Kolek planning to go pro
Wow, I'm very concerned for Benny. Being able to mimic Myron Medcalf's writing so closely implies an oncoming case of dementia.
Flying is an inconvenience that I avoid for all but the longest trips. However, I sympathize with the knee defender. I rarely recline my seat out of common courtesy for the people behind. WTH, I can sit upright for a couple of hours. Rarely does the person in front of me show the same courtesy.
There is no personal accountability and general selfish that pervades the American thinking.
Personally, I think no one should recline because to do so places your comfort above those of your fellow passenger.
This story is in a nut shell what is wrong with this country. There is no personal accountability and general selfish that pervades the American thinking. Both people are in the wrong. I'm 6'4" and fly a lot, I hate when people recline, but don't make a fuss because they are allowed to. I also never recline my seat unless someone isn't sitting behind me. Personally, I think no one should recline because to do so places your comfort above those of your fellow passenger.
As a free market capitalist, I think I should have the right to sell the space between my knees and the forward seat to the passenger ahead of me, should I so choose. He should not have the right to invade the space for which I paid for free.
Isn't that another subject?
I'm a 6'5" regular flyer and agree with everything you wrote. I never recline and do not feel ill will toward the person in front of me who does. Reclining doesn't work for me anyway since my head is above the back of the seat and I can't slide down because my knees hit the seat in front of me. I always get an aisle seat and sort of lean out into the aisle and just read whenever I fly coach, since I have no hope of sleeping. Also, shorter people don't have to deal with one other thing that we tall folks do. For me the worst part of every flight is the look of utter disgust on my seatmate's face when they realize they have to sit next to me on a long, full flight.
If the airlines sell you a reclining seat, I think you have the right to recline. I think it is ultimately that simple and is up to the airlines to sell non-reclining seats if they so choose. But if you buy a seat that reclines, you have that right. That is the default position. If someone on their own impedes this right, it is on them and they are in the wrong. The individual is not the airline. If the person in front of me reclines, I am going to do so as well. I often recline on longer flights, but I usually let the person behind me know that I am about to recline so they know. If someone really objected, because they were tall or more likely big and tall, I probably wouldn't recline. I also normally recline half way only. If the airline doesn't want seats to recline, then fine, make them so they don't recline. If you don't want the person in front of you to recline, buy the seat in front of you or go up a class or on American pay for that extra couple of inches of leg room.
Recliners in front of me used to bother me, but now it's people in the rows behind me trying to cut in front of me as everyone exits the plane.If you ask me, and say you may miss a connection, no problem. But as I'm leaving, it's not polite to think you can just go.Boarding and de-boarding a plane is a maddening experience.
Fat people should have to buy two tickets....just saying.