Agitated Over Reclined Seat

November 4, 2009

in Seat Stories

I was flying on an international flight, heading back to the United States. Next to me was a young lady who was returning from her parents funerals (both died within weeks of one another). I spent most of my time consoling her.

The gentleman in front of me reclined his seat, causing my eyes to strain because of the built in video screen. I easily get motion sickness and take several medications before I travel. However, the strain on my eyes was unbearable and I had to recline my seat.

Each time I reclined my seat, the loser behind me would push the seat so hard, that it was upright again. This continued for at least 75% of the flight. Finally, I got fed up. I called the flight attendant, who didn’t believe me. He told me to recline my seat, and in front of the attendant, the guy behind me violently pushed my seat again so that it was upright. Immediately the flight attendant began arguing with the man, stating that I had paid for my seat and that I could do whatever I want with it. The guy behind me refused to recline his own seat, and insisted that I should not recline mine either.

The seat pushing stopped. However, he began to tell everyone lined up to go to the bathroom how rude I was for the remainder of the flight…

{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }

Alex November 5, 2009 at 11:35 pm

What a horrid, ill mannered individual. I had a similar problem on a long flight once; i'd reclined an hour or 2 into the flight & there was nobody in the seat behind. However this infuriating old asian woman who was in the seat NEXT to the 1 behind kept insisting i put my seat up just because she had her feet up on the seat!

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Kyle March 31, 2011 at 4:26 am

That is wrong
Thats no mans land, tell her that she can go bleeeep with her self. Also if she angers your more piss her off by doing the chinese eyes and voice thing. 🙂

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People Suck November 6, 2009 at 8:43 am

I had a similar experience flying back to LAX from CDG. The old French hag behind me couldn't recline her seat and spent 80% of the flight violently pounding and punching my seat forward. Her husband yelled at the guy next to me when he reclined and ended up sitting straight up for the 10+ hour flight. She and her husband took turn yelling at me in French, so I dramatically unwound my earbuds and made a great show of putting it in my ears and turning on the music. They couldn't recline because they were in the last row…but you know what? That's not my problem.

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bo June 22, 2010 at 10:25 am

i agree, not my problem

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Kyle March 31, 2011 at 4:27 am

Honestly these people should be tied down on the body of the plane, i would say the wing but that would cause some aerodynamic problem.;)

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mariana-q December 30, 2011 at 6:46 pm

If the douchebag in front of the OP hadn't reclined his seat s/he wouldn't have had to either. Seat recliners are pathologically antisocial scumbags with no respect for others. Just because a seat is physically able to recline doesn't mean you have to recline it, just like just because my legs are able to kick the seat in front of mine doesn't mean I should kick it – unless, of course, it's intruding into my space, in which case I'm practically obliged to.

It was stupid of this guy to do it while the flight attendant was watching, though, If it had been me I would've waited until they'd left again. I've also got a patented "kick-release" move I pull when someone's reclined their fat asses back into my space – kick the seat once, but hold the pressure forwards for a minute or so, then release it so the seat drops back again. Try it some time!

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waldi December 30, 2011 at 7:02 pm

Better don't try this with me, i will have something in store for you!

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mariana-q January 1, 2012 at 4:02 pm

Oh, threats now? What are you going to do, tough guy? Hit me?

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Jobo December 30, 2011 at 11:18 pm

People are allowed to recline their seats!

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mariana-q January 1, 2012 at 4:01 pm

You can read, right? I've already addressed that bullshit argument. Just because you're *allowed* to recline your seat doesn't mean you *should*. People are *allowed* to be obese and to smell vile but that doesn't stop everyone complaining about them. Seat recliners are worse, though, because they don't have the potential excuse of glandular problems or a stuffy nose to explain their antisocial behaviour.

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xxx March 22, 2013 at 6:41 pm

mariana-q,
how stupid are you? the seats are designed to recline and sold with that in mind. If you were sitting behind me i'd take a cup to the bathroom, fill it with pee, then "trip" beside you on the way back from the bathroom…

done it before, if i meet you on a plane, i will most likely do it again..

this works great… just never ever admit its not apple juice

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