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Flight attendant Heather Poole has seen her fair share of passenger disputes over reclining seats in her 30-year career.
Editor's note: Heather Poole is a flight attendant for a major U.S. airline and author of Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 30,000 Feet. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. Read more CNN Opinion.
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Last night on a flight from London to New York, a passenger blared the call light and a colleague walked over, turned off the lights, asked if he needed anything, and simply pointed to the reclining seat in front of him. It was just that.
Provided by Heather Poole
heather pool
The flight attendant informed him that his seat was also in a reclined position, and then told him that the seat next to him, the aisle seat, was available and he could sit there. “He didn't want to move to the aisle seat because he wanted to sit by the window,'' the man said.
Sometimes there is no solution to such problems.
On another day, on another flight, an older woman told a teenage girl sitting in front of her, “If you put your seat back again, I'm going to punch you in the face.'' The girl's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets.
As I stood in the aisle and poured a can of Diet Coke into a cup filled with ice, I told an outraged passenger that no one was going to hit anyone, and if she said another word about it or told someone He said if he did anything, the authorities would be called and he would appear in court. Flight.
“He's on my lap!” another passenger on another flight yelled. This time I was seated at the window seat.
I looked at the woman and then at the man in front who was clearly not on her lap. But he was nearby, about a foot away. Sorry, he blurted out. I handed her a can of club soda and a cup of ice and told her in her own words she would understand, “Unfortunately, he is allowed to sit on your lap.” Ta.
In addition to lack of Wi-Fi and malfunctioning entertainment systems, flight attendants hear more complaints about reclining seats than anything else.
The crux of the problem is that airlines are cramming too many seats into a small space. Remember legroom? But this squeeze doesn't give passengers the right to react in a way that makes the crew feel the need to change the flight to get them off. This is a very big problem and usually results in someone being taken into police custody.
These altercations are scary, but I think some passengers need to relax. People have the right to recline their seats. No one needs to ask permission to recline their seats. Some believe that passengers should have their seats in an upright position during meal service. This is not true. Even if that's a good thing, it's not, at least not on US airlines.
Recliners are allowed to recline and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
heather pool
Recliners are allowed to recline and there is nothing anyone can do about it. If you kick his seat or threaten to punch him in the face, you are the one who will be taken off the plane, not the person who moved your seat two inches behind him.
Not all airlines are created equal. Yes, some airlines have removed the recline option for all seats, but these are mostly low-cost airlines and should know what their passengers want. That means cheap tickets that include non-reclining seats. (A friend who often flies Air France on short- and medium-haul routes in Europe said their seats are all locked upright. “I've never seen anyone get excited about that.”) he said.)
Airlines are desperately trying to cut costs. Rumor has it that American Airlines saved $40,000 a year by removing one olive from its business class meal trays. So you would think that installing 150 lighter seats per flight would definitely save airlines a lot of money. Keep in mind that the seat recline mechanism makes the seat heavier and increases fuel costs for the airline. Lighter seats that don't recline are also less likely to break, saving airlines money on repairs.
Non-reclining seats are nothing new. Major airlines always have some seats that don't recline. Think of the exit row and the final row. Some passengers aren't necessarily happy about having these seats available, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal.
But after 28 years in the business, I've found that there is some basic reclining etiquette that makes for a smoother flight for everyone.
Note: The person in front of you may not be aware that they have crossed a mental barrier between you and the rest of the world. You can't kick or scream at them, but you can politely ask if you can take your seat back. I'm sure they'll do it if you ask nicely.
If you're a passenger who likes to recline, I encourage you to do so slowly, keeping in mind the situation we're all collectively in. If the person behind you has the tray table down, pulling the seat back quickly can cause confusion.
It's true that coach seats can feel cramped for everyone. However, the larger you are, the tighter the constriction will be, so consider looking back before adjusting the seat. If the guy behind you is Shaquille O'Neal, you might want to give the guy a break.
Every once in a while, I see a laptop with spilled drinks or a broken one. Savvy business travelers know what to expect and book seats with extra legroom. But in coaches, middle seat passengers have a hard time typing because there's no arm space. Tables are so small these days that there's hardly any space to put your drinks. So if you're planning on working on your laptop and balancing your coffee on that table, you may need to seriously rethink your spatial judgment.
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If there's one thing I've learned from flying in unfriendly skies, it's that you can't please everyone. Someone will suffer, someone will have a miserable flight, someone will be assigned a last row or middle seat, or someone will have to interact with children. Here's what I used to say to my son every time we traveled together when he was little. “I don't cry when I get on a plane.'' Brace yourself.
In fact, this isn't a war over recliners. This is about space, and most airlines offer the option to purchase more space. So, keep that in mind the next time you're looking for the cheapest flight tickets.
