Another Passenger Fight Over Reclining Seats Has Caused A Flight To Be Diverted

My solution is simple and painful. At 6'4", my knees actually contact the seat back frame in many aircraft, especially some of the older 757's. It is impossible for someone in front of me to recline their seat. I get bruised kneecaps - a built in seat limiter. Uncomfortable? Yes, but as Sir Isaac Newton discovered centuries ago, no two solid objects can occupy the same space at the same time.

I'm sorry, but I didn't ask to be this tall (not at all unusual these days). And if I must pay double for first class for a couple of inches of leg room because of my physical attributes, then airlines should be charging passengers by weight for themselves and their luggage. I can't afford first class, and I fly much less and drive more these days as seat spacing has become ridiculous. Why the heck can't airlines recognize the latent discomfort that is turning up these days, take out two rows and give everyone another 2" of room, charging the tiny percentage more for tickets for each passenger? I'd pay an extra $25 or so per seat like I do for my baggage now, and I'll bet some enterprising airline could win a lot of customer loyalty by advertising more passenger comfort.

I want a width defender to keep passengers on their side of the arm rest. I'll concede the arm rest, just keep inside your seat.

A single obnoxious passenger demanding to inconvenience the rest of those who paid for the flight? She needed to be turned over to those she was demanding to inconvenience and let them bundle her into a duct tape cocoon for the extra 270 miles. Her "hosts" would then be more than happy to allow her to be first off and turned over to the sheriff.

There are three problems. People are getting taller, which means longer legs. That's my problem. Second, airlines have incrementally tightened seat spacing every year to cram yet one more row into the aircraft. Third, though the proponents of reclining seats always offer the solution of paying for extra leg room, unless you buy first class tickets for double the coach price, there are never (and I mean NEVER) any extra room seats available because they are always taken when you buy your ticket - or at least that's what they tell you.

It has gotten to the point of absurdity, and the public is beginning to rebel against inhumane seat spacing. This is just the beginning, believe me, it will get worse.

Anyone flown a newer 738 lately? When reclining the seat, the ass portion slides forward instead of the head rest moving backwards (much). It's less obtrusive to the people behind you while still allowing a reclined position. Instead of complaining about smaller spaces (the airlines are a business just like anything else and try to maximize their profits with more pax), how about engineers find better ways like the one mentioned to deal with the problem?

The issue is that the "recline space" is shared between the person who wants to recline and the person who has to stare at the top of the recliner's head. Because it's shared, no one really owns it. Airlines leave it up to the pax to decide who gets the rights to the space, so it often becomes a fight. Although over 6' (without heels), I never recline because I feel that it's unfair to the person behind me. At this juncture, I think airlines should just install fixed seat backs in regular coach. That way, you get the advertised 32". Please don't say that one should upgrade if seat pitch matters. UA's domestic 1st has 37-38" of seat pitch. That's a whole 2-3" more than economy plus - hardly an improvement -- especially if you're trying to get work done on the flight.

Sorry to say, but here's where this may all be headed: No more reclining seats in coach. A mechanic can disable the recline function very quickly. I think RyanAir has already done this but I may be wrong.

There is a desperate need for a "Passenger Bill of Rights" - seat pitch minimum must be 34" and so what if we have to pay more.... many people just don't fit into 28"-32" pitch seats

What a metaphor.....

Forces of free market, reaganomics, etc always work better for people who ride on first/business class....

We can force the airlines to give us more room....STOP flying and I think all the carriers will see that we are sick and tired of this.

One of my reasons for avoiding flying especially on long trips is the reclining seat AND knees in the back of the seat. Commercial flynig is not fun.

The airlines are making seats Smaller and leg room less. What the hell did they expect would happen.

Time for a universal banning of these things

Let's place the blame where it really belongs. Due to corporate greed, the airlines have continually packed more and more passengers into tighter spaces. Why don't they recognize they created this problem, take seats out to increase more leg room and raise the fares to meet their costs. Is it time to go back to regulating the airlines again? It appears deregulation is not working as envisioned.

Am I being naive when thinking the simple solution would be building a longer plane, thus carrying the same number of pax while at the same time making more space? (If the airline could resist using the space for more seats!) It would certainly make for a more satisfied flying public thus simultaneously increasing business. Yeah - I'm sure that idea wouldn't "fly". This so-called solution of rerouting flights due to irate pax surely must be costly.

