# Is reclining your seat on an airplane rude? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2008, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621 "2008-11-20T06:57:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/141 "2008-11-21T17:16:39Z")
> [@accidentalyuppie](#): > > I don’t mind when the person in front of me reclines their seat. > > I usually recline mine, especially if the seat in front of me is reclined. > > There have been a few occasions when I was in that middle seat in the back row that doesn’t recline. However, I usually get that seat when I have been desperately waiting for a stand-by seat and in those cases I am so happy just to be on the plane that I would probably be smiling even if they stuck me in the overhead. > > My peeve is the guy that hogs the armrest. Not lifting it, which would be presumptious but no one hs ever tried that next to me. But putting your whole arm on that armrest like you own it is a declaration of war, and I can promise that if you move your arm for just one second I will take the opportunity to make that armrest mine. > > Timely thread, I’ll be getting on a plane in a couple of hours. The plane I am taking offers extra legroom seats for a small fee ( although I didn’t get one, the fare was steep enough already) so I will feel less guilty about reclining. The “hogging” the armrest comment reminds of something that happened to one of my best friends. She was on a flight and the guy next to her was totally hogging the armrest. She actually came upon a a little “fun fact” in the magazine she was reading that gave some really high percentage about how many guys hog the armrests on an airplane. She showed it to him and they shared a laugh. He didn’t hog the armrest for the rest of the flight. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/142 "2008-11-21T17:18:59Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > Yeah, I’m surprised by the split between rude and not rude, but what really blows my mind is the fact the people think all this crap is a reasonable response to people doing exactly what the airplane is designed to do. Would it be rude of me in a car to slide the seat back and then recline it all the way back while you were sitting behind me? It is afterall designed to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/143 "2008-11-21T17:27:00Z")
> [@trupa](#): > > If the person in front of me reclines, then I can no longer use my laptop. The viewing angle becomes too acute and I cannot read the screen. I also almost lost a laptop when it was wedged between the tray table and the top of the recess in the seat back, and the guy in front reclined. It cracked the case, but the display still worked. Um… your laptop screen angle is adjustable, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/144 "2008-11-21T17:32:24Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Would it be rude of me in a car to slide the seat back and then recline it all the way back while you were sitting behind me? It is afterall designed to do so. If I had a seat that was exactly the same, and could recline too, then no, it wouldn’t be rude at all. A car is different in that the back seat is almost universally considered less comfortable, and in many cases, is not used too often. On a plane all seats are the same, and all of them are used, usually by full sized adults. Also, if we were travelling together in a car I assume we know each other, so we could talk about it. But I guess if we were travelling together I could just spread snot all over your head and then kick you. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/145 "2008-11-21T17:35:01Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > If I had a seat that was exactly the same, and could recline too, then no, it wouldn’t be rude at all. A car is different in that the back seat is almost universally considered less comfortable, and in many cases, is not used too often. On a plane all seats are the same, and all of them are used, usually by full sized adults. Fair point. I still don’t want to ever be on an airplane near you or someone like you. > [@](#): > > Also, if we were travelling together in a car I assume we know each other, so we could talk about it. But I guess if we were travelling together I could just spread snot all over your head and then kick you. You can also talk to the person in the seat behind or in front of you on an airplane. You don’t have to know them. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/146 "2008-11-21T17:56:07Z")
I’m not surprised by the number of people who say that they can recline if they want to - I’m okay with that. Then again, I’m 5’7" and, while somewhat overweight, don’t overflow my seat. However, I am VERY surprised at the number of people who’ve said that if someone asked them politely not to recline or to put their seat up, they’d “think about it.” Unless I had a medical condition or were being asked to avoid reclining on a flight that was more than 3 hours, I can’t imagine baldly saying no to someone who made a simple, polite request like that. It seems like such a no-brainer. And re the kids - I’ve been on a 17-hour flight from Bombay to Newark with a 1 and 1/2 year old on my lap and the woman in front of me fully reclined the entire time. It was the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been on a flight in my life. I didn’t begrudge her her right to sleep and was very careful to angle my son sideways so his feet were in the aisle and he couldn’t kick her seat, but unless the flight is international, I can’t imagine reclining against someone holding a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/147 "2008-11-21T18:03:11Z")
