Reclining seats on planes have long been a contentious issue – but now a gadget designer to protect passengers’ knees has also caused controversy. Photo / Thinkstock
There’s one button on a plane seat that inspires intense emotion from travellers – the “seat recliner knob”.
Which, incidentally, is exactly what one half of a plane call other passengers who choose to tilt their seats backwards between takeoff and landing.
Ever since economy cabins introduced the feature as an ill-conceived gesture of comfort it has divided travellers into two camps: the Recliners, and the Decliners.
While Decliners refuse to tilt their seats back out of moral obligation to other passengers’ comfort, Recliners see it as their right to recline. Many feel genuine outrage at the suggestion that they should pay for a reclining seat and not use it, just because the row behind wants to sit upright.
These two contrary approaches often rub against each other. Literally in some cases.
It would be tempting to say it’s travel’s most enduring paradox, where the impassable object meets the unstoppable force – jabbing somewhere into your shins.
The Herald’s team of travel experts has leaned into the issue to provide a definitive answer to travel’s ultimate hard problem:
To recline, or not to recline – that is the question.
Don’t be a berk, there’s a baby on board ❌
Jennifer Mortimer, NZ Herald lifestyle editor – Decliner
I am a big believer that reclining your seat on a short-haul flight is totally unnecessary and rather rude. In fact, I will audibly gasp and point to you should you recline on a domestic flight.
As someone who has breastfed her baby to sleep on a plane (in order to be a polite passenger who doesn’t want the rest of the plane to have to hear the wails coming from a 5-month-old baby experiencing air pressure changes for the first time,) I experienced how little other passengers care about others and their surroundings.
The passenger in front of me reclined their seat right into me and my baby that was in my arms during a short, but now painful flight. I could no longer comfortably feed him from that angle, and thus the crying began for all passengers to enjoy. But thank goodness the person in front of me had that extra 7cm.
Plus on short-haul flights, all you are largely doing is enjoying a cuppa, or a spot of work on your laptop which are both now on your lap due to your tray table no longer being fit for purpose.
And sure, the lack of space is the airline’s fault, not the passengers. But in today’s day and age that’s like jumping into your neighbour’s backyard, because the housing market didn’t allow your yard to be quite big enough for comfort. In a world where you can be anything, just don’t be a short-haul seat recliner.
‘I’m an empath’: check before you kick back ✔️
Emma Gleason, deputy editor lifestyle audience – hesitant Recliner
Reclining your seats on a plane is personal and contentious, and though there’s no consensus on the correct behaviour (not to mention the fact that it’s notably missing from any inflight comms or housekeeping information) I choose to avoid reclining during most of the flight. If the lights dim and it’s “sleep time” I will recline my chair, but never without first peeking between the chairs behind me to see if the passenger behind me is awake, or if reclining will cause them discomfort or disruption – especially if we’re on an airline with minimal leg room. Before returning my chair to upright, I peek again in case they’re using the tray table. I’ve spent whole flights curled up awkwardly and uncomfortably in my upright seat rather than be “annoying” for another person. (Yes, I’m an empath).
I envy Recliners. It’s a ‘power move’ ❌
Anna Sarjeant, deputy Travel editor – short-haul Decliner
It might just be me but I just don’t think there’s any need to recline your seat on a daytime flight that’s under three or four hours. Most people sit crumpled at a desk for eight hours a day, so what’s the sudden need to lie down about?
I do secretly judge Recliners but also if it happens, I envy the audacity. Plus it’s a power move. I bet some people do it purely to antagonise – nothing to do with comfort.
You get what you pay for ✔️
Sarah Pollok, Herald Travel writer – unapologetic Recliner
While people love to debate the great recline issue, I really don’t think it’s all that complicated, as the rules governing seats are the same that apply when sharing any public space; make yourself comfortable but be considerate (or at least aware) of how it impacts those around you. Stay upright for take-off, landing and meal service (and don’t wait for a crew member to personally ask you). When reclining, never wrench it back in one sudden movement (ideally, it’s done in increments, over time). “Sleep time” when the lights are off and everyone is snoozing is fair game to push it all the way back (SLOWLY) but especially considerate travellers won’t recline all the way if the person behind them is sitting up. Accept that you’re in economy and those few extra degrees won’t suddenly make those horrible seats comfortable for 12 hours. Want to lie flat? Buy a business class ticket.
A technical fix to a problem of personal space ✔️
Thomas Bywater, Herald Travel writer – Some-time Recliner
Don’t hate on the Recliners or the Decliners. The real villains of this piece are the airlines and plane manufacturers.
Setting those who want to spread out against those morally opposed to reclining is not the solution. It distracts from the fact that there are more seats than comfortably fit into your plane.
Entire internet forums are dedicated to aviation anoraks comparing the “seat pitch” of aeroplane seats, which is plane nerd for “legroom”. (If you’re interested the meanest economy legroom goes to Iberia Air’s 28cm between seats, versus Japanese carrier ANA’s generous 62cm on their A380s.)
The solution is not to be found in the cabin “seat pitch” or asking “to recline, or not to recline”. It’s in the profit margin and number of passengers packed into each plane cabin.
Some short-haul carriers have chosen to do away with the debate entirely – like Spirit Airlines, who fit non-adjustable to their A320 fleet. Or perhaps all seats should decline at once to maintain leg room? Imagine that!
