Sick of Recliners?

[drron]

The flight in question was an overnighter from KL well after meal time.

 

[Commuter]

I very much doubt it has legs (or any other limbs). Non-reclining seats would be seen by many people as a step backwards and such a move by the airlines could lead to their customers choosing to fly with another airline that does have reclining seats.

It is my view that the lack of space in the economy cabin of aircraft is due to the continual push for more competition and cheaper fares. In order for the airlines to be competitive and provide ever lower prices, they need to squeeze as many passengers into the cabin as possible and to reduce the cost of delivering their services.

My personal view is that I have no issues with the person in front of me reclining except during the meal service. If I need to work and use a laptop during a flight then I will be in business class. if I am flying in the economy cabin then I do not work or pull out my laptop.

I don't blame the airlines for a lack of space ... I blame the customers who demand lower fares.

I'd have to agree with that fully.

Except during meal time, I see it that since the seats recline, the person in front of me has every right to recline into me, and during meal time, the person has the right to do so, although doing so would be deemed to be rude (by me).

If I want comfort, I fly business class. If I want cheap fares, I fly economy.

What I really do hate are seat kickers who kick my seat back even when it's not reclined. I normally don't recline during a short (<2 hours) flight because I don't want to be woken up to put my seat upright. And if someone kick my seat and wake me up, I am not a happy person (although I don't get aggro, I really don't like it).

 

[simongr]

I do think the poll on relative split of flying would be interesting - being an accountant with a detailed flights spreadsheet I would prefer of course some hard stats on teh split based on miles or flights rather than just general comments...

Recliners are an interesting "issue" - I actually find recliners in business class almost worse. A number of flights I have had the person in front has reclined back completely almost on take off - barely moving for meal service. I know its such a hardship being in J but when people have paid for that significant extra room to have it taken away is a double blow. For the record I was on CX and when the person in front reclined I actually couldnt open the small laptop I have. Paying a premium does not always lead to a premium experience.

James - just for clarity you are spending over A$100K per year on whY travel - that is some hard core flying!

 

[james_1972]

James - just for clarity you are spending over A$100K per year on whY travel - that is some hard core flying!

not totally familiar with all the classes - my comment was if I flew business class it would be well over 100k - as it is I fly predominantly discount economy - i suppose I fall into the category of cheap people make flying cheap - but I qualify easily for qf gold every year.
I would pay more for more but business class is generally 3 or 4 times the price I pay and that is too much of paying more.

 

[Yada Yada]

I do think the poll on relative split of flying would be interesting - being an accountant with a detailed flights spreadsheet I would prefer of course some hard stats on teh split based on miles or flights rather than just general comments...

Perhaps we should develop a poll to suit?

For the record I was on CX and when the person in front reclined I actually couldnt open the small laptop I have. Paying a premium does not always lead to a premium experience.

I've only had a few flights on CX in J in the past 24 months and on both, I was lucky enough to have the seats where the seat back is a solid shell, so recliners in front had no impact on my space at all. On a HKG-LHR sector I found those seats better than Skybeds. And the AVOD was superb.

 

[Hvr]

All my travel is economy and this should not impact my need to work, or my right to some modest amount of personal space. I don't mind the airline dictating what that is (I can always chose another airline) but I do mind the person in front of me chosing my level of comfort. Cheers, Andrew .

My bolding.

Yet you seem to be happy enough to determine their level of comfort. :?:

All of my travel is whY as well and I fully understand the reclining debate. However, when doing a longhaul domestic eg MEL-PER for example I like to relax and have a snooze. Reclining is the only way to do this. Never during meal time but once that's over then it's eyes down.

Do I covet the exit row aisle? You bet and it is a perk of having status that I ask for and usually receive it. Why shouldn't I enjoy this perk when I do a lot of flying with Qf? Both for business and pleasure.

Or to focus the question, why should Jo(e) Q Public who flies once a decade be able to walk up and demand the best seat on the plane when their only criteria was choosing the cheapest airline that gets them to their destination?

Go to a restaurant on a busy night and ask for their best table. Unless you're a regular then you haven't got much chance.

Demonstrate your loyalty and you have a chance. Pure business sense dictates that if you look after your biggest customers, dollar wise and you'll stay in business a lot longer.

 

[simongr]

I've only had a few flights on CX in J in the past 24 months and on both, I was lucky enough to have the seats where the seat back is a solid shell, so recliners in front had no impact on my space at all. On a HKG-LHR sector I found those seats better than Skybeds. And the AVOD was superb.

I agree re the regular skybedesque CX seats - I was in regional config CX - cradle seats I think they are referred to as.

 

[JohnK]

My major problem flying economy were those behind who felt they had a right to kick my seat back or pull on the back of my seat when i was reclining.

Sorry drron all jokes aside I would not kick your seat but I would have great difficulty getting out of my seat with you reclined. So what do I do? Inconvinience myself getting out of my seat or pull back on the seat in front?

