One of the hottest debates in air travel is whether or not it’s rude to recline your seat.
In an age where airplane seats seem to be getting smaller and tighter, a reclined seat can make a big difference in your limited space. Reclining your own seat might add a bit of comfort, but when the seat in front of you goes fully back, it can leave you feeling uncomfortably cramped.
This debate turned into a full-blown conflict on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight in September when a woman refused to put her seat upright so the couple behind her could watch the television screen, resulting in them kicking and shaking her seat.
While hopefully, you won’t end up in an altercation on your next flight, you may be wondering if it’s poor etiquette to recline your seat. Others think it should just be outright banned, at least on shorter flights.
In a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of La-Z-Boy in October, 41% of American adults said they support a ban on reclining seats during domestic flights. Of the 2,051 survey respondents, the demographics most in favor were those over 65 years old and those between 18 and 34 years old.
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“Reclining on airplanes is a polarizing topic. We know some people like the five degrees of lean they get at 35,000 feet, but the way it infringes on others’ space can create havoc and discomfort,” Christy Hoskins, CMO of La-Z-Boy, told USA TODAY in an email statement.
One traveler who is all for the ban is Bryan Murphy, a 43-year-old Hawaii travel expert from Riverside, California. “Honestly, banning reclining seats on domestic flights just makes sense,” he said, adding that a ban would take away any awkwardness or “second-guessing” with the person behind you.
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“With space already tighter than sardines in a can, who needs another reason for tension at 30,000 feet?” Murphy said. “A no-recline policy would set a clear, no-fuss standard that respects everyone’s comfort and keeps peace on board.”
Maria Opatz, a 32-year-old from Minneapolis who travels frequently for work, thinks otherwise. “My hot take? You paid for that seat and all of its functionality, including the recline button,” she said. “Don’t feel bad using it.”
How to recline your seat respectfully
Since there’s no official ban on reclining seats in the U.S., travelers can still lean back if they wish. Here are a few things to keep in mind to show good airplane etiquette.
“Firstly, let us acknowledge that reclining one’s seat does impact the person behind us,” said Jo Hayes, an Australia-based etiquette expert. “Even though it’s well within our right to recline our seat, it can be a bit annoying for the person behind us.”
Hayes recommends travelers recline back “as gently as possible,” aka, with no sudden drops that could spill someone’s coffee or hit their open laptop.
“It’s also common courtesy to turn around and acknowledge the passenger behind with an apologetic smile, accompanied by ‘forgive me,’ ” added Hayes.
When returning your seat to the upright position, Hayes said to also do this nice and slow to not disturb the person behind you. And please don’t ignore the announcement to bring your seat up during meal service.
“These small gestures go a long way in taking the sting out of the annoyance,” Hayes said.
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