Complaint lodged after air rage incident on Jetstar flight

[Deleted member]

That's a great idea. I wonder what the % would be for pro v non recliners?

Short haul < 3 -4 hours. No recline. Longer , definite recline.

 

[OzEire]

I hate seats in the face, reason I mostly go J, but really airlines should restrict recline to about half what it is now, problem solved.

Wish Knee Defender was allowed.

Post #2 and Limewood is fanning the flames of a thread that was already likely to get interesting

 

[drron]

What I don't understand is why she is making a formal complaint to Jetstar.Nothing I read suggests JQ staff did anything wrong.
The problem as told by the mother was another passenger.Why did she not want security called?

 

[Limewood]

No matter what, restricting recline by 50% still gives those behind some room.

On a JQ in "J" SYD/HNL the couple in front had both seats all the way back one for the whole 10hour trip, bloody annoying in our face I must say.

On JQ only seats are bulkhead.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No matter what, restricting recline by 50% still gives those behind some room.

On a JQ in "J" SYD/HNL the couple in front had both seats all the way back one for the whole 10hour trip, bloody annoying in our face I must say.

On JQ only seats are bulkhead.

But isn't the issue of 'seat in face' resolved when you also recline?

Seat recline never used to be an issue in the 'old' days... the whole cabin reclined, front to back, and everyone was happy (although I guess there weren't social media outlets in those days for people to complain). Everyone had to recline in those days to watch the movie on the front projector (yes, projector!)

 

[medhead]

I hate reclining for myself. Rarely recline even long haul, as I gain no extra comfort in Y.

 

[eastwest101]

Seat recline never used to be an issue in the 'old' days... the whole cabin reclined, front to back, and everyone was happy (although I guess there weren't social media outlets in those days for people to complain). Everyone had to recline in those days to watch the movie on the front projector (yes, projector!)

Maybe not - but the increasing size (height and weight) of our population in the last 40 years combined with the decreasing seat widths and pitch in Y class seating on aircraft probably hasn't helped.

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

When I have flown jetstar to bali from Perth, with an infant in your lap and the seat in front reclines there is very little room. If the child was on her lap and he suddenly reclined the poor child would have been hit by the seat back ( I haven't read the article but assume this is the case).


I normally fly J so don't have this issues but not too many options to Bali out of Perth for J

If I recline in Y I do so slowly and always look behind me and might only recline half way.

 

[JohnK]

But isn't the issue of 'seat in face' resolved when you also recline?

Only if you can/want to recline.

Why aren't the airlines addressing the issue instead of expecting passengers to compromise?

 

[DrA]

This happened, what would you have done?

Totally full flight, 5 hours, in Y. I had the window seat and reclined - I'd just come off long-haul and wanted to sleep. Person behind me got into a screaming fit at me over it within seconds. I offered to compromise and swap seats with them as they also had a window seat. No, they wouldn't move. The flight was full, and nobody else around us was willing to swap.

If they'd been polite about it, maybe I would have been more willing to bring the seat back up. I didn't. Person behind me complained to cabin crew who were watching this person go off their nut anyway. I explained that I offered to compromise. The awesome cabin crew let me go sleep in the last empty seat in J.

Would you have stopped reclining? Or effectively told the person to go stick it? Does your opinion depend on how the complainant actually approaches the issue in the first place? For me I think it entirely depends on their attitude.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Only if you can/want to recline.

Why aren't the airlines addressing the issue instead of expecting passengers to compromise?

With the exception of extra legroom seats, each passenger has the same total available space. If one passenger chooses not to use it (ie not recline), I'm not sure why the whole plane should suffer (by introducing non-reclining seats)? The simple solution is that everyone reclines (or can recline if they want).

It is true seat pitches in economy class have declined in the majority of airlines... down from a standard 34' to 31'. But seats have also changed, they are slimline now. Seat width has only decreased on a small minority of aircraft and carriers... those with 10 abreast on 777s and LCCs with 9 abreast on A300 variant aircraft. But those are easily avoided if pax so desire.

If a passenger makes a conscious decision to fly on a reduced-width seat, they are doing so to either save money, to earn points, or for convenience. The trade-off is they might get someone reclining into them in a confined space.

