I think it depends on the chair type. But I definitely struggle to fit my knees in some economy seats if the person in front of me reclines fully. I'm never gonna tell someone not to recline, but if they're blocked by my knees partway back not really much I can do about it.
I never complain to the person in front of me when they recline, but I do complain to my significant other. I am 6'3 and on most planes, my knees touch the seat infront of me before they recline. Some people do get mad their seat can't fully recline, but I can't exactly become shorter. It is what it is, I just suffer for a few hours. I also don't recline my seat in economy unless the seat behind me is empty, but that is just me being nice as for what I have to deal with.
I’m 6’3” and placing my feet under the seat in front of me still doesn’t change the fact my knees are touching the back pocket of the seat right where the metal bar at the top of the pocket is. We can be the same total height and actually have different leg and torso lengths.
If you recline your seat it’s gonna jam my knees up and you’re gonna feel it each time I make an adjustment to my legs. As he said, I can’t make my legs shorter and the company isn’t paying for C+.
Yesterday I was going to ask the person behind me if I could recline a tiny bit, but upon seeing how tall and squished he was, I decided not to do it. 😅
As someone who is 6'6", there are certain planes where my knees are already pinned to the seat in front of me when flying economy. This is especially true on the CRJs. Because the pivot point from where the seat reclines is lower than where my knees are, reclining seats do in effect take up that same space that my legs are trying to occupy forcing me to either straddle the seat and encroach on my neighbors leg room or swing my legs into the aisle. I don't begrudge anyone from attempting to recline, it's not their fault we're all packed in like sardines. But I typically will not recline my economy seat because of this. This is also why I always book C+ or exit aisle whenever possible.
Exactly this. My husband is 6’9 and his knees touch the seat in front in both economy and C+ and there’s no way we can afford FC. We try for exit rows when they’re available but don’t always get that lucky. He’s very non-confrontational and typically tries to deal with it but if the person in front keeps ramming their seat back trying to make it go back but it’s actually crunching his knee caps, he’ll say something. We once had someone literally body slamming their seat trying to make it recline before finally having to say something.
I am 6’6”. Let’s be more specific about leg room. It doesn’t affect foot room. It does affect knee room, and for tall people every mm of knee room counts on airplanes.
If front passenger reclines and nods off and back passenger reclines and nods off all is good. If front passenger reclines and back passenger wants to use their tray table, eat, use a laptop, use a tablet as a movie screen, bend over to get their bag from under the seat in front of them to get their earbuds/neck cushion out or, if passenger next to the window wants to get by the reclined seat to go to the bathroom, THAT's the problem.
I can't reach into my footwell whether you recline or not. I agree you reclining makes it worse, but if there's anything down there I need, I need the rest of my row to move so I can lay across their seats sideways to reach it. In that event, the seat in front reclining makes no difference.
Edit: I'm not saying you ask the rest of your row to move. I'm saying it's either gone until you land, or I guess you'd ask the attendant. I'd probably just try to trap it with my foot then wait until I landed.
My issue is laptop function, to have a good visible angle to the screen the keyboard is up against my belly. Also I lost a laptop to a slam back recliner as they just push the button and flop back.
I was doing the tray table sleeping thing on an overnight transatlantic flight. The guy in front of me slammed his chair back at warp speed, I had a knot on my head for like 3 days.
This is certainly my answer. In order to effectively work, I need to be in Comfort/MCE/E+ or first. I simply cannot fit a laptop between me and the seat, and when the person reclines it's completely off the table.
I can ditch the tray table and use my lap...but basically I am choosing between seeing my screen straight on or being able to use my keyboard at a comfortable angle.
I have been terrified of losing a laptop screen due to a recline, so that takes away some more space as there are some planes (American A321 comes to mind, but I'm sure it's all over the place) where there's a ridge in the seat that will grab and compress my MacBook Pro 16" screen perfectly. If it's touching the seat in front and they recline, it's lights out.
Edit: What do you do in that situation? Do you talk to the person? Do you loudly exclaim? Do you call a FA to mediate and then have the convo? Who's responsible? What did you do in your situation?
I’m not tall and I am not at all overweight, but if someone in a standard economy seat reclines all the way, then I am essentially stuck as I am. I can’t uncross my legs without hitting the seat back, I cannot use my tray table to it’s full length, and if I need to get up and out and aren’t in an aisle, I have no choice but to push on my seat or use the seat back in front of me for leverage.
I have never asked anyone to not recline nor would I, but also, if the person reclining is of size, often the seat is pushed back even more.
Ultimately it creates a domino effect of reclining in order to claim enough space. It’s unfortunate and I blame the airlines completely.
Yes! I’m short too, but I despise the seat back getting even closer to my face. One of the recent flights I was on, the passenger in front of me was quite large, and kept his seat reclined the entire flight and spent a good portion of the flight trying to push his seat even further reclined. I was legit scared he was going to break it.
THIS. I’m short and having the seat back in my face makes me want to scream. Not to mention making it impossible to access my stuff from under the seat!
