Commercial Flying Woes, the reason most of us fly!

[Jhernandez04]

"Flying coach can be a bruising experience these days.
Rory Rowland said he was rudely rebuffed after he asked the person in front of him not to recline his seat on a red-eye flight. When he later got up to use the bathroom, and the other passenger had fallen asleep, “I hip-checked his seat like you wouldn’t believe,” Mr. Rowland, a speaker and consultant, said, then feigned innocence when the enraged passenger complained to a flight attendant.
With air travelers increasingly feeling like packed sardines, flying has become a contact sport, nowhere more than over the reclined seat."

Full Article here http://finance.yahoo.com/news/jammed-jets-sardines-turn-one-035327709.html



This article has me appreciating my choice to fly a GA airplane. While I do enjoy the 550MPH commercial flights, I really enjoy the freedom I get to come and go as I please in GA.

 

[JB1842]

I should have read this article before I booked my vacation this afternoon!

 

[ClimbnSink]

People are Queer. You bought a seat with a reclining seat in front of it, and that is what you got buttercup.

 

[Henning]

Ask me not to recline my seat? Seriously? I'd laugh in you face.

 

[JB1842]

I don't mind people reclining their seats in flight. Leave it back when your are trying to eat, stand by for seat kicking.

 

[cowman]

I never though the seats were that bad and they barely recline at all on any flight I've been on not sure what the big deal is.

 

[Geico266]

I don't mind people reclining their seats in flight. Leave it back when your are trying to eat, stand by for seat kicking.

How does a reclined seat interfere with your meal? Your tray doesn't move when they recline.

 

[frfly172]

Recline your seat while flying on the red eye,go figure.

 

[JGoodish]

Ask me not to recline my seat? Seriously? I'd laugh in you face.

I would agree that if I purchase a ticket and my seat reclines, I'm entitled to recline it. There should be an expectation that lots of seats will be reclined on a red-eye flight.

The problem that I've had is when rather large men recline the seat and then constantly adjust their seating position, using the back of the seat as leverage. That forces the seat to recline even more, usually right into my knees. And to the smart aleck who said don't pick a seat behind a reclining one, those are few and far between, and you can only pick what's available. It's a matter of basic courtesy to consider those around you when you decide to do anything while crammed into an airline seat.


JKG

 

[MadseasoN]

This very thing happened to me on a flight back from Frankfurt. The Brit behind me was pushing my seat as I tried to recline it. "It's too far, It's too far, I cannot read my book"

He complained to the [stunning] 6'1" tall blonde German flight attendant. She told him "it's a 3AM Red Eye sir, you can go sit somewhere else if you don't like it". He did. I went to sleep.

 

[JB1842]

How does a reclined seat interfere with your meal? Your tray doesn't move when they recline.

less space in the back of the tray. the tray doesn't move, but the inclined seat makes a greater angle towards you, taking up more space on the tray. and less space to lean forward a little to eat your food. sucks when you are over 6' anyways on a commercial flight, this makes it worse.

 

[Art VanDelay]

Really there's a bit of an art to it. See, you just don't slam the seat back the full travel all in one fell swoop. The quick large movement is what causes the panic and sense of transgression. Instead inch it back bit by bit over the course of some time and then they don't really realize it.

 

[Henning]

Really there's a bit of an art to it. See, you just don't slam the seat back the full travel all in one fell swoop. The quick large movement is what causes the panic and sense of transgression. Instead inch it back bit by bit over the course of some time and then they don't really realize it.

Please, transgression? The top of the seat moves what, 5"?

 

[frfly172]

Having the seat reclined .,doesn't bother me as much as some little rug rat ,kicking your seat back the entire flight.

 

[ron22]

Really there's a bit of an art to it. See, you just don't slam the seat back the full travel all in one fell swoop. The quick large movement is what causes the panic and sense of transgression. Instead inch it back bit by bit over the course of some time and then they don't really realize it.

That is my plan too.

 

[PilotAlan]

I always pay for economy plus. If you want the space, bust out the credit card. Otherwise, STFU.

With a past broken back and coccyx, and a badly arthritic hip and knee, I have to recline and lay sideways on anything more than a 90 minute flight. The angles of an airline seat are perfectly aligned to match the angles that cause me the most pain in the shortest period of time.

I need more legroom and don't want a reclined seat in my face, but that's my problem, not the guy's in from of me, so I pony up for economy plus or first.
A dose of Aleve before departing for the airport also helps.

