by How relaxed are you when you fly? No, not your perspective: your posture. Do you hit the recline button the moment the seatbelt signals go off, savoring each increment of your new obtuse angle, or are you more aware of those behind you and remain stoic even if the seat in front of you drops to your lap?
Whether to recline – or not – is one of the great debates in air travel, rumbling like the gigantic Rolls-Royce engines of an Airbus A380. And according to a new Kayak report on air travel etiquette, we remain a divided nation: nine in 10 Britons (92 per cent) say it’s okay to recline, but 47 per cent say you should ask permission from the person standing behind you. first.
In the study, 16 percent of respondents said it’s always okay to press the armrest button, while a disturbingly similar 19 percent reflected that it’s only acceptable on a long-haul flight. It’s not just a matter of convenience, but also a moral dilemma: in the report, one in 10 people said they waited for the person in front to take the initiative. If they recline, they are granted tacit permission.
What a farce! In an attempt to settle this once and for all, we asked two frequent travelers (firmly on both sides of the debate) to present their case. Who do you agree with? Tell us in the comments below. Fasten your seatbelts: this could cause potholes.
“What kind of masochist doesn’t use a lever that is there specifically to decrease his discomfort?”
Says Annabel Fenwick Elliott
There is something very strange about this debate. And unlike most “divisive” issues, which have pros and cons on both sides, I cannot for a moment understand why this is even an argument.
Seats on airplanes (and, indeed, in cars and other modes of transportation) are designed to recline because it is much, much more comfortable for humans to sit for long periods of time reclined than upright. This fact is indisputable. The button has a reason and is there for you to use. What kind of absolute masochist doesn’t use a lever that is there specifically to relieve his discomfort in the first place?
But, even more puzzling, why should that person, not satisfied with spending hours in that pose – defiant, like a martyr burning at the stake – expect all of his fellow travelers to choose the same destination?
The only scenario where I can vaguely imagine that I would be bothered if someone in front of me reclined their seat would be if mine didn’t recline as well. Even then, it would just be, presumably, because my button was broken, which wouldn’t be the fault of the person in front, or even something they knew about.
Furthermore, in the unlikely event that such a misfortune were to happen to me on a long-haul flight, I would never in a million years stand up, tap this person on the shoulder, and demand that they not use the button either; thus doubling human suffering. Fortunately, we rarely need to delve into this level of philosophy, since all reclining seats recline, so as soon as the seat belt signs are activated, the domino effect can occur and everyone can claim their few inches of improvement. Why, if that’s you, don’t you want to bow?
The only reason I see for banning adjustable seats is the same one that has led certain low-cost airlines to do just that: stinginess. Ryanair, for its part, removed the feature (along with other frills such as seatback pockets) in 2004 because it made the seats lighter and therefore lower fuel costs. And it’s not a very comfortable flight, is it?
I have written extensively about this “debate” in the past and I am still no closer to understanding the other side. So if anyone has a logically sound argument for why I should, on my next long flight, refrain from pressing that button, I’d like to hear it. Write, leave a comment. I wait with bated breath.
“People who recline their seats on airplanes are psychopaths and should be banned from flying”
Jack Butt says
As for the golden rules, treating others as you would like to be treated is one of the easiest to follow. If you have a date, don’t have a cheese and onion sandwich for lunch. If you work in a small office, don’t reheat a fish pie in the communal microwave. If you are on vacation, do not recline your seat on the plane.
You might think, “I paid for this seat, why shouldn’t I do whatever I want?” What do you care if the person behind you has less legroom?
Planes are uncomfortable. For most, flying is the worst part of going on vacation; The misery of being stuck in a metal can at 36,000 feet is the price we reluctantly pay for the pleasure of travel. Is three inches of reclining comfort too much to ask for?
I think it is. We live in a society and that means that sometimes you have to deal with small annoyances for the sake of the people around you. And let’s not pretend that keeping your seat upright is anything more than a minor discomfort. You do it for seven hours a day at work, you can manage it on a short-haul flight.
Chances are, the moment you land and exit the airport, you’ll check into a comfortable hotel room where you can rest and unwind as you wish. You won’t have to inflict yourself on anyone else while you do it.
Let me remind you of a basic fact of life that some air travelers seem to have forgotten: you are not more important than the people around you. You do not have a God-given right to comfort yourself at their expense.
The benefit you will get from reclining your seat is, frankly, minuscule. It’s not going to make the seat less hard, it’s not going to improve the taste of your in-flight food, it’s not going to make the feet of the guy next to you who has inexplicably taken off his shoes stink. nothing less.
What you’ll do is give the person behind you even less room, make it harder to watch your movie or eat, and get your vacation off to a bad start.
A small annoyance is the price of having cheap plane tickets and being able to travel. If you don’t like it, pay for an upgrade to first class or better yet, hire a private jet where you can literally do whatever you want. If this is impossible and you really can’t stand a few hours sitting up straight, perhaps you simply aren’t ready to travel. May I recommend staying home on your couch and complaining about your misanthropy on social media?
