Is it rude to recline your seat on a plane?
It's a conversation that has long divided travellers: To recline or not to recline?
To recline or not to recline? We weigh in on the age-old debate.
With dwindling legroom and seemingly smaller seats, flying comfortably in economy is such an anomaly that protecting your space has never been so important. But how can you protect your minimal space and respect your fellow passengers at the same time?
It’s a conversation that has long divided travellers, with some saying of course you should be able to recline your seat as the option exists for a reason, while others call it an affront to flying etiquette.
We don’t think it’s a simple answer, so we got the whole International Traveller team to weigh in.
Don’t recline on a domestic flight
From the mouth of our co-founder and managing director Quentin Long, “Reclining a seat is only okay on a long-haul flight that is more than five hours”.
This automatically rules out all domestic flights in Australia, and given domestic aircrafts have less legroom than international it just makes sense.
Not only that, but daytime domestic flights are also often populated with people travelling for business, and a rogue recliner could impact their ability to work.
“I had someone fling their seat back when I was working on my laptop on a domestic flight and it got jammed between my tray table and his chair. It was so abrupt! At the very least, you should look behind you before reclining your seat and check what the person is doing,” head of content Katie Carlin says.
There’s less legroom domestically, so don’t recline.
You can recline on a long-haul flight, but be considerate
This is the boat most of us sit in, myself included. I will never recline on a domestic flight and I only recline on a long-haul flight when the lights are dimmed and it’s time to nap. The only exception is if somebody reclines into my space and I can’t use my seat or tray table as required, unless I, too, recline. And so begins the domino effect.
Sub-editor and journalist Carla Grossetti says she doesn’t think it’s rude per se.
“They are designed to go back. But common sense dictates that you wouldn’t do that on a flight from Sydney to Brisbane in the day. Or while someone is still eating and has their tray table out,” she says.
“I usually edge it back on a long-haul flight to give the person time to adjust. I also check if their seat is back so it will be less in their face.”
Quentin Long says you need to check on the passenger behind you first.
“Make sure the person behind you doesn’t have a glass of red wine on their tray table. Don’t slam it back – be gentle. Just let them know and be courteous,” he says.
“Also, if the person in front or behind you has empty seats, recline the seat that is not in front of the person.”
Think of the passenger behind you before you recline.
Don’t recline at mealtimes
A pretty universal viewpoint at International Traveller is that it’s never okay to recline during mealtimes. I feel like airlines have gotten better at enforcing this, but there have been times before when I’ve been minding my own business, enjoying my in-flight meal, when suddenly there’s a chair shoved in my face.
“It’s always rude during mealtimes and on domestic flights. But on international flights, people can absolutely recline if they want to,” native content editor Kassia Byrnes says.
“I’m a very tall woman, I need leg room – so if I can handle it on long-haul flights, so can everyone.”
It’s never okay to recline during mealtimes.
It’s never okay to recline
Some travellers are vehemently against reclining on a plane and some can understand why travellers recline, but just don’t do it themselves.
“On longer international flights I can understand why people do it, but I never do myself and I can’t help feeling slightly annoyed if the person in front of me does so, especially if it’s not nighttime and it’s done without warning/abruptly,” editorial assistant Taylah Darnell says.
“I also think that during mealtimes it should be required for seats to be in the upright position.”
Some travellers are vehemently against reclining on a plane.
What to do if someone asks you to put your seat up
If you’re on a long-haul flight and it’s not mealtime, you are allowed to recline your seat. But what if the passenger behind you asks you to put your seat up? Unfortunately for them, unless a flight attendant has asked you, you are well within your right to say no.
Digital campaigns producer Irish Villacorta had an experience where the passenger seated behind asked her to put her seat upright because his space was too small.
“It wasn’t even mealtime, but I straightened my seat for him, but after a few minutes I just had to recline back because I was too sleepy,” she says.
As for those who get angry at seat recliners on long-haul flights, Quentin Long has no sympathy.
“It is the passenger’s right. The solution that I have been suggesting for ages is that to make it not a passenger-to-passenger conflict, the airlines introduce a third light – the buckle seat, the bathroom light and then the recline seats. Therefore, the passengers can only recline seats when the light is on,” he says.
