What a ... [reclining dispute]

[Moody]

That said, it'd be great if there was a way to force people to have their seats up for meals at least. I've often asked the FA politely if they could ask the person in front to bring their seat back up for the meal service, which has always been done for me.

Why should they be "forced" to have their seats up for meals? Doesn't that compromise their "comfort"? Why is it apparently OK to do this in one instance and not others? Serious answers would be appreciated .....

 

[ashleyn]

Why should they be "forced" to have their seats up for meals? Doesn't that compromise their "comfort"? Why is it apparently OK to do this in one instance and not others? Serious answers would be appreciated .....

Serious questions would be appreciated :shock:

 

[MH_fan]

I am not a recliner on day flights but I will do so if I'm trying to sleep, even if it's on a SYD-MEL or SYD-BNE flight. If meals are being served, I always put my seat back up.

 

[drewbles]

Why should they be "forced" to have their seats up for meals? Doesn't that compromise their "comfort"? Why is it apparently OK to do this in one instance and not others? Serious answers would be appreciated .....

Have you tried to eat off a tray table with someones seat fully reclined in front of you? It's impossible. A lot of the time, you can't even put the tray on the table and have a can of drink/bottle of wine stand up (there just physically is not the vertical room).

Seeing as meals are typically served (As a rule) at the beginning and towards the end of a flight, I don't see a problem in people having to put their seats up. There have been times i've fallen asleep shortly after take off and been woken to put my seat up. I have no problems in doing so for the comfort of my fellow passengers to eat their meal.

 

[Pinkmoose]

I cannot believe this thread is still going...

Everyone has the right to recline, though hopefully they will not do so during meal service. However the cattle class seats are pretty cramped as it is, so most people are just unhappy flying and want to protect all 'their' space.

Seems like we need another thread dedicated to the least annoying things which have occurred on your last Qantas flight.

 

[Ausbt]

The whole tawdry story sounds petty and sad and reflects badly on all involved. There are thousands of occasions during anyone's lifetime where you really just need to show consideration to fellow human beings. Co-operation has built our world. The OP's wifey sounds like she was proud to recline until the last minute - if you take joy from such situations I feel sorry for you. You may 'win' for a lot of the time but a humiliating loss is surely just around the corner.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Serious questions would be appreciated :shock:

Have to agree. Is it not incredibly obvious why seats up during meals is a standard thing on every airline I've flown. At all other times recline away.

 

[Daver6]

Simple solution to this problem. From now and, just assume that the seat in front of you will be reclined fully for the entire flight. Then anything less than that is a win!

I'm surprised that a mico-political party hasn't been elected to the senate yet based purely on this issue. Probably not too late though with a re-run of the WA senate election looking lightly.

 

[boomy]

:?: So you have to be actually sleeping to recline? Not even attempting to sleep or even just enjoying a little bit of comfort?

And why assume that every passenger being reclined into is disturbed (in the comfort sense, not the psychiatric sense)?

Some of us can cope with it when done properly, i.e. slowly after meal utensils have been cleared.

I was joking before when answering another post. I have no problem with anyone reclining their seat as long as they bring it back up during meal service (as the OP's partner did).
Being a tall person I do my best to book front or exit row seat but even if not, I will never complain to anyone who reclines their seat in front of me.

 

[Pushka]

Why should they be "forced" to have their seats up for meals? Doesn't that compromise their "comfort"? Why is it apparently OK to do this in one instance and not others? Serious answers would be appreciated .....

Because it's impossible to eat off the tray when the seat is reclined?

 

[castie]

This thread reminds me of a dispute on a Qantas flight to London.
A woman reclined her seat fully while a guy behind was using his laptop.

Not sure if any damage was done to the laptop in the end but it would make it impossible to use a laptop once the seat in front was reclined.
What happens in the case where the recliner doesnt check behind them and just hammers back? (As happened on this flight)

 

[scheps]

Didn't realise things can get so ugly on a short flight just from reclining...

 

[Pinkmoose]

I have seen this happen a few time and the sound of a laptop screen shattering when someone reclines quickly, is one I will never forget. The laptop screens tend to catch the little 'knob' that holds the tray table up and then just get crushed.
Always check before you recline...

This thread reminds me of a dispute on a Qantas flight to London.
A woman reclined her seat fully while a guy behind was using his laptop.

Not sure if any damage was done to the laptop in the end but it would make it impossible to use a laptop once the seat in front was reclined.
What happens in the case where the recliner doesnt check behind them and just hammers back? (As happened on this flight)

 

[haggiscat]

Your wife sounds like a mean person; unless she is 6'5" is there any particular need? I wouldn't have enjoyed her sitting in front of me if I had the misfortune of being crammed into a Y seat. Nice to know you revel in the discomforture of others though.

 

[tomo69]

I witnessed this very same thing on a recent flight, although I really don't care, the rudeness and aggressiveness of the old fella behind I just would not have tolerated

 

[Daver6]

Your wife sounds like a mean person; unless she is 6'5" is there any particular need? I wouldn't have enjoyed her sitting in front of me if I had the misfortune of being crammed into a Y seat. Nice to know you revel in the discomforture of others though.

I don't really understand what height has to do with it. Being reclined is simply more comfortable than being bolt upright for most.

 

[tomo69]

And I reclined right back as soon as I could on a BNE - PER red-eye. after 22 scotches in the QP it was a great 4 hours sleep ! LOLZ

 

[ashleyn]

One thing that intrigues me in all of these reclining posts is pax who can actually get some decent sleep in a Y seat. I can't and I usually don't even try.

 

[Moody]

One thing that intrigues me in all of these reclining posts is pax who can actually get some decent sleep in a Y seat. I can't and I usually don't even try.

You misunderstand, ashleyn. They don't recline to sleep - they recline for "comfort". By which I mean they recline to reduce the comfort of the person behind, who is obviously inferiior and has no need to watch a movie or read a book or try to work.

I recline to sleep - that is the only justifiable reason to do so IMHO, but the world is full of "reclining disputes" it seems.

 

[11sjw]

Have had a gent behind me get particularly agro on the late BNE-PER flight (QF767). Not sure how a guy who measured all of 5'10" when he stood up could have a problem with a reclined seat. He really did contort himself to get his knees into my back, almost felt like a massage after a while.

A more recent experience was DJ making an announcement requesting all seats be raised prior to the meal service. Great idea and makes it easier for the FA's to follow up on.