GB
Chief Eating Officer
I was just reading an article on flying and there was a huge discussion about whether or not it is rude to recline your seat. Please answer the poll and discuss here.
The argument that the author made, and many of the readers agreed with, is that it is rude because you are putting your comfort over the person behind you.
Each person has the option to recline to maintain the same distance from the seat in front of them as when not reclined. I do recline at times and accept that the person in front of me has the right to recline as well.
I hate to fly because it's a constant discomfort from partially undressing and redressing at the security gate prior to boarding until I get off the plane and collect baggage. I'm over six feet tall and the seats are too close together. I'm never comfortable, ever. You're entitled to any comfort you can get reasonably. Reclining is reasonable.
The argument that the author made, and many of the readers agreed with, is that it is rude because you are putting your comfort over the person behind you.
Boy oh boy, I agree completely. I used to love to fly and still remember a time when airlines would pander to their customers. These days, flying has become pure hell. The rude and arrogant TSA people aside, all the airlines seem to care about is squeezing as many seats as they can into their planes - passenger comfort be damned. And at what point did flight attendants become so surly? I've found that you really have to be careful how you word any request, lest you get the stink-eye from the host/hostess.I agree with Andy, when I started flying it was kind of special. Now it is about the worst form of travel.
I actually have no idea. I made this thread because it had never occurred to me that it was rude. When I read that article though and the discussion that followed I found I was in the minority, at least with that one group of people.Why is that rude?
For domestic flights, I think it is rude to recline your seat. It imposes on the space of the person behind you. My current personal mode is to never recline my seat. It gains so little comfort it is not worth imposing on the person behind you. I do not like for people sitting in front of me to recline their seats. Space is so limited on planes, and flying is uncomfortable, that I feel people can sit upright for 1 to 4 hours of time.
I have flown over 200 flights in my life.