfort? Sitting up throughout a 20+ hour flight is certainly going to have a health cost -- temporary if the person affected is young and fit, but still a cost. Do you seriously expect someone not to recline on a long-haul flight from Europe?

 

[horseman]

No, unless I'm trying to sleep. It does little for me and id rather not lean back on someone

 

[ozmille]

Long haul I am usually in J so yes I stretch out a bit as soon as the seat belt sign goes off. If in whY I try to take row 40 on 747 or last row of whY+ (have only done J on 380 so no idea where I would pick). On short domestic trips I don't really see the need to recline but on a TT trip after the food service I might slightly recline after checking with the pax behind (luckily on my last two trips there was nobody in 5A)

 

[JohnK]

Since this is a friendly debate I hardly ever recline and it is extremely rare you will see me recline if someone is sitting behind me and I will never recline if I am in bulkhead or exit row.

I do not need to recline. I do not want to recline. I do not see it as my right. In fact if I recline I feel uncomfortable. I need to be upright. In fact I feel better if I am leaning forward more than anything.

I can also sleep anywhere. It is very easy to condition your mind/body to be able to sleep anywhere.

And I also like to be well dressed when I am travelling. Why? Because that is the image I want people to see. Beach type of clothes? Never. Comfortable clothes? It is simply a state of mind.

- There is no difference between a pair of jeans, a pair of slacks, a pair of chinos or yoga pants.
- There is no difference between a smart casual long sleeve shirt or a t-shirt with no collar.
- There is no difference between a pair of shoes or a pair of thongs.

Perhaps I am totally wrong but it works for me and I do not want to have this burden in my travels....

 

[ashleyn]

Since this is a friendly debate I hardly ever recline and it is extremely rare you will see me recline if someone is sitting behind me and I will never recline if I am in bulkhead or exit row.

I do not need to recline. I do not want to recline. I do not see it as my right. In fact if I recline I feel uncomfortable. I need to be upright. In fact I feel better if I am leaning forward more than anything.

I can also sleep anywhere. It is very easy to condition your mind/body to be able to sleep anywhere.

And I also like to be well dressed when I am travelling. Why? Because that is the image I want people to see. Beach type of clothes? Never. Comfortable clothes? It is simply a state of mind.

- There is no difference between a pair of jeans, a pair of slacks, a pair of chinos or yoga pants.
- There is no difference between a smart casual long sleeve shirt or a t-shirt with no collar.
- There is no difference between a pair of shoes or a pair of thongs.

Perhaps I am totally wrong but it works for me and I do not want to have this burden in my travels....

I think you should have inserted a smiley

 

[whatmeworry]

I hate to sound mean, but if she can't afford to upgrade to Y+ and can't travel in normal Y conditions due to wounds and claustrophobia, she probably shouldn't be travelling at all. Perhaps with notice in advance, the airline could be persuaded to make some accommodation for her disability if bulkhead seats are not available. Surely that is more reasonable than requiring the passengers around her to make this accommodation at a cost to their own health and comfort? Sitting up throughout a 20+ hour flight is certainly going to have a health cost -- temporary if the person affected is young and fit, but still a cost. Do you seriously expect someone not to recline on a long-haul flight from Europe?

Hang on, I mentioned a medical condition (recovering from cancer surgery from the year before) not a disability. Plus I said a reclining seat in front of her had a claustrophobic effect and not that she had claustrophobia. If I had know it was an issue I would have contacted the airline. In regards to getting a bulkhead seat, all of them were gone (probably to people with status). The individual in the exit row seat only had a 8 hour flight (I don't know if they had another flight), but I guess the thing that was rude was that he reclined during food service, which meant the fold out tray was causing the discomfort. I guess if he reclined later it wouldn't been a issue later on.

I know I have been on some flights where when the seat reclined in front it feels like only inches between me and the chair in front. Personally I don't mind too much if the individual in front me of reclines, however they shouldn't do it during food service. I have noticed many a FA who don't inform the pax to return their seat to the upright position (during food service or takeoff/landing) but walk on by.

 

[whatmeworry]

I can also sleep anywhere. It is very easy to condition your mind/body to be able to sleep anywhere.

I am totally with you JohnK! It's all about relaxing the mind and you too can sleep sitting up.

 

[straitman]

I am totally with you JohnK! It's all about relaxing the mind and you too can sleep sitting up.

If only it were that simple. :sad:

 

[dajop]

I hate to sound mean, but if she can't afford to upgrade to Y+ and can't travel in normal Y conditions due to wounds and claustrophobia, she probably shouldn't be travelling at all. Perhaps with notice in advance, the airline could be persuaded to make some accommodation for her disability if bulkhead seats are not available. Surely that is more reasonable than requiring the passengers around her to make this accommodation at a cost to their own health and comfort? Sitting up throughout a 20+ hour flight is certainly going to have a health cost -- temporary if the person affected is young and fit, but still a cost. Do you seriously expect someone not to recline on a long-haul flight from Europe?

