Is It OK to Recline Your Seat on an Airplane? Our Experts Weigh In
Here at REAL SIMPLE, we want to know all of your hot takes. In the “Minor Issues, Major Opinions” column of REAL SIMPLE magazine, we pose a divisive question to our readers, then call on the experts to resolve it once and for all. We asked our readers: “Is it ever OK to recline your seat on an airplane?” Here’s what they had to say.
Keep up with our Instagram to add your own opinions and potentially be featured in an issue of REAL SIMPLE.
What Our Readers Say
The results: 62% of Instagram commenters actually say go ahead, lean on back! Check out the arguments on each side of the debate.
Nope, No Way!
@kellyannelongportnj2
That little bit of space doesn’t help me. Not worth making someone’s flight miserable.
— @kellyannelongportnj2
“Airlines need to get rid of that option. No good comes of it.” —@catherinecrowley96
“Why is it that people recline like it’s their birthright? Unless your knees are so far up into your chest that they’re cutting off blood flow, the answer is always no.” —@akwilliams918
Sure, Why Not?
@launicafinita
I always lean back, but not so much as to bother the person behind me. They must be able to eat, watch a movie, work on a laptop, and get up comfortably enough to go to the restroom. Live and let others live as well.
— @launicafinita
“I paid for the seat. I can use the functions attached to it.” —@debijenkins
“Everyone should recline! Then we’re all even.” —@peacedog2020
What the Experts Say: A Unanimous Yes!
- Henry Harteveldt is an airline and travel industry analyst
- Elaine Swann is an etiquette expert, founder of Swann School of Protocol, and former flight attendant
It’s your right to recline your seat! Just “don’t be a jerk about it,” says Henry Harteveldt. “Airplanes are shared spaces,” he adds, explaining that we need to be considerate of our fellow passengers. Elaine Swann agrees. Her advice: “Before you lean your seat back, check if your neighbor behind you has a drink or laptop there.” If they do, to keep the peace, give them a heads-up that you’re about to recline. Then do it slowly, Swann says, so they’re not shocked by a sudden lurch. “And definitely move that seat forward during the meal service.” And maybe only lean back as much as it takes to feel comfy.
If you’re looking for the most space possible, upgrading to a seat with extra leg room may be worth it. Or book early to get an exit-row seat, if you’re up for it. You could also follow this insider tip, which we got from a flight attendant at a major airline who asked to go only by Emmanuel: Choose a seat as close to the front of the plane as you can. “On many aircrafts, like some 737s, as you move toward the back of the plane–say, from the wings on—the plane becomes skinnier, so those seats tend to be tighter,” which can translate to less lateral leg room, he says. “It’s a slight difference, but that’s usually where negotiations between customers have to happen.”
So to maximize space between you and the seat in front of you, and to hopefully avoid conflict, book early, and book up front!
