Can You Recline Your Seat in an Airplane?

Can you recline your seat or not?

Airplanes in coach come with seats that can be reclined, but if you have ever been in economy class, like most of us have, you will have had some issues with this set up.

The seats come with the option to recline, but clearly the lack of space has been a cause for conflicts, and for a good reason.

If you have been living under a rock, or you have been blessed to fly business or first class exclusively, you won't have had to deal with agitated and entitled co-passengers.

The moment you recline your seat to the lowest possible position, it reduces the space of the one sitting just behind you dramatically. The screen is literally a few inches away from the face.

But it is your fair right to recline, after all, especially if you are trying to sleep.

The one to blame for this situation is always the aviation industry and their lack of providing space. This gets all the more aggravated in Southeast Asian low-cost carriers.

All this proved most evident to me on an AirAsia flight to Bangkok. As a South Asian, I'm not that tall, but it was cramped, and I had to awkwardly angle them outward just to find a small degree of comfort. I can only imagine what tall people have to go through.

So, YES, you can recline your seat because you paid for the seat and the feature, BUT we all need to be more considerate of other travelers.

Remember, be very demure and very mindful when travelling!

Etiquette & Civic Sense

Here are some tips on how to approach the issue in the future so that the flight attendants don't have to play Kindergarten referees. Because we are all adults, after all.

If you are the one reclining

Carefully recline your seat, you don't have to do it full force and with all your weight. Slow reclining shows that you respect the rear passenger. It gives the one behind you also a heads-up that you are about to recline.

Consider not reclining fully, but only halfway.

Do not recline when food is being served. The moment you see the flight attendants approaching to serve you, you have to take your seat back upright. Don't wait for the flight attendants to babysit and tell you. The passenger behind you should be able to use their tray table without discomfort.

Avoid reclining on shorter flights. Reclining your seat in an airplane is associated with sleeping on a long-haul flight because passengers need to rest. On a short flight, you may add to the inconvenience to others when it's not necessary.

Generally speaking, I try to avoid reclining altogether because I hate the idea that I'm adding to the discomfort of a fellow traveler. I think being mindful of others is important. Besides, these situations always remind me of the lower decks on the Titanic.

If you are the rear passenger

Avoid getting agitated over this new narrow setup, and don't turn on drama mode. You and the person in the seat ahead are not the only passengers on this plane.

Don't passive aggressively kick into the front seat. If you have an issue, approach the person in the front and talk to them with words, like a mature adult. On the topic, don't tap into the screen full force like you have never used a touchscreen, the one in front of you can feel it all.

You may ask the flight attendant for help, but honestly, they are not here to deal with unnecessary in-plane drama. Avoid calling them multiple times; this isn't nice either for anyone and just fuels bad blood.

Don't place your laptop or iPad with keyboard on the food tray to work. If the person in front of you reclines full force without a heads-up, your device could get damaged.

You can recline your seat too, when the one in front of you reclines their seat, but remember to be extra mindful of the one behind you.

How to avoid this problem altogether?

You can bypass bitter confrontations altogether by booking better seats.

If you can afford it, consider purchasing tickets in the first row or in business or first class.

Especially if you feel claustrophobic or because you have medical health issues, or another condition.

Note: The first row comes with extra legroom, but it's also commonly booked by parents with babies because the bassinet fits there.