To Lean or Not to Lean?

Where do you stand (sit?) when it comes to reclining your seat back during your air travels?

It can be a hot-button issue for some, as space is limited and having someone reduce said tiny space by moving their seat back can be infuriating.

People have even gone as far as bringing their own seat locks to lock the seat in front of them from reclining. Airlines have even decided to forego the recline option (Spirit Airlines, Allegiant, and soon British Airways).

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Removing the option to recline decreases the chances of heated arguments or anything worse escalating over the invasion of one's space. After all, the last thing we need when traveling is altercations to occur on the plane, delaying takeoff or arrival.

Poor passenger behavior on airplanes can ruin the flight experience for everyone on board. It can come at a price too, as just last year a court ordered a disruptive passenger to pay a fine of almost $100,000.

Sitting in an airplane seat isn’t the most comfortable place to be in for hours on end. Some people pay extra for first class to avoid all of this. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of experiencing life in first class. Back in coach, the seats lean back quite often and for good reason.

That statement is true for the one reclining, but what about the person behind them? A majority of travelers have faced the dilemma of kicking the seat in front of them once that chair leans back or taking the high road and not reacting at all.

Travel agents, do you know where your clients stand? Have an open discussion about their flight preferences and you might be surprised to see how some people feel. Who knows, it could lead to them realizing they need to alter their travel budget and fly first class more often.

While this may surprise some people, I have never purposely leaned my seat back on an airplane.

One time I woke up from a solid nap to the flight attendant instructing me to put my seat in its upright position for landing. I was shocked to discover during my slumber that my arm had somehow hit the button and reclined my seat. Upon exiting the plane, I apologized multiple times to the person behind me, but the man said not to worry as he reclines his seat all the time anyway.

This happens far too often on the plane: One person decides they want to recline their seat and then it sets off a chain reaction of people leaning back. All this does is increase the odds of upset passengers, which could lead to unruly behavior and ruining the flight.

Listen, I’m all for comfort. But once my seat leans back, the person behind me is negatively impacted. I’d rather not ruin someone’s day or upset them, so I choose not to lean.

And no, switching planes to standing seats is not the answer.

We must accept the fact we can’t control everything when it comes to our travels. Sure, if the seat behind you is empty, then all bets are off. But how often does that really happen?

I’ve been on over a dozen planes in the last year, and there was someone sitting behind me every single time. I did get lucky once and have the entire row to myself but never have I had an empty seat behind me.

And yes, it’d be nice if airlines offered certain flight packages that allowed you to lean or not to lean, but that’s not the world we live in right now where larger issues grab the headlines— like bumped airline passengers and the debate over which types of animals are allowed on board for emotional support. The major airline players aren't yet removing the option to recline, but it's likely on the horizon once the aforementioned run their course.

Would you pay extra just so you could recline your seat chair? Would you pay extra to ensure the seat in front of you would not lean back?

It’s an interesting concept, and I would 100 percent pay extra to have my choice. If the price were right, of course.

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I’m not going to argue that you shouldn't recline your seat into my small space. It is your right to do so. For now, I’d equally urge you to refrain from getting into an argument if someone does lean into your space. It's their right just like it is yours. The second you start raising your voice on an airplane is when dozens of cell phone cameras start recording, waiting for a viral moment.

Do you really want to go viral for that?

So, whether you’re #TeamNoLean like me or #TeamRecline (like several of my TravelPulse colleagues are), let’s all agree to be civil once we board and take our seats, whether they're upright or not.

Who knows how long we'll have the choice anyway.