As has been said if people keep demanding lower fares the conditions of flying certainly are not going to improve.

Does Ryanair have reclining seats?

In my opinion the best solution would be to have the reclining seats in the last 3 or 4 rows of economy. That way recliners can do just that for the duration of the flight and not bother the majority of travellers who do not recline.

All of my travel is whY as well and I fully understand the reclining debate. However, when doing a longhaul domestic eg MEL-PER for example I like to relax and have a snooze. Reclining is the only way to do this. Never during meal time but once that's over then it's eyes down.

This is one I never understand. The 4-6 inches recline makes no difference whether a person can sleep or not yet it can spoil the flight of the person behind.

Do I covet the exit row aisle? You bet and it is a perk of having status that I ask for and usually receive it. Why shouldn't I enjoy this perk when I do a lot of flying with Qf? Both for business and pleasure.

Exit row and recline? To me that is inconsiderate. I pre-allocate exit rows to avoid recliners not to inconvenience the person behind me.

 

[Commuter]

The 4-6 inches recline makes no difference whether a person can sleep or not yet it can spoil the flight of the person behind.

It makes no difference to me if the head rest has bendy wings, but in the absence of such, I find that it does make some difference, as my head tends to flop to the side and I wake up from pain-in-the-neck when the seat is upright.

I'm going to start campaigning for bendy wings for all aeroplane seats!

 

[Hvr]

Exit row and recline? To me that is inconsiderate. I pre-allocate exit rows to avoid recliners not to inconvenience the person behind me.

Agree there and I don't recline in an exit row if there is someone behind me.

 

[simongr]

But here is the rub - most of the people here are seasoned travellers of some sort - be it people who have travelled consistently for many years or people just starting their travel experience (and every point inbetween) - which means that whether we recline or not we are actually making a decision based on experience.

We may not like that decision but people on this forum are at least informed about their decision. the majority of pax out there it seems are just doing what they want - either reclining with gay abandon or huffing and puffing about people who do recline.

I think that there are worse things that people do on aircraft or during the travel experience (lack of preparedness at the various check points is big bugbear of mine) than reclining...

 

[rhjames]

As I see it, if the airline provided a reclining seat, it's my right to use it. If I trevel economy (has been know to happen) I never recline in one step - I do a small recline, then the rest a minute later, just to warn the person behind. I go upright during meals. I'm average height - 1.8m, and don't have a problem with the person in front reclining. I can get out of my seat with no problem - I keep myself slim just so I can achieve this. Don't try passing me a note telling me not to recline - I'll ignore it, unless you're unusually tall or long legged. I've never had a problem in business class. I don't agree with JohnK - that small recline makes a big difference to my ability to sleep. I also don't agree that most people don't recline. Most of my flying is long haul, and when I wander into economy to stretch the legs, most seats are reclined, particularly at sleep time.

 

[codash1099]

reclining with gay abandon

Just who is this Gay Abandon that everyone is reclining with?

 

[Yada Yada]

Just who is this Gay Abandon that everyone is reclining with?

Yeah... dunno, so just Googled to learn more. Found this:
Gay Abandon - West Yorkshire's lgb choir

 

[drron]

Yeah... dunno, so just Googled to learn more. Found this:
Gay Abandon - West Yorkshire's lgb choir

But do they recline?

 

[Yada Yada]

But do they recline?

:shock:

Umm... can't answer that!

 

[acampbel]

...I also don't agree that most people don't recline. Most of my flying is long haul, and when I wander into economy to stretch the legs, most seats are reclined, particularly at sleep time...

I have no problems with people who want to get some kip and for some strange psychological reason believe they must recline their seat to do so. My main gripe is people who recline their seat whenever they can (including during take-off and landing and meals if they can get away with it).

This is called pissing in the corners and is the trait of the insecure who need to stake a claim because it is "their right".

I would bet that if the exit rows were made non-reclining there would be a complete reversal of the trend to recline, because if the passenger in front doesn't reduce your personal space then there is little reason to do so to the person behind.

And I agree that recliners should be loaded from the back of the plane so they can be a happy little bunch together.


Cheers,


Andrew

 

[Petch]

YouTube - Domino Delta Airlines "educational video" on seat reclining.

 

[acampbel]

YouTube - Domino Delta Airlines "educational video" on seat reclining.

I had to laugh ..... but it was a bit far-fetched. The dozy LIL would probably have no status and be seated in the back row, hence the domino effect would be a non-event. It would have been far more believable to show a corporate banker in the exit row, and rather than sleep being the trigger the seat would be shoved unceremoniously back 1 millisecond after the seat-belt sign was switched off.

Anyway - some of the other related videos were also good but I don't think they have anything to do with Delta, do they?



Cheers,

Andrew

.

 

[NYCguy]

I had to laugh ..... but it was a bit far-fetched. The dozy LIL would probably have no status and be seated in the back row, hence the domino effect would be a non-event. It would have been far more believable to show a corporate banker in the exit row.

An investment banker in Y...:shock: What a thought!