Spread Legs For Seats

April 11, 2010

in Seat Stories

I, my father and his wife were flying overseas to New York. My father is a tall person, and as you know, there isn’t a lot of room for the legs, so…

In the seat in front of my father there was a man who, as soon as the plane had reached cruising altitude, wanted to put his backrest down. He noticed, as he was trying to do so, that my dad’s legs wouldn’t fit in there, no matter what. So he turned and advised my father to spread his legs, to make room for the backrest that way. My dad sighed and replied, resignedly: “Okay, if you really want to put your head in between my legs, well, be my guest.”

Needless to say the man didn’t. He kept his seat backrest in its upright position for the rest of the 8 hour flight.

Once, when I was flying from Atlanta to Brussels, I noticed a similar sort of thing happen to another passenger. The guy in the front put his backrest down, then started to complain to the guy sitting behind him that the guy’s legs were bothering him as they were pressing against the backrest from behind. The guy in the back, of course, had no idea how on Earth he could change that, so the guy in the front got agitated and called in a flight attendant to complain to her. He argued it for a while, but as the flight attendant was a sensible one, she listened it out, with compassion, then amiably talked some sense into the complaining guy’s head.

– My two cents 🙂

{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

Clare April 11, 2010 at 7:20 pm

I really like how your dad handled the situation.

That being said, the guy in the second half of your story annoyed & amused me. Where did he expect the guy behind him to put his legs?

Reply

Jim April 12, 2010 at 4:53 am

Love the story. Your Father handled the situation perfectly.

Yeah, it is the guys right to recline his seat…but, is it really necessary for those few inches of space for him? But, to your dad those few inches can mean a lot.

So, perfect response.

Reply

Jodi April 12, 2010 at 10:16 am

Love it!! LOL Great response.

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D-Money April 12, 2010 at 3:12 pm

The only reason people make such a huge fuss about it is because they think they'll get a free upgrade to First Class.

If somebody complains THAT much, they should move the tall person to First, so the complainer can fully enjoy and recline his coach seat. 😛

Reply

Plargo April 26, 2010 at 3:25 am

I'm one of those tall people who can never fit in the back and it kills me when people recline like that. I understand they have that right as I do, but at the same time when there is no where to relocate one's legs, there's little that can be done.

Reply

Iloveflying February 19, 2016 at 9:51 am

Are you capable enough that you could be seated in the exit row swwrs!?

Reply

Iloveflying February 19, 2016 at 9:51 am

*seats

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