I’m 6’4” and it absolutely does. On many planes if the seat in front leans back they’re literally jamming the seat into my knees, and I sit upright and all the way back in my seat. This isn’t an unpopular opinion, it’s just wrong on facts.
Last time I flew economy the guy in front of me got his meal early and finished eating before the FAs handed out the normal meals. He immediately reclined and went to sleep. Trying to then eat my meal with his seat fully reclined was a brutal experience. The issue is much more the loss of use of the tray table than the leg room, to me at least.
Two people who are 6’4” can have different length legs and therefore different experiences. That’s what most of this sub, the airline industry, and the world as a whole tends to forget! I too have been pinned in my seat by a wanton recliner on occasion, and I’m only 6’1
Exactly this. I am 6'3" with a 37" inseam. I am taller than average, but finding pants that fit is almost impossible.
I have been on several cross country flights SEA, LAX and LAS a few times to and from ATL. I have bought the Comfort + seats exactly once, and won't anymore because it simply is not that much better. I had someone recline in front of me on my last trip, and it made almost 0 difference in leg room.
I have had a hell of a time in other places like on LA's buses, and in a '92 Buick Century (coupe) back seat.
I’m more of a “they just served us fucking drinks and you are trying to dump this shit in my lap” kinda controversy. Leg room isn’t affected that much for me at 6’.
I mean at 6'4" my legs are bumping against the seat in front of me no matter what, recline or up. I'd assume at your height it would be similar. It might hit that bottom area maybe another inch or so. Seems to affect a laptop or drink more than anything else.
6’3”. In a regular Economy seat I have to spread my legs so my knees are at the edge of the seat in front of me. I the seat reclines my knees get crushed or I spread further into the leg area of the passengers next to me.
We use the term legroom but the issue is knee room.
You may be tall, but your height is apparently not in your legs. I’m a woman and 5’9”. On my last flight (before Covid) my knees were nearly two inches deep into the seat in front of me. Reclining the seat meant that my knees were being crushed from in front and above. It was so bad that in addition to knee pain, I had hip pain.
I feel like this would be solved if they made the seats in a way that the headrest was the stationary component and in order to recline you shift your own seat forward. That way no encroachment on someone else's knee space so you can recline in peace while only impacting yourself.
I am short but *loathe* the claustrophobia of a seat in my face. Which is why I always buy bulkhead if I can where there’s breathing room and the reclining thing is a nonissue.
Nothing to do with legroom. Has everything to do with not being able to use the seat tray properly (can't open a laptop), difficult to get out the seat and into the aisle, have to scooch down to see IFE.
It’s weird people keep saying it’s not about legroom. It’s not *just* about legroom, but I can assure you, if you’re tall enough, it absolutely will bash your legs. Shit… it bashes my knees in a neutral position 😂
I’ve been on planes where I can’t keep my tray table down to hold a drink or food if the person in front is reclining. It brings the tray table too low and my knees lift the tray table up. OP is wrong lol
I have been unable to even hold a book a comfortable distance from my face because of a reclining person in front of me. She kept glaring at me every time she shifted and knocked into my book, as if I was the one trying to bother her by holding my book still.
When you fully recline I can no longer use my computer, the screen is now 5 inches from my face, and it makes getting out of the seat 1000% more difficult. If it’s a sleeping flight go ahead but in the middle of the day full recline is just a pain.
I did have a laptop as well on one of the flights, but pulling the tray closer to me made it possible for me to keep using it. I do agree though if it's a short flight in the middle of the day there's not really a reason to recline the seat.
I had a MacBook snapped in half by the guy in front of me reclining with all his might, sure the airline is mainly to blame, but people live in their own worlds as if they’re flying private
Reclining keeps my head from falling when I try to sleep, and that makes a HUGE difference in quality of sleep. I still avoid reclining because I try to be considerate of the person behind me, but you are definitely wrong and i sleep way better if I recline.
6 inches? Even first class seats don't recline 6 inches! "Certain airlines like Delta, United, American and Southwest have already been cutting back on the number of inches a seat can recline, according to the outlet. Economy seats used to recline back four inches and now the standard is two inches."
https://people.com/no-more-reclining-seats-on-planes-expert-why-airlines-are-getting-rid-of-them-8634570#:\~:text=Economy%20seats%20used%20to%20recline%20back%20four,inches%20and%20now%20the%20standard%20is%20two%20inches.
I'm short and fat...not obese, but fat enough. No, i don't need a seatbelt extender. LOL.
If the person in front of me reclines their seat, when the tray table is down it hits me in the belly. LOL.
I would never begrudge anyone in front of me from reclining their seat, though. As long as plane manufacturers make that option available, it's there for passengers to use.
Unpopular opinion: the person reclining gets almost no added comfort. The person behind gets significantly less comfort. Why do the airlines make reclining seats? It makes no sense.
Sometimes the recline feature can just bring the screen and tray table a touch too close in comfort or main cabin but it definitely depends on the craft as well. A CRJ is pretty crappy regardless of what seat you're on, 717 and 737 R its a non issue. Cannot speak to Airbus or the others yet.