 

[Katamarino]

Rory Rowland said he was rudely rebuffed after he asked the person in front of him not to recline his seat on a red-eye flight. When he later got up to use the bathroom, and the other passenger had fallen asleep, “I hip-checked his seat like you wouldn’t believe,” Mr. Rowland, a speaker and consultant, said, then feigned innocence when the enraged passenger complained to a flight attendant.

Mr Rowland sounds like, frankly, an enormous douchebag. I hope he had a miserable time.

 

[Ghery]

I always pay for economy plus. If you want the space, bust out the credit card. Otherwise, STFU.

With a past broken back and coccyx, and a badly arthritic hip and knee, I have to recline and lay sideways on anything more than a 90 minute flight. The angles of an airline seat are perfectly aligned to match the angles that cause me the most pain in the shortest period of time.

I need more legroom and don't want a reclined seat in my face, but that's my problem, not the guy's in from of me, so I pony up for economy plus or first.
A dose of Aleve before departing for the airport also helps.

Nice thing about MM 1K - I don't have to pay for E+ and often get upgraded to 1st without asking. However, I understand your situation. I'm not that bad off, but ANA is permanently on my do not fly list due to lack of legroom in coach and the pain it caused me a year ago.

 

[poadeleted21]

I can't imagine flying commercial on anything short of 1000 miles and only then if I REALLY have to be there on short notice.

I just drove 1,300 miles for christmas, REALLY had to be there but had ample notice. Weather didn't look good so I drove. 650 mile one way drive. I made it in 9.5 hrs there and 9.5 back. Left when I wanted to, without hassle and brought back a load of stuff (Including 5 guns). I spent a whopping $120 in gas in my POS Honda Civic. Compare that with living 40 minutes from an airport that I must arrive 1 hour early at (~2 hrs), flying the wrong direction to Charlotte (+1hr), layover(+1hr), then arriving in Memphis and deplaning (2hrs). Track down a cab to take me to rental car row and deal with the car rental (1hr). then drive to the complete opposite side of town (1hr) and I've just spent 8 hours and 500 bucks, subjecting myself to far more of the American public than I want to, interacting with the TSA and being treated like a prisoner to save a whopping 1.5hrs of my time. No thanks, I'd rather be in the back of a hearse. Bonanza->Civic->Boat->Bicycle->Walk->Hearse->Airlines … in that order.

 

[lowtimer]

Recline the seat in front of me, no problem.

On the other hand, I purchased the space between the armrests of my seat. If you are wider than the space between the armrests of your seat you should have to purchase 2 seats or an upgraded wider seat. I should not be expected to put up with raising the armrest so that your "extra baggage" can spill out all over me.

 

[Ghery]

Recline the seat in front of me, no problem.

On the other hand, I purchased the space between the armrests of my seat. If you are wider than the space between the armrests of your seat you should have to purchase 2 seats or an upgraded wider seat. I should not be expected to put up with raising the armrest so that your "extra baggage" can spill out all over me.

I won't raise the armrest unless my wife is in the other seat. Then raising it has nothing to do with excess width. Otherwise, forget it. Sorry, I paid for that space, you didn't.

 

[Henning]

I won't raise the armrest unless my wife is in the other seat. Then raising it has nothing to do with excess width. Otherwise, forget it. Sorry, I paid for that space, you didn't.

Usually the armrest provides no barrier from the intrusion of excess girth. It's kind of like a belt on a fat man, it just disappears in a fold.

 

[Ghery]

Usually the armrest provides no barrier from the intrusion of excess girth. It's kind of like a belt on a fat man, it just disappears in a fold.

Unfortunately, you are correct on this. I hate it when the flight ends and my shoulder is soaking wet.

 

[denverpilot]

The glamour of flying.

 

[SCCutler]

Unfortunately, you are correct on this. I hate it when the flight ends and my shoulder is soaking wet.

That won't happen with me. The airline can't provide unencumbered seating (and it is a safety issue as well), they're paying me for the problem, either money for a delay, or seating me in another seat. Rarely an issue.

 

[Ghery]

That won't happen with me. The airline can't provide unencumbered seating (and it is a safety issue as well), they're paying me for the problem, either money for a delay, or seating me in another seat. Rarely an issue.

I'm all for that. Typically I have an aisle seat, so that helps. And, 1st class upgrades happen far more frequently than they don't on domestic flights, so that really helps.