If you’re on a long-haul flight and it’s not mealtime, you are allowed to recline your seat.
A couple behind my travelling companion and I were loudly talking amongst themselves during the flight safety briefing. I looked behind me and informed them that should they continued to talk at this time, I will recline my seat during the entirety of the flight. The couple remained silent during the remainder of the aforementioned briefing.
Really, why are you even going to bother having a reclining seat if you can’t recline it when you wish. Perhaps airlines need to stop putting in reclining chairs.
But I will continue to recline when it’s appropriate.
If I pay for the seat on a longhaul flight and someone wakes me so the person behind cat eat more comfortably, I would be livid!
If everyone reclined the seats the spacing stays the same.
If you can recline, do it! During meal time its a no go! If you don’t like it book a front row seat or upgrade to another class. Seats features are there to be used and guarantee in each class as much as possible comfort for each individual traveller. I do agree its tight, but thats the deal.
I recline only on international overnight flights but this article has prompted me to let the person behind me know before doing so.
I am often in the middle seat as hubby likes the aisle or window. I keep my arms within the boundry of my seat. It really annoys me when the other person beside me takes over the arm rest, including elbows on my side of the seat. Am I just being precious? What do you think?
Does reclining actually give you more leg room? I think not.
When the seat in front is reclined I can no longer watch the inflight entertainment as I can’t focus (that close).
What really annoys me is when a tiny person reclines and and uses the magazine storage as a foot rest! How dare they be so comfortable.
And don’t get me started on overhead lockers …
Reclining has always been a contentious issue and I agree with reclining only on long haul flights, being respectful and checking before you recline, and reclining to sleep. Alternatively airlines should stop cramming seats together which seems to be the case especially post-COVID.
I agree you should not be allowed to recline on a domestic flight. I like the idea that an extra indicator light for recline be included and controlled by cabin staff and no recline at all at meal times.
Further it would be nice to ask why do we have to. Lose our window shade when it’s a sunny day outside …. I prefer to leave mine open and I find it annoying particularly now aircraft have a centralised window shade controller… others views on this would be good.
I agree but get annoyed if people use the neck pillows behind them, then need to recline to the same angle they would be at. Use the pillow under the chin to support the head don’t put your head too forward onto your chest.
I have just come off a long haul flight and to be honest, with the way we were crammed in it became apparent that airlines are money hungry and have lost sight of comfort for their passengers, if you are in economy you have still paid to fly and to not be able to have the room to get out of your seat to go to the toilet without others having to get out as well in your row, is disgusting and unsafe. I know this is not the discussion about reclining a seat but that issue compounds it as well. I had a seat in front of me shoot into my face as I was typing on my IPad and I was lucky it didn’t fly off the tray table as well. My drink did. The room in front of you and beside you has to change, it has now deterred me from flying long hauls and it’s no different in domestic. I’d rather do a cruise or take a train. If company’s want people to fly then make them comfortable. And I am sure more will fly. Win win.
As a flyer with almost 1,000 flights under my belt, I know how contentious seat reclining can be. I agree: not on short haul or during meals. But I do wonder whether the ‘auto-recliner passenger’ ever reclines when sitting on their couch at home? Is it something special about a plane seat? Just because it can doesn’t mean you should; frankly, that’s a silly argument. For me, I recline when going to sleep or watching a movie, but I recline the minimum amount to be comfortable, which is nowhere near as far back as it can go. During meals, if I need help, I always ask the flight attendant; I wouldn’t want to risk an in-flight incident. That said, on a recent flight, we had just taken off and the seat in front shot backwards. I said “Really?” The occupant looked at me and straightened the seat to almost the original position. Solved! C’mon people, a little bit of consideration will make the world a happier place.
Yeah a light advising it’s okay to recline is a brilliant idea
The one consideration never discussed is that there are travelers with physical issues that sitting upright or being unable to modify the seat position from time to time causes extreme discomfort. I must use two cushions and constantly alter the positions even on short flights. I am careful whenever I move my seat but there are times when I must recline the seat.
There is not enough room between the seats already so people shouldn’t recline their chair