Flights are one of the most popular ways to travel. With the ability to reach almost any destination you may wish and usually in a matter of hours, it has become the main choice for people to travel. According to statistics, roughly 100,000 flights take off and land every day all over the world. So, some people may enjoy flights, some people don’t, however, everybody wants it to go as smoothly as possible.
More info: Reddit
Some people enjoy criticizing others without a valid reason, and this person was mad because the passenger in front of him took advantage of his reclining seat
Image credits: Oleksandr Pidvalnyi (not the actual image)
Guy asks the community if he was wrong for adjusting his seat after receiving rude remarks from the passenger behind him
Image Credits: u/shyhawk3485
Image credits: Gustavo Fring (not the actual image)
The flight attendant assured the OP that he had every right to move his seat
Reddit user skyhawk3485 recently posted his story, asking the community if he was being the jerk for reclining his seat back during a 4.5-hour flight. The post started a discussion and the author was marked as “Not The A-Hole.”
The man begins his narrative by briefly stating that he is a "big guy" (6'3" and 350 lbs.), therefore he bought a first-class ticket to avoid issues with not having enough space. The flight took four and a half hours, so you decide whether that is long or short. The issue arose when the OP gently reclined his seat back after making sure the passenger behind him didn't have a laptop to cause a disturbance. However, the chair adjustment was met with the rude comments from the guy behind him.
To his surprise, the author double-checked with the flight attendant, who informed him that he had every right to adjust his seat. After the meal, the OP reclined his chair to make himself more comfortable only to hear the person behind him make more crude comments. Well, this time, the flight attendant found a solution. Additionally, the author said that after that, no additional comments were made.
The comment section backed up the author: “It frankly sounds like you were more considerate than most. You checked for a laptop- which is a super considerate move that probably only frequent flyers would think of.” Some users agreed that the OP wasn't acting rudely, but not much happened, to which the guy responded that it was unusual for the flight attendant to step forward and assist in resolving the problem.
Image credits: Richard, enjoy my life! (not the actual image)
Bored Panda contacted Catrina, a former flight attendant, to get more insights regarding arguments during flights and chair adjustment situations.
So how common are fights over the chair position? It annoys everybody, but how often does it lead to an argument? Catrina says that “It isn't that common - in fact people argue more about where their bags go in the hat racks above them, or they argue more with the flight attendant when she has run out of the chicken meal! Regarding passengers arguing when the person in front reclines the chair: this depends a lot on the flight destination and the culture of the passengers! For example, on a flight to Japan there would never be any passenger complaining about anything as they are incredibly polite people. But a flight to certain other countries would definitely be a different story.”
She also shared an interesting note, that “as flight attendants, we can't really ask that people put their seats forwards - only during take off and landing. During the rest of the flight, the passengers are allowed to do as they wish. I would say the only time when a flight attendant would tell the person to put their seat forwards would be if the person behind is stating they want it forward for a medical reason.”
Now, the best way to solve a situation like this is to be polite. Everybody knows that they are allowed to recline their seats, so if it makes you uncomfortable, kindly explain why and if there is an available seat on the plane - move there!
Additionally, for a better flight experience and so as not to annoy your flight attendant or other passengers, don't bring on smelly food, take everything you need out of your overhead bags and put it in your seat area before take-off, don't press the call bell every time you want a drink (go to the galley and stretch your legs!), and wait until the seatbelt sign has been switched off before you stand up!
Also, don't forget to check out her blog 24 Hours Layover for inspiration and useful information!
Image credits: Delta News Hub (not the actual image)
Furthermore, Bored Panda contacted Gillian Kyriakidis, who is a blogger and world explorer. She agreed to share her insights from the traveler's side.
“I’ve not personally seen any arguments come over someone reclining their airplane seat. Most flights I take are long-haul, so you want to be as comfortable as possible. I’m certainly not going to force the person in front me to sit completely upright for the next 10 hours,” Gillian started.
If, however, conflict arises regarding chair position “The easiest and fastest way to resolve such a conflict would be to quietly talk to them. No loud shouting, and no being petty and sticking your feet into their back. Just explain yourself, and why it’s such an inconvenience to you. You should also weigh up if your convenience or their comfort is worth more at this time.”
Gillian also shared some of the “unspoken rules” to make your flight experience as comfortable as possible for everyone on the plane: “I would say if people are eating, please don’t recline your seat. And if it’s an overnight flight, don’t be surprised when the person in front of you does recline their seat. Just remember that no matter what the person in front of (or behind) you does, talk openly and quietly with them to avoid causing a scene and putting an awkward tone on the rest of your journey.”
Don’t forget to check out her blog Life As A Butterfly for more traveling tips and stories!
So guys, share your opinion or personal experience regarding this topic!
Folks online discussed this story and majority of them stated that the main problem is the airline industry
