Just as we always look before making a turn while driving, we should always look before reclining our seat on an airplane.
My laptop almost broke on a recent flight from Los Angels to Chicago. I purchased the ticket very last minute and found myself seated toward the back of economy class on a United 757-300. That’s tight seating.
After takeoff, I pulled out my laptop to begin work and all of a sudden the lady in front of me—without warning—fully reclined her seat in one rapid movement. My laptop became stuck between my tray table and lip of the seatback (where my tray table is released) . I genuinely feared it would break.
I forced the seat back up with my left hand and freed my laptop. The lady quickly turned around and I feared their might be a confutation, but she looked more startled than angry. I apologized for pushing and explained that my laptop was stuck. She nodded, also apologized, and asked if was okay to recline again. Of course…that is her prerogative.
We’ve all heard horror stories about electronic devices being broken in similar situations. I am very thankful my laptop emerged unharmed.
So here’s a piece of airplane etiquette that we should always observe: look before you recline. When you do recline, recline slowly. The lady reclined so fast I did not even have a moment to pull my laptop away. Practically, you should always anticipate the worst and position your laptop, if possible, so that it will not break in case of a sudden, full recline.
CONCLUSION
Together, we can all make the flying experience a bit more civil. Please, for the sake of the golden rule, look before you recline. The consequences of not doing so can be dire to the person behind you.
> Read More: Fight Nearly Breaks Out on My Lufthansa Flight Over Seat Recline
100% chance of no problems if people stop reclining. Seat pitch is tight enough without some DYKWIA rocket reclining into my nose.
If recline is an option, should be traveler’s choice to use it. If anyone has a problem with people reclining, Frontier air is the airline for them as they’re all “pre-reclined.”
I dont care if you know who I am, and prefer that you dont. However, if you have an issue with me reclining, take another flight. I am using a facility which has been provided.
Any instructions on how to look? Am I supposed to unbuckle, turn around and pop on my knees to look over the seat back? I can’t see more than an unhelpful sliver between the seats, and I always feel like a creeper when I look that way.
Not trying to be a jerk, I genuinely want to know what has proven helpful.
I rarely recline, definitely always make that move very slowly, and only an inch or two.
Glad your laptop survived!
Listen to the voice of your mother in your head. Follow the golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
While it is my right to recline, I almost never do. About the only exception is an overnight flight like a transatlantic when everyone is sleeping. Because it is the right of the person in front of me to recline, I try to prayerfully except their choice to recline without rancor. I’m sometimes successful.
A thoughtful response.
There is no need for any significant recline except on overnight flights .
Why is there no moral valence to inducing a claustrophobic reaction in another person?
I dislike the recline as much as anyone, but a corollary to your rule might also be “never attempt laptop work in economy.”
That is very true. Ability to spread out and work on the WiFi, and the time that I got a person behind me who argued I should not recline on an overnight TATL flight are two of the reasons I no longer fly long haul economy at all, and avoid it for domestic if I can do so at a reasonable cost.
Look before making a turn is not etiquette. Its compulsory by laws and common sense. Look before reclining is different matters. You already stated that’s a prerogative right of passenger. Then again, is that tray provided for eating or for working? There’s a reason there’s a class named “bussiness class” on plane. So bussiness people can do bussiness. Or maybe working on their laptop without bothering other passenger.