> [@dawson](#): > > No, what’s selfish is that because of the choices you have made ie: choosing to fly in coach instead of business class, deciding to work on your computer on the plane instead of at the office or at home, I am expected to forego my comfort, which I might remind you, I paid for. > _That is selfish,_ your the one imposing on me, not the other way around. I think I finally get you if we are on a plane that is only coach, like most I fly on, and I’m sitting in a row that doesn’t recline then you would think that its rude to lean back your chair because it is no fault of that person. I’d like to remind you that they paid and equal amount to you for their ticket and you would be imposing on the space they paid for. > [@Uzi](#): > > This is absolutely the craziest thread I’ve ever read. You pay for a seat that reclines, so you recline in it. Every other person on the plane has the same option. By default if the person in back of you has a problem with you using the seat the way it was intended then they are the ones who should speak up. Why should I ask before I recline? That is just stupid. > If someone was freakishly tall and asked me not to, he had better not recline himself. Otherwise, I’m reclining. > This is what is really rude. Anyone can find out the configuration of the plane they are booking on (eg. [seatguru.com](http://seatguru.com)) and ask for a bulkhead, an exit, or a seat on the aisle. Plan things out and book further ahead to get the proper seat for you. Don’t punish me because of your lack of planning and I won’t complain to you about not being able to dunk a basketball, okay? If none of the seats in cattle allow you to fit in them, then buy a business class seat and qwitch yer bitchin’. I’m not sure if you realize this or not but there are many planes that do not have seats with more leg room outside of the exit row. If you have more then 4 tall people on a plane there will be some in cramped seats is it their fault that they are flying somewhere with other tall people? Planning ahead does not solve everything especially when airline don’t allow seat reservations more then 24 hrs ahead. I don’t think that the passive aggressive behavior is the best way to handle the people who recline but when faced with people who view reclining as a right that they will not give up, some times it is the only option. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/148 "2008-11-21T18:07:24Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I’m not sure if you realize this or not but there are many planes that do not have seats with more leg room outside of the exit row. If you have more then 4 tall people on a plane there will be some in cramped seats is it their fault that they are flying somewhere with other tall people? Planning ahead does not solve everything especially when airline don’t allow seat reservations more then 24 hrs ahead. You’re missing the point. The airline provides each passenger with a reclining seat. You’ve paid for a seat that is behind a seat which reclines, and you know that going in. If you don’t like having the seat in front of you reclined, don’t fly on an airline that offers reclining seats, or don’t fly on one which won’t guarantee you an exit row seat. Really tall people can’t buy small cars, either- they have to buy bigger cars, which are more expensive. ---
**Author:** ![threnodyangelfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/149 "2008-11-21T20:12:44Z")
> [@dawson](#): > > No, what’s selfish is that because of the choices you have made ie: choosing to fly in coach instead of business class, deciding to work on your computer on the plane instead of at the office or at home, I am expected to forego my comfort, which I might remind you, I paid for. > _That is selfish,_ your the one imposing on me, not the other way around. Not if I’m simply trying to read a book or watch the movie, or hell, I don’t know, would just like to move my legs once in a while. I’m not a disagreeable person. I wouldn’t kick anyone’s seat or purposely sneeze on them - I was laughing at the retort upthread. But attitudes like this make me a little scared of asking someone to move for me, even up just a little bit. Just like 3 inches. Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/150 "2008-11-21T20:26:33Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > As someone who’s 6’2, 290, I think that’s exactly the point of people wanting to keep the armrests down. To keep people who can’t fit in their seats from spilling over into yours. I have no problem jockeying for “top or bottom” elbows with a family member, but with a complete stranger for a 12 hour flight? :eek: When I’m in a window or aisle seat, and someone is next to me, I let them have the armrest since they need all the space they can get. When I’ve been in the middle not having it makes a bad situation worse, and I’m pretty thin. ---
