Etiquette Often Goes Out The Window
With airlines squeezing
more and more seats onto planes, passengers are becoming
increasingly confrontational when it comes to reclining their
seatbacks. That's because while seats may still recline as much as
five inches... airlines have shrunk the space between seat
rows.
The problem is most apparent to those trying to work on their
laptop computers, when the person in front of them reclines their
seat... and shoves the computer into the person's lap behind
them.
The Wall Street Journal reports airlines are tackling the
problem with varying levels of interest, and effectiveness.
Southwest Airlines says it has standardized the recline on its
planes to three inches, which in theory gives those seated behind
enough room to work.
"It was impossible for a customer to use a laptop behind someone
who had reclined fully in a seat that allowed four or 4.5 inches of
recline," said Southwest spokeswoman Linda Rutherford, adding the
three-inch recline strikes a balance between "maximum comfort and
usability."
Delta Air Lines is looking at seats that move forward as they
recline, increasing room behind the seat. Some of the carrier's
narrowbody planes are scheduled to get these seats starting in July
2007.
Other carriers, though, say they're sticking with seat recline
-- no matter how little room there is between rows. That could mean
tight quarters on Continental, which offers coach seats that
recline as much as six inches, but have some of the narrowest rows
in the business. United's seats have the same 31" pitch, or
distance between rows, as Continental... but its seats don't
recline as far.
In the end, that may lead to more arguments between
passengers.
"I usually just say, 'Hey, Dude, there's no space here,'" said
traveler Gene Wojcieszak. His was one of the more polite comments
made toward those who recline their seats. Others told the WSJ they
use of devices like the "Knee Defender," which latches onto the
seat in front of you and limits its recline.
That device is banned by the airlines, as it can cause tray
tables to break if angry passengers force the seatback against the
device. Still others say they've found a way to keep seats from
reclining without mechanical help.
Tim Allen, a Boston
consultant, told the paper he knows the pressure point to push on
the seatback in front of him, to prevent it from reclining.
"They try and they can't, or you push the seat back forward when
they lean forward," he said. "Seats are too close. They shouldn't
recline."
The airlines say each passenger has the right to recline his or
her seat, if it is able to. (Exit row seats do not recline.) That
sentiment was echoed by an etiquette expert with the Emily Post
Institute.
Peggy Post says the polite way to handle the situation is to
turn and tell the person behind you that you're going to recline
your seat -- or, kindly ask the person in front of you not to
recline if you are working.
But recliners have the right of way, Post added. "People are
entitled to recline."