To be fair to the OP, the same could be said about those who suffer from back problems ..... I hate to sound mean, but if they can't afford to upgrade to Y+ and can't travel in normal Y conditions due to back problems, they probably shouldn't be travelling at all......

Therein lies the problem of the recliner debate, whose comfort takes priority? Usually involves some sort of compromise.

 

[JohnK]

If only it were that simple. :sad:

It is not that difficult. You have to want it to happen and it gets easier.

Also people can laugh all they like but if you consantly say

- I cannot be comfortable in pleats
- I cannot be comfortable in jeans
- I cannot be comfortable in chinos
- I can only be comfortable wearing tracksuits or yoga pants

Guess what you will want? The type of clothes should have no impact on comfort if you are relaxed. And I know and see heaps of people who dress nicely whenever they travel.

 

[Dyslexic traveler]

I think as long as the airlines have seats that recline, then people will recline, and why not. When I hear about people complaining about this then they should pay for more room, I'm 6"4 and always fly in J domestic and F internationally. I am entitled to recline, I'm paying for a little comfort no matter how long the flight is. And on that note if you pay for any seat on a plane and it is able to recline then in my opinion, you should not feel you are doing something wrong in using the facility's offered.

The Dyslexic Traveler

 

[robd]

I've just done 3 separate ~ 1 hr domestic US flights. I was absolutely amazed when on all 3 flights, a pax in front actually reclined as soon as we took off, literally. Wheels up, seat back. Also noted disregard for seatbelt signs overall in relation to getting up and using the lav. Hmmm....

 

[eastwest101]

I think as long as the airlines have seats that recline, then people will recline, and why not. When I hear about people complaining about this then they should pay for more room, I'm 6"4 and always fly in J domestic and F internationally. I am entitled to recline, I'm paying for a little comfort no matter how long the flight is. And on that note if you pay for any seat on a plane and it is able to recline then in my opinion, you should not feel you are doing something wrong in using the facility's offered.

I don't think anyone's complaining about reclining in J or F class if there is a generous seat pitch, however reclining in Y with a 30" seat pitch is a different matter.

I would love to run a social experiment one day and fit out an aircraft with one side with full recline and the other side with all seats fixed in place and unable to recline - and then sell the tickets at the same price as a "recline" or "non-recline" choice with all other service and seat pitches the same. I think the pax choice stats for a 1-2hr flight would be wildly different than that to a 16hr trans-pacific!

 

[Dyslexic traveler]

I don't think anyone's complaining about reclining in J or F class if there is a generous seat pitch, however reclining in Y with a 30" seat pitch is a different matter.

I would love to run a social experiment one day and fit out an aircraft with one side with full recline and the other side with all seats fixed in place and unable to recline - and then sell the tickets at the same price as a "recline" or "non-recline" choice with all other service and seat pitches the same. I think the pax choice stats for a 1-2hr flight would be wildly different than that to a 16hr trans-pacific!

eastwest101 I do agree with you that a social experiment would be interesting,the only problem with doing it is it will give the airlines another way to get money out of the traveling public pay for a reclining seat just $39.95 for your 30" pitch what a bargin.

My main argument is that you pay for a ticket and in the price you get a seat that reclines.

 

[significance]

To be fair to the OP, the same could be said about those who suffer from back problems ..... I hate to sound mean, but if they can't afford to upgrade to Y+ and can't travel in normal Y conditions due to back problems, they probably shouldn't be travelling at all......

Therein lies the problem of the recliner debate, whose comfort takes priority? Usually involves some sort of compromise.

Sure. If a person with back problems can't travel in normal Y conditions, the same applies. The ability to recline (not during meals) is part of normal Y conditions.

 

[ash.1111]

I recline a little bit to take the edge off, but always check before to make sure no-one has their laptop our or their knees are going to get hit (if they're really tall).

 

[ashleyn]

I rented an IFE unit on an Alaskan Air flight and had it perched on my tray. The Pax infront adjusted their seat so violently and often that it got knocked off several times and finally smashed. Not my problem.

 

[drron]

If I turn left I am going to recline my seat.In the unusual occasions I find myself at the back of the plane I am so out of place I sit bolt upright.:shock:

 

[QF1]

Just wondering how many of us non-recliners would be complaining if our seats did not recline at all for a short day time flight.

 

[ashleyn]

Just wondering how many of us non-recliners would be complaining if our seats did not recline at all for a short day time flight.

Certainly not me.