**Author:** ![MrPeabody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@MrPeabody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrPeabody)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/151 "2008-11-21T20:58:48Z")
You are missing the point, life is not fair. I am 5’7 and would trade to be 6” and love it every time I got on a plane. I still recline my seat unless I feel resistance or am asked not to. Being tall and bitching about flying is like being short and complaint you don’t make as much money as tall folk. There are benefits and drawbacks to all situations. But answer me this would you trade 4 inches of your height to be more comfortable on a plane ride? I paid for what my space; you can do whatever you want with your space. But quit whining and deal with reality. I don’t care if the person in front of me reclines/ I have never given it a thought because that’s what they paid for. My ex was 6’1” so I have seen both sides. Have a good day… ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/152 "2008-11-21T21:16:44Z")
I’ve flown a fair amount in my life, and i must say that it has never once occurred to me that putting your seat back would be considered rude or unacceptable. I’m right on 6 feet tall, and i often find it inconvenient when the person in front of me reclines all the way. As others have noted, it often means some pressure on your knees, and it also reduces your room to move, and the amount of effective space on your tray table. But i have never even considered asking the person in front of me to put their seat up, except during meal service. And then, the flight attendants usually do it for me. As for me, if i’m reading or watching the movie, i’ll have my seat all the way up, or nearly all the way. But if i need/want to sleep, then that sucker is going back unless the person behind is simply too tall to allow it. I always check to make sure i don’t have a very tall person behind me, and if i don’t, then i recline my seat slowly and steadily. I never jam it all the way back without warning. I always bring my seat up during meal service, and on domestic flights, i also bring it up while beverage service is in progress, so the person behind has full use of their tray table. Yesterday i flew from Washington to San Diego via Chicago, and my seat was probably reclined for about half of each leg. But that armrest is staying down, whether you like it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Carnacki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Carnacki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnacki)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/153 "2008-11-21T23:05:29Z")
I’m glad I read this thread. I fly extremely infrequently (once every couple of years), and it never occurred to me that using a built-in function of my seat would be frowned upon. I will definitely consider the person behind me in the future. Having said that, I’m tempted to start a pit thread about this: **Airplane seat designers: Why the hell did you put features on the seat that I’m not supposed to use??!** ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/154 "2008-11-21T23:07:20Z")
> [@Carnacki](#): > > I’m glad I read this thread. I fly extremely infrequently (once every couple of years), and it never occurred to me that using a built-in function of my seat would be frowned upon. I will definitely consider the person behind me in the future. > > Having said that, I’m tempted to start a pit thread about this: > **Airplane seat designers: Why the hell did you put features on the seat that I’m not supposed to use??!** Not saying not to use the feature. I’m just asking you to consider the person behind you before using it. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/155 "2008-11-21T23:37:12Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Fair point. I still don’t want to ever be on an airplane near you or someone like you. Hey, I don’t think this is fair. I have said repeatedly that if someone asked politely that I not recline, I would either not do it or come to some kind of compromise. I’m not some kind of sociopath. Acting like reclining the chair _as it was designed to do_ is the equivalent of kicking puppies or shaking babies is kind of ridiculous. > [@Antinor01](#): > > You can also talk to the person in the seat behind or in front of you on an airplane. You don’t have to know them. This is exactly the point I’ve been trying to make all along. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/156 "2008-11-22T00:20:34Z")
Wow, anyone else being struck by the amazing difference in reactions to what seems to me vitually identical situations? A) I’m really tall and so I need more leg room. If you recline (I think we all agree that since the seats were built to recline, reclining them is part of your ‘rights’ as a passnger) then you are inflicting extra discomfort on me and that’s rude. And it seems most people agree that if you have a tall person behind you, you ought to give up the comfort and extra space you would gain by reclining. B) I’m really wide, and need more hip room. If you won’t let me raise the arm rest then you are inflicting extra discomfort on me and that’s rude. I haven’t noticed a single person agreeing that people who happen to be sitting beside an extra wide person should surrender part of his seat width. Interesting difference, yes? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/157 "2008-11-22T00:33:49Z")
