Denied seat recline on long haul

[eosphoros]

I have always been in the habit of asking the pax behind me if I am okay to recline (or at least notifying them of my intentions). This hasn't been an issue before, however, I was recently denied that request by the pax behind me and I was at a loss as to what to do. I have always felt that it is polite to notify the person behind of your intentions but this experience has made me reconsider that.

QF108. Meal service is over and trays have long been cleared. I've been watching IFE for a good 30 minutes and decide its time to doze off. I turn around and see that pax behind me is working on her laptop. I kindly inform her that "I am just going to put my seat back a little". She responds curtly with "No, I am still working". And that was that. Never have I had my request denied before (and I only ever recline on mid-long haul). A number of responses flicked through my head: I could just sleep without reclining and avoid confrontation, I could go ahead with the recline, or I could ram the seat back and recline all the way in response to her (what I considered) rudeness. In the end, I am not one for unnecessary confrontation, so I decided not to recline. In hindsight, I probably should have reclined. I already didn't like this pax as she had harassed the crew multiple times for a vegetarian meal when she had not requested one. (They ended up providing her with one from the J cabin).

What would you do?

 

[simongr]

I wouldn't bother asking - you immediately put yourself in a position where if they say no then your polite request is wasted.

In this instance I would have just slowly reclined. I am not in the vindictive camp.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

There's no way I could cope with a trans-pac flight in Y without reclining. You are entitled to use your seat functions IMO. It's been discussed ad nauseum in the other thread anyway.

 

[Blinky]

I wouldn't ask, and the odds are that the person in front of you has or soon will recline theirs, so it's more than fair for you to recline.

I did, however, get into a blue with someone in Y+ on Virgin Atlantic a few years ago. I reclined my seat, not the whole way, when the guy started kicking my seat and yelling "don't push back on me". I yelled back and the FAs rounded on me, saying its not necessary to start a fight! Amazing.

Anyway, after that I started to let the person behind know I'm going to recline, and have always got polite acceptance.

 

[serfty]

I don't ask - but I recline gradually and slowly.

i.e. A bit at a time, about 5 minutes apart.

After about 20 minutes I am generally at max recline.

 

[Alanslegal]

I don't ask - but I recline gradually and slowly.

This is similar to what I do. Sometimes a little recline is enough for me to get comfortable and then end up not reclining any further.


However if I was the OP and and asked the pax behind. I would have said "Ok I am allowed to recline, however I will give you 20 minutes to finish your work and then I am reclining"

 

[opusman]

"I am just going to put my seat back a little" is not a request, it's a statement. If that's in fact what you said to her then there was no reason to listen to her response.
If instead you actually asked (e.g. "Is it ok if I put my seat back a little?") and they said no, you're SOL.

 

[DC3]

These issues are generally avoided by flying in F or J.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I hope you're infront of me if I ever have to fly Y

 

[eosphoros]

"I am just going to put my seat back a little" is not a request, it's a statement. If that's in fact what you said to her then there was no reason to listen to her response.

You are right; it is a statement. I guess I was extremely put off by her curt response. In any event, I thought at the time that had I decided to ignore her and recline, she would have made a deal about it, just as she had made a deal about her vegetarian meal (that she did not order).

These issues are generally avoided by flying in F or J.

Next long haul (to LHR) I have booked is in J. It's a little harder to justify J (at least for me) when you're only headed over for a week to visit some friends.

 

[simongr]

Next long haul (to LHR) I have booked is in J. It's a little harder to justify J (at least for me) when you're only headed over for a week to visit some friends.

I don't love any of my family of like any of my friends enough to visit them flying in whY.

 

[opusman]

Short trips are even more reason to go J than longer ones! If you can't sleep on the way over you risk losing a far greater proportion of your time on the ground to jet-lag etc.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I have always been in the habit of asking the pax behind me if I am okay to recline (or at least notifying them of my intentions). This hasn't been an issue before, however, I was recently denied that request by the pax behind me and I was at a loss as to what to do. I have always felt that it is polite to notify the person behind of your intentions but this experience has made me reconsider that.

QF108. Meal service is over and trays have long been cleared. I've been watching IFE for a good 30 minutes and decide its time to doze off. I turn around and see that pax behind me is working on her laptop. I kindly inform her that "I am just going to put my seat back a little". She responds curtly with "No, I am still working".