The other issue to consider is medical grounds. Recent evidence suggests reclining seats are better for the discs in your back. The research suggests the current 'upright seating' at work is actually detrimental to your health. If that applies in the office, why would it not apply on a plane? Link to article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6187080.stm

 

[Denali]

This happened, what would you have done?

I would have put my headphones on and completely ignored the guy. Like I posted earlier, seats are made to recline and every pax has the right to use the recline feature, whether I (or they) like it or not.

 

[Slime]

While I agree with the principle the right to recline needs to be exercised with a level of consideration for others.
I know mums can have a difficult time trying to control their monsters and stopping them from kicking the back of the seat in front etc. might not be a priority but still not right to hurt the little guy by slamming the seat back.

 

[dk4]

IMO anyone who has flown on a JQ A320, and used the recline switch, knows that "recline" is a very "generous term" for describing what happens next to the seat back

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Would you have stopped reclining? Or effectively told the person to go stick it? Does your opinion depend on how the complainant actually approaches the issue in the first place? For me I think it entirely depends on their attitude.

Generally I don't recline on day flights & I only do on night flights if the person in front of me does as it gets a bit cramped otherwise. When I flew on QF2 DXB/SYD recently I had 32K so I didn't bother reclining as I was in a bulkhead seat with a shadow.

IMO anyone who has flown on a JQ A320, and used the recline switch, knows that "recline" is a very "generous term" for describing what happens next to the seat back

That's what I was thinking. Any recline is barely noticeable so was intrigued by the 'slammed the seat right back' comment. I do wonder if the mother's description of the child "tapping the tray table" translated as "kicking the seat in front."

Having endured a 10 hour HNL/BNE flight on HA being kicked regularly by the toddler sitting behind me I thought must've been wearing steel caps (they were Crocs), I can sympathise with the person but don't agree with how they reacted to the situation.

If you were a ventriloquist the easy way would be to let your puppet to all the talking/insulting and you'd come up smelling like roses. A bit like good cop, bad cop.

Has anyone actually got some examples of when there's been a favourable outcome to a seat reclining or toddler kicking situation and how they managed it?

 

[eastwest101]

Like others - I think its interesting to speculate that the JQ cabin crew offered to have the police look at the matter upon landing, and presumably both the mother of the child and the couple in front (whom were accused of reclining into the child) all chose not to have the matter go further. I could guess that's because all involved wouldn't want to be caught up in a matter that could eventually become a "wasting police resources" outcome. Would also be interesting to know how and why the decision was made to take it to the media later.

 

[mannej]

Would also be interesting to know how and why the decision was made to take it to the media later.

I am guessing that JQ's response was that the incident was a police matter and not theirs.

 

[boomy]

Short haul < 3 -4 hours. No recline. Longer , definite recline.

+1

What I don't understand is why she is making a formal complaint to Jetstar.Nothing I read suggests JQ staff did anything wrong.
The problem as told by the mother was another passenger.Why did she not want security called?

It would have just waisted everyone's time with no positive outcome.

But isn't the issue of 'seat in face' resolved when you also recline?

Seat recline never used to be an issue in the 'old' days... the whole cabin reclined, front to back, and everyone was happy (although I guess there weren't social media outlets in those days for people to complain). Everyone had to recline in those days to watch the movie on the front projector (yes, projector!)

Good point!
In the rare occasion I can't get first row/emergency exit and someone reclines in my face I simply recline my seat too. Much better solution IMO then getting upset about it (keeping in mind the person in front did absolutely nothing wrong).

 

[JohnK]

With the exception of extra legroom seats, each passenger has the same total available space. If one passenger chooses not to use it (ie not recline), I'm not sure why the whole plane should suffer (by introducing non-reclining seats)? The simple solution is that everyone reclines (or can recline if they want).

I respect your right to recline fully for as long as you want. I can't and everyone doesn't want to recline anyway.

Do not deny me my right to use the IFE screen in front of me or how hard I should tap the screen because you are sensitive. Do not deny me my right to use my tray table as often as I like.

Once we've established our rights on the flight then we can compromise. You stop reclinng and I'll refrain from annoying you. It's really that simple.

And no I'm not being argumentative for the sake of it.

 

[dajop]

Would also be interesting to know how and why the decision was made to take it to the media later.

I wonder if it was actually taken to the media or merely posted on social media somewhere and came into the sphere of someone in mainstream media who needed some content .....