For some reason, I've never been one to radically recline my seat on a flight. Once in a while, I'll feel the mood to lean back a teensy-weensy bit, and I'll scoot the seatback to the closest setting to upright position. But even this is rare. I can sleep sitting up, and reclining doesn't improve on this key capability. So if you're sitting in back of me, you're in luck. I decline to recline.
On the other hand, for some reason, the person sitting in front of me invariably needs to max out their recline zone, and I've often ended up with their head in my lap.
It goes without saying that the ardent recliner in the seat in front of me is going to be an aggressive recliner, slamming into my space without as much as a look back to see whether I have an open laptop or a cup of water on my plastic tray.
As the incredibly shrinking economy seat has been incredibly shrinking for a while now, the recline sitch has gotten worse over the years. (And. yes, I do have some sympathy for really tall people who are being scrunched into punier and punier space. But I really don't see that reclining your head makes up for even a millimeter of lost legroom.)
But there's some good news on the horizon - at least if you're in my anti-reclining camp. Airlines may be doing away with reclining seats.
It seems that the recliner "risks an extinction in economy class as airlines increasingly opt for lighter seats."
“This trend has been occurring for several years now, and I think it will continue,” says [William] McGee [senklr fellow for aviation and travel at the Americen Economic Liberties Project]. “Lighter seats are what the airlnes want, because with the cost of jet fuel they are always looking to reduce weight onboard.” (Source Conde Nast Traveler)Some low-budget airlines, like Spirit and Allegiant, have long been deploying the no-recline seats.
The euphemism for these seats is pre-reclined, "as they’re molded at a slightly deeper angle than regular seats in the upright position." Pre-reclined? Let's give it up for marketing.
Major airlines also got in on the pre-reclined act. A few years back, British Airways, Delta, United, American, and Southwest, which "began trimming economy seat recline to an average of just two inches instead of a roomier four inches that used to be standard." Which I guess explains why there have been fewer uninvited heads in my lap of late. But the declines are still plenty annoying.
William McGee sees that decreasing the degree of seat recline is part of the ongoing assault on economy class travelers.
“Think about it: as recently as the early 2000s, an economy ticket bought you a much more comfortable seat that reclined and offered several inches more legroom pitch and width.” Economy fliers would also get free checked bags, a snack or hot meal, free drinks, and no seat selection fees.
But McGee also ackowledges that "losing the ability to recline can be a blessing in disguise for others, because tighter seats have made reclining unfair to fellow passengers.”
That would be me.
Other than making me happy - which is, of course, of paramount importance - another reason for doing away with seat reclining: it could result in fewer in-flight incidents, which are often triggered by seats being leaned back.
“There's no question this can be good news for air travelers,” McGee says. “The airlines have pitted passenger against passenger in the ‘right to recline’ wars and it's led to discomfort, fist fights, arrests, and overall misery. When reclining inconveniences and disturbs the passengers behind, then it's problematic.”
Fist fights? Arrests? Overall misery? Guess I'm glad that no one ever jumped down my throat when I used my little blocking-with-my-knees maneuver.
Anyway, I'll be happy to see the absolute end of the reclning seat.
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