Airplane Seats – Do You Decline To Recline?

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Today I was reading an article from Smarter Travel on To Recline or Not to Recline: That is the Question. I have always been a bit surprised by the controversy over the issue of reclining your airplane seat. I understand that airplane seats are not very spacious and that we all live in a shared space in the airplane fuselage. But, I must admit that I am someone who reclines my seat and I do so with no guilt at all.

In my defense I should point out that I am 6′ 3″ tall and airplane seats are not created for someone my height. What for you is a headrest is usually for me an upper back rest… and an uncomfortable one at that. When you recline your seat in front of me I acknowledge that as your right as well. I do prefer when you recline your seat slowly so as not to accidently amputate any of my appendages that may be impeding the momentum of your seat. I also to provide the same consideration for the person who is seated behind me.

Do that many people really hate it when people recline the seat in front of them? If that is the case is Spirit Air on the right track with their announcement that they will be taking away that freedom of choice. They plan on introducing pre-reclined seats. It sounds a bit like the kind of solution my father might have reached on a long road trip. “If you two can’t decide how far those seats should recline I will fix them so they don’t recline at all”. That at least will answer the question in a more definitive fashion.