Granted there are financial issues the airlines must contend with, but they have chosen to create the conditions that are causing the unruly behavior to solve their financial woes. It is a proven scientific fact that the more rats you crowd into a confined space, the more unruly they become. Regular passenger seats are so close together in all directions that you must contort yourself just to get into your seat. Heaven help you if you need to reach for something stowed under the seat in front of you. I am of average height and build. Putting the tray down for use when the person in front of me is sitting up is bordering on uncomfortable...and almost impossible when they are leaning back. Why should I be uncomfortable so the person in front of me can be comfortable. Did we not both purchase tickets for the same accommodations. One simple solution is for all seats remain in the upright position and locked. My wife and I had planned several flights this year, including Hawaii, but....we decided to stay home because of the lack of space around the seats.

The solution is simple, install non reclining seats on short haul aircraft and give greater legroom on all other aircraft on flights that suggest a period of rest or sleep.

I have flown many 12 hour plus sectors and have found reclining uncomfortable as it is not a natural position to gain useful sleep and never bothered to try.

Not wishing to be indelicate, I found snoring and farting to be worse crimes on flights than inept recliners in front of me and now we are subjected to unrestricted mobile chatter and other noises.

The Aircraft Carriers are the Ones who are liable! They didn't provide ample Space!

No more Reclining Seats problem solved! The Aircraft Carriers are the Ones who are liable!

I hope it happens more and more until the greedy airlines decide to solve the problem by giving us all a little more space. It is ridiculous how close they have squeezed the seats just to make a few more bucks. Flying used to be somewhat enjoyable. Now they treat us like livestock going to market.

To AWAALUM: you are correct on both accounts, regarding my post. I fly when I must and rail when I can. Rail is much more comfortable, along with the "berths" and meals. Blue Skies!

I totally agree. Airlines should have in their restrictions all perfumes. People are allergic to slot of them. They can wait till they get to their destination. They are all about themselves.

This is why AMTRAK has become more popular, recently. Talk about leg room. You would be amazed. With proper planning, you have overnight births, meals included.

Its time the airlines stopped taking the side of the ignorant passengers who recline their seats without regard to the person behind. Either that or provide more legroom.

When you pack people in like cattle and treat them like cattle ..... What can you expect?

With all the recent outrage and publicity, I think it would be an excellent opportunity for some airline to out-comfort the rest by advertising their seat spacing compared to the competition.

And, yes, 737's come in all lengths and all they do is cram more seats in. I'm convinced that all aircraft interior design engineers are 4'11" tall.

If you're for prepaid torture try flying from Los Angeles to Sydney, non-stop in a 380. Their "regular" cabin seats are a combination of coffin and upright phone booth. I'm 6+ and trying to get out to hit the head became an international nasty-fest. I'm also sure if there was any kind of ground-contact event eminent most all of the seats would be already reclined, despite the pleas of the attendants. A simple solution is a sturdy bolt in the seat-rack mechanism so everyone sits the same way and reclining is ended. Can't sit upright? Get over
it. A lot of folks I know combine the GheimStatsPolezi tactics of the Body Corps plus the money for baggage (really??) AND the built-in discomfort already waiting and have decided alternate means are about the same price without the agony.

Seems like a diversion is an expensive solution. People pay for a reclining seat and their ability to do so should not be controlled by a stranger in another seat. It is polite to slowly recline your seat so there is no surprise but that is not the norm. People are too tied up in their own needs and manners seem to be rarer and rarer!

This is so bloody stupid. Seats recline and that's that. IF you don't like it then recline your own seat. Tall persons like myself need that little bit of recline to find any comfort and people of most heights need it for comfort on a longer flight. For those who don't like people to recline, how about being polite and doing like people in cars do. You say, "Excuse me, would you mind raising your seat just a little? I'd really appreciate it." When people use these blocking devices that's like a nonverbal declaration of war.

I am surprised the knee defenders are allowed to be used. They are taking an FAA approved item and changing the way it works. There has been no comments on this at all. Maybe I'm incorrect ?

Are you kidding me? Anti Reclining?

otherwise anyone = proof read after post :)

Uh, yea you can pay for the bulkhead- first or in the back.
Otherwise why anyone thinks they have the right to limit the recline of others
should pick another mode of transportation. I once had a 70 year old lady kick my seat in first on the climb out, and then ring the FA call button! We hadn't even cleared the end of the runway .You whacked out flyers (and you know who you are) should just Drive, and those who don't behave should be banned for a year on all airlines until you grow the &^%$ up !