Then there’s the theological view, which states if god did not want you to recline, he would not have made seats that do so. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/158 "2008-11-22T00:41:50Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Wow, anyone else being struck by the amazing difference in reactions to what seems to me vitually identical situations? > > A) I’m really tall and so I need more leg room. If you recline (I think we all agree that since the seats were built to recline, reclining them is part of your ‘rights’ as a passnger) then you are inflicting extra discomfort on me and that’s rude. > > And it seems most people agree that if you have a tall person behind you, you ought to give up the comfort and extra space you would gain by reclining. > > B) I’m really wide, and need more hip room. If you won’t let me raise the arm rest then you are inflicting extra discomfort on me and that’s rude. > > I haven’t noticed a single person agreeing that people who happen to be sitting beside an extra wide person should surrender part of his seat width. > > Interesting difference, yes? Good point. What some people don’t seem to get is that this is a zero sum game. The pro-recliners seem to ignore the fact that their reclining steals space from the person behind them. There is a what is mine is mine and what is yours is mine attitude. This is obvious in the armrest situation. I think the issue there is that raising the armrest lets the larger person spill into the seat. I think the reason we like this less is that there is physical contact with strangers involved, not the case in the seat back situation. As for why seats recline, remember that they were designed when there was more room between seats, and reclining was not going to smash the seat into your face, and when the chance of getting an empty seat behind you was much greater. Being polite makes life easier in stressful situations. When I read a paper in a nearly empty subway, I can unfold it and turn pages at will, but if I’m reading in a very crowded subway, I use a different and less convenient method to avoid pushing the paper into someone else’s face. Airline seats are no different. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/159 "2008-11-22T02:32:46Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Good point. What some people don’t seem to get is that this is a zero sum game. The pro-recliners seem to ignore the fact that their reclining steals space from the person behind them. There is a what is mine is mine and what is yours is mine attitude. The problem with this outlook is that it requires us to agree that that space is ‘yours’. I don’t have a ‘whats yours is mine’ attitude, because I don’t agree that my reclining is taking away something that is ‘yours’. You’re absolutely right that this is a zero sum game - either I am uncomfortable and you are comfortable, or vice versa. Since I only recline when I’m sleeping or when my back hurts (and never during meal or beverage service), I figure that we are sort of trading off - some reclining time, some non-reclining. But you’d like it if you got to be comfortable the whole time and I was uncomfortable at least half the time. Why do you get to be the only comfy one? Because you’re tall? Does that make you special? > [@Voyager](#): > > As for why seats recline, remember that they were designed when there was more room between seats, and reclining was not going to smash the seat into your face, and when the chance of getting an empty seat behind you was much greater. Seating in airplanes has been redesigned many times over the years. Remember how there used to be a little ashtray in the seat and now there isn’t? If the recline was incompatible with the current layout of the plane, the recline would have been changed. In fact, it seems to me that the recline is less than it used to be. On most Boeing aircraft, the seat recline is between 3 and 5 inches at the top of the seat ([site](http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/aircraft/default.aspx)). Unless you are leaning way forward or have the worlds biggest head, the seat is not ‘smashed into your face’. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621/160 "2008-11-22T04:22:00Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > On most Boeing aircraft, the seat recline is between 3 and 5 inches at the top of the seat ([site](http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/aircraft/default.aspx)). Unless you are leaning way forward or have the worlds biggest head, the seat is not ‘smashed into your face’. But it _is_ smashed into your knees, which is what most people are complaining about. And you don’t have to be all that tall for this to happen. People are inconsiderate assholes, nothing new. It’s too bad is all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reclining-your-seat-on-an-airplane-rude/473621.md?page=9)