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What's your preferred seat position?
I'm curious as to what people consider an appropriate position for their seat while they are cruising America's skies. I've always been in the school of thought that I don't want to encroach on the space of the person behind me. From personal experience, I know that working on a laptop is next to impossible with a reclined seat in front of you. Even reading the newspaper or anything on your lap can be really difficult.What I've found so far is that people are sorely divided on the topic. Some people don't feel the least bit awkward about leaning back into the next seat – others refuse to recline out of respect for the person behind.
I don't mean to say that anyone who reclines their seat back on an airplane is a terrible person and hates the person behind them. What I'm most curious about though is what space you prefer: the space you recline into or the space that the person in front of you doesn't recline into. What do you think?
Filed under: Airlines, Transportation
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Peter Zimmermann Feb 19th 2008 10:23AM
You should have one more category in your survey:
" Only if the person in the seat in front of me reclines his or hers".
That's what I do.
David Troyer Feb 19th 2008 10:37AM
I will also check the person behind me, if they have reclined their seat I don't feel nearly as bad reclining mine.
Jon K Feb 19th 2008 11:36AM
i only recline on overnight flights, and even then, i ask the person behind if it's ok (unless he or she's asleep, then i just go for it).
Sam Feb 19th 2008 11:52AM
Personally, reclining is the only way I can even approach comfort in an airline seat. Its not as if the seat is NOT intended to recline. The way I always figured it, everyone should sit back and relax together, its our best bet to make the most of a cramped environment.
Justin Glow Feb 19th 2008 1:01PM
I've had one too many people recline their head into my meal, so I always, ALWAYS check with the person behind me first. If they're reclined: free game.
If the person in front of me reclines, but not behind, I'll turn around and explain the situation, asking if they mind. I've never had anyone say no, and they seem to appreciate the gesture.
Andrew Feb 19th 2008 3:30PM
Reclining seats would be outlawed if I were king. When someone leans their seat back my knees are pressed into the back of the seat. If I slouch and slide my legs under the seat I can get semi-comfortable. Leaning the seat back makes the tray table unable and reading a newspaper a pain. But on a long flight have to sit straight part of the time so the knees are in back in the seat.
Mark Feb 19th 2008 4:12PM
It'd be interesting to have height information to correlate with these results. I'd imagine tall people (like myself) are much less likely to recline as they've had their knees knocked a few times.
Side tip: If you can't stand someone reclining into your "space" grab an exit row seat. The FAA requires that reclining be disabled on seats the would recline into exit rows. Plus, you get a little extra leg room.
Brooks Feb 19th 2008 7:57PM
I don't understand why anyone *wants* to recline, except to sleep. Does anyone actually think its more comfortable to read or eat or type? The few times I've tried it I've ended up slouching forward and making my back miserable. For sleeping, as on transcontinental flights, sure. But on short domestic flights it just seems weird.
V Feb 19th 2008 9:15PM
I fall into the "only if the person in front of me reclines" category. I feel so space violated in that situation that I have no choice. Personally I do try to choose exit row where I can, so 85% of the time I don't recline, because no one is in front of me so I have no need to. I just hate to see that seat back coming toward me, when food, drink, laptop or magazine come lurching back in my face!!
V Feb 19th 2008 9:18PM
I forgot to include in my last post...use www.seatguru.com before booking. You can choose your airline and plane type and find detailed information about seats. Find out which rows recline, which don't, which have extra legroom, etc. I find it to be invaluable when choosing seats!!
David Feb 19th 2008 11:49PM
I figure the seats were made to recline so I don't feel bad about reclining (usu. about 1/2 of the way is enough), nor do I get offended if the person in front of me reclines. What I can't stand are the people who snap their seats back at Mach 10, especially when I am reaching for my bag under the seat. So I recline s-l-o-w-l-y.