And that was that. Never have I had my request denied before (and I only ever recline on mid-long haul). A number of responses flicked through my head: I could just sleep without reclining and avoid confrontation, I could go ahead with the recline, or I could ram the seat back and recline all the way in response to her (what I considered) rudeness. In the end, I am not one for unnecessary confrontation, so I decided not to recline. In hindsight, I probably should have reclined. I already didn't like this pax as she had harassed the crew multiple times for a vegetarian meal when she had not requested one. (They ended up providing her with one from the J cabin).

What would you do?

That would suck. As she had already demonstrated she was a cow I wouldn't have even asked her & just done a gradual stealth recline via Serfty's method above.

What is it with vegetarians?!? They (okay not all, but al lot) would have to be some of the most annoying people ever. I can't believe she 'worked' on her mung bean appreciation society document for the entire LAX/SYD flight & did not sleep. In that direction just about everybody gets some shuteye.

What further annoys me is through her own stupidity does not order a vegetarian meal yet expects the airline to provide it then is rewerded for her rudeness by getting one from J which will only reinforce to her that if she whinges loundly and long enough she will get what she wants.

In response to someone announcing they were vegetarian & asked them if they were lacto or vegan. The response was "what's that"? If they don't even know what type they are they can't be very serious. Some admit they order a vegetarian meal because the special meals come out first but I think others do it for attention. The crew would have been between a rock and a hard place.

After having had one as a flatmate who turned out to be an absolute psycho all I can say if you live in a share house & ever see tofu in the fridge get out now! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[chrisb]

Sometimes it's best not to ask.

I wonder what the FA's response would have been if she complained.

 

[ozmille]

Next long haul (to LHR) I have booked is in J. It's a little harder to justify J (at least for me) when you're only headed over for a week to visit some friends.

For me it is more important to fly J long haul if I am only going to be there for a couple of days. Anything that allows me to arrive rested and ready to hit the ground running is good for me, I prefer to maximize my time with friends and family. Like my trip in December, we'll arrive in BRU on the 23rd at 11am have family lunch and dinner on the 23, family get togethers on 24 and 25 then continue on to Berlin to catch up with friends for 2 days, back to BRU for a couple of days before flying to BKK to spend some time with other friends. I like to come of the plane and have a full day of energy and flying J definitely helps.

 

[harvyk]

I generally do not ask and just recline... If they are on a laptop I'll let them know first, and I always recline slowly.

Only once has someone complained about me reclining, and my response was a short simple "the person in front of me has reclined so I have little choice"... Didn't hear a peep from the pax behind for the rest of the trip.

 

[aliens]

I don't ask - but I recline gradually and slowly.

i.e. A bit at a time, about 5 minutes apart.

After about 20 minutes I am generally at max recline.

Yes use same method and well after meals.

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

my penny's worth and apologies if I step on anyone's toes...............

I have long legs that touch the seat in front even when fully raised and I find it impossible when the person in front just whacks their seat back. I can sympathise with the person using the laptop as I have had it happen to me without warning whilst my meal tray was there with hot coffee that was spilt .

The OP has the right to use the functions on their seat but so does the person behind which includes the tray.

My response would have been to recline half way back...be a bit comfortable and let her keep working in comfort as well.

My response as the person behind is to put my knees firmly against the seat in front and when it gets to half way hold the pressure and the person in front generally stops...RESULT = 2 x half happy people.

Just because the seat reclines does not give anyone the right to put their seat back whenever they feel like it and it does not give the person behind the right to be rude either when they are asked consisderately.

As decribed many times Y=..cattle class.... jammed in as tight as they can fit us just like cattle in a truck on the way to market so we don't all roll around and get hurt if they stop in a hurry.

The answer..???:

1) accumulate points like crazy and upgrade to PE or J and earn status credits etc to access lounges whenever flying
2) read this website because it sure has hundreds of great tips and tricks for making it happen a bit quicker and easier
3) Win Tattslotto and pay for the seat behind to be empty when you fly
4) rely on points 1 + 2

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Sometimes it's best not to ask.

I wonder what the FA's response would have been if she complained.

They probably would have deen delighted if he had reclined his seat!

Wonder if she reclined her seat - bet she did which would be a real double standard.

 

[straitman]

Where is JohnK :?: