‘Selfish' holiday habit divides travellers who can't decide which is correct plane etiquette – where do you stand?

The Sun

5 days ago

A TRAVELLER has shared how they got in trouble for being 'selfish' while travelling.
Taking to social media, the jet-setter was solo travelling on a flight when they decided to make themselves more comfortable.
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Taking to Reddit, they revealed that they decided to recline their seat back, but the woman behind was not happy.
'This lady behind me just screeches and swears,' the poster shared.
'I turn around, because I had reclined my seat, her drink had spilled.
"I felt so terrible, apologised and she just says don't recline your seat and proceeds to say it's fine.'
The traveller said they then waited for the woman to finish her drink for almost an hour, but the damage was already done.
The woman behind refused to let them recline their seat again.
Fortunately, the flight attendant was on the traveller's side and attempted to diffuse the situation.
The poster said they then contacted a flight attendant for assistance, who, fortunately, had their back.
'He tells me that I can just recline the seat without asking her, and I say that I got yelled at and she was just mean,' the poster said.
'He just looks at me confused, goes to the lady and says that I want to recline my seat, therefore he's going to do it for me.
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"She gets angry, she says the table hits her belly, she can't watch her movie, says she doesn't have enough space and just complains.
'The flight attendant just says 'This is how the aircraft is built, if you look around there are multiple people who have their seats reclined. If you want to complain, you are free to do so on the Qatar Airways site'.'
But the fight didn't end there, with more shoving and complaining from the woman for the rest of the flight.
The Reddit user shared their story hoping for sympathy, but it seems many deemed their actions selfish to others on the flight.
"I've had food spilled all over me on Qatar flights multiple times because someone tried to recline their seat during meals,' said one person.
Another wrote: 'In my humble and no doubt unpopular opinion, aircraft seating should not recline."
'I have never reclined my seat on an airplane, because I know it makes it uncomfortable for the person behind me. So I just don't do it,' penned a third.
'Everyone knows the airlines have made it so crowded that reclining your seat is just rude now. I don't recline my seat because I have respect for my fellow passengers,' added a fourth person.
Plane etiquette
IF you're planning on going away any time soon, you'll need to pay attention to the following unwritten plane etiquette rules...
RECLINING SEAT: Podcast host and etiquette expert Nick Leighton explained that you shouldn't recline your seat if the passenger behind you is working on their laptop.
He said: "Nobody likes their laptop snapped in half."
Before you recline your seat, it's best to check to see what the passenger behind you is doing.
If they are on a laptop, ask before you move your seat back.
FEET: A flight attendant told The Sun: "Your boarding card tells you a number and a letter, this will be the reserved seat that you have paid for.
"Your feet, which are attached to your body, should do their best to reside within this space and stay far away from anyone else.
"If you do insist on stretching out, please make sure your feet are covered up."
CHAT: TV travel expert Samantha Brown explained that conversations from strangers aren't welcome, suggesting that others shouldn't expect a chat.
She added: "I'm not a talker. Plane time is me time."