by How calm are you when you fly? No, not your attitude: your posture. Do you hit the reset button the moment the seatbelt signs come on, savoring every extension of your new blunt angle – or are you more alert to those behind you, who are left motionless even if the seat in front lowers in in your lap?
One of the great debates in air travel is whether or not to go backwards, going forward like the giant Rolls-Royce engines on an Airbus A380. And according to a new report from Kayak on air travel etiquette, we’re still a divided nation: nine in 10 Brits (92 per cent) say it’s OK to go backwards, but 47 per cent say you should be allowed ask from the person behind you. at the start.
In the study, 16 percent of respondents said it’s always okay to hit that armrest button – while a similar 19 percent said it’s only acceptable on a long-haul flight. This is not just a question of comfort, it is also a question of morality: in the report, one in ten said they were waiting for the person in front of them to lead. If they go away, tacit permission is given.
What a farce. To resolve this now and again, we asked two frequent flyers – firmly on either side of the debate – to put their case forward. Who do you agree with? Tell us in the comments below. Fasten your seat belts: this could get bumpy.
“What kind of masochist doesn’t use leverage specifically to reduce their discomfort?”
says Annabel Fenwick Elliott
There is something very strange about this debate. That is, unlike most “divisive” topics, with pros and cons on both sides, I can’t for a moment understand why this one is even an argument.
Seats on airplanes (and indeed in cars and various other modes of transportation) are designed to recline because it is much more comfortable for people to sit for long periods of time leaning back than bolt upright. This fact is indisputable. The button is there for a reason and you are there to use it. What kind of complete masochist, in the first place, does not use a lever that exists specifically to reduce their discomfort?
But even more baffling, why would that person, who is not happy to spend hours in his own posture – defiant, like a martyr burning at the stake – expect all his fellow passengers to choose the same fate ?
The only situation where I can vaguely imagine being interrupted by someone in front of me moving their seat is if mine wasn’t also receding. Even then, it would probably only be because my button was broken, which wouldn’t be the fault of the person in front of it, or even something they would know about.
Furthermore, in the unlikely event that such misfortune should happen to me on a long-haul flight, I would not, in a million years, stand tapping this person on the shoulder and insisting that they not use their button either; thereby doubling human suffering. Happily, we rarely have to deal with this level of philosophizing, since all the flammable seats are getting worse, so the domino effect can happen as soon as it goes. cancel the seat belt signs and everyone can claim their few inches of improvement. Why – if you’re here – don’t you want a follow-up?
The only reason I can see for banning adjustable seats is the one that motivated some budget airlines to do so: stinginess. For one, Ryanair removed the function (along with other frills, such as rear safety pockets) in 2004 because it made the seats lighter and thus the fuel costs lower. And it doesn’t make for a very comfortable flight, does it?
I’ve written a lot about this “debate” in the past and I’m still no closer to understanding the other side. So if anyone has a logically sound argument as to why I should, on my next long haul flight, refrain from pushing that button, I’d like to hear it. Write in, leave a comment. I’m waiting with bated breath.
“People who lose their seats on planes are psychopaths and should be banned from flying”
says Jack Rear
As golden rules go, the one about treating others as you want to be treated is one of the easiest to live by. If you’re going on a date, don’t have a cheese and onion sandwich for lunch. If you work in a small office, don’t reheat a fish pie in the communal microwave. If you are on holiday, do not recline your seat on the plane.
You might think: “I paid for this seat, why shouldn’t I do whatever I like?” What if the person behind you has less legroom?
Airplanes are uncomfortable. For most, flying is the worst part of going on holiday; the misery of 36,000 feet being 36,000 feet stuffed into a pile of metal is the price we begrudgingly pay for the joy of travel. Is three inches of extended comfort too much to ask?
I believe it is. We live in a society and that sometimes means you have to deal with minor discomfort for the sake of those around you. And let’s not pretend it’s anything more than that min discomfort. You do it seven times a day at work, you can manage it on a short-haul flight.
Chances are when you land and get out of the airport, you’ll be checking into a comfortable hotel room where you can laze and lounge to your heart’s content. You won’t have to intrude on anyone else while doing it.
Allow me to remind you of the basic facts of life that some entitled air passengers seem to have forgotten: you are not more important than the people around you. You have no right to comfort you at their expense.
The advantage you get from taking your seat is, frankly, minor. It’s not going to make the seat less hard, it’s not going to improve the taste of your in-flight meal, it’s not going to stink up the feet of the man next to you who has taken his shoes off your explanation. any less.
All it will do is give the person behind you even less space, make it harder to watch their movie or eat their meal, and get their vacation off to a bad start.
The price of cheap air fares and being able to travel is some small inconvenience. If you don’t like it, pay for the upgrade to first class or better yet, charter a private jet where you can literally do anything you want. If these are impossible and you can’t handle a few hours of sitting straight, you may not be fit for travel. May I suggest you stay home in your armchair and cry about your misanthropy on social media instead?