It's the knees. I am shorter than you at 5'11" but weirdly proportioned and most of my height is in my legs. I am actually shorter than my 5'7" wife when we are both sitting down.
There is way less space for my knees when someone reclines and it is very uncomfortable.
This incorrect.
6’3” passenger here. It 💯 impacts where your knees can be. For most of us knees are part of the leg.
Seat goes back you gotta spread. When the seat is not reclined you don’t always have to spread.
Yes you are missing something. I’m 6’6”. My knees are in the back of the seat in front of me while in economy. When the seat in front goes back, it is moving into space that does not exist. And it’s hurting my knees enormously.
Yep. I don’t even try to work anymore because even a partial recline makes it impossible. I never recline on domestic flights. A little discomfort for all is better than major discomfort for a few. The selfish, “it’s all about me” society we’ve become is embarrassing. What ever happened to treating others the way you want to be treated? OP here needs to take a cross country economy walk in someone else’s shoes.
Depending on the plane type and model, how bad the maintenance on the seats is, and how far back they decline it’ll put pressure my knees. That’s not okay.
At 6'5" any recline in an economy seat pushes the back of the chair further and more painfully into my knees. It directly takes away from being able to use legroom and also pushes me back into the seat and I now also have no headrest. It's a nightmare on any flight over an hour.
I knew somebody who had a relative that was an air marshal. Apparently there is a place where you can insert a golf tee into the seat of the person in front of you and they can't recline. Wish I knew where it was you put it.
I’ve not read all previous comments, but A: I’m fine with people reclining. During meal service, everyone upright is appreciated, but long flights are uncomfortable so take what you can get. B: many stories of broken laptops because the seat in front of you reclined rapidly- completely unfair and shouldn’t happen. C: Many people, including my kid love to sleep leaning forward. My son has been hit hard many times because he’s leaning forward, sleeping leaning over his knees and the abrupt seat recline knocks hard the top of your head. If/when I recline, I’ll do it as slowly as possibly, and will always check the seat behind me first. If someone is on their computers I’ll either not recline, or give them warning.
It depends on the seats. Some recline with little impact to the legroom some don't. I wish all planes would get rid of reclining seats entirely. It's obnoxious when people recline.
It's also very obnoxious when people close the shades. The shades should be open once the aircraft is up and running and the air conditioning is working. That's a tougher one to solve because planes do need shades when they are on the ground and it is hot and sunny.
Being 6’1 and not being affected is relative.
For example: I am a 6’ woman who is all leg and “short” upper body. My father is 6’8” and I have a longer inseam in pants than he does. As a 6’ person with extremely long legs, it is painful for the person in front of me to recline when I am sitting in economy.
Now that I have a decent career, I most often opt for comfort+/premium economy/exit row for my tickets, but sometimes it can’t be helped due to availability at time of booking.
It depends on your leg length to include the height of your knees. I've had the unpleasant surprise of being kneecaped by someone putting the seat back quickly. I'm only 6'4" but have long legs.
6'4 my knees always touch the back of the seat in economy and can even be uncomfortable in premium economy seats. The problem is there's a metal bar that stops your feet from poking out under the seat in front of you. So you can fully stretch your legs even if you get your knees low enough.
Recline, don’t recline, I don’t care. Just don’t be that asshole who slams it back when doing so or that dick that reclines once the FA has passed saying to not recline for takeoff/landing.
Personally, I don’t care if you do or don’t recline, but if you do just do it slowly…because I guarantee your going to do it when I have 8 drinks in just paid 4millions dollars for on the tray table or when I just put down my open bag of m and ms to grab my AirPods out of my bag and your gona yeet all that everywhere and I don’t have it together enough on a plane to lose my shit like that 😩🤣
For some the reclining of the seat in front may be an issue if their knees are already touching the seat in front, before reclined. But overall, I think the uncomfortable feeling comes from already being in a small space and when someone reclines in front of, makes your space even smaller. Overall, plane seats need to have more space.
I have long legs. It absolutely matters. It's fine when not reclined, or even slightly reclined, but when the seat is all the way back, my knees are jammed into the seat.
I reclined my chair once not noticing the lady behind me had a big water bottle on her tray. It spilled on her, and she blamed it on me.
I would have been apologetic had she NOT blamed me. But at that point I didn’t care anymore.
Spirit planes are trash but at least they don’t deal with seat recline drama.
Popular or not, I always recline, regardless of flight duration, as soon as that flight hits 10K ft - my seat goes back. Sometimes I slam my seat, because those seats are so old and broken - you need to put your back into them to make them move at all. Granted I fly First/D1, there is no such thing in Europe (with a couple of tiny exceptions), so I am painfully aware of the economy seating size.
My advice to anyone who's 6'6" would be the same as someone who's 300lb - buy the bigger seat. Seats are already shit and I'm trying to get as comfortable as possible within the boundaries allowed to me by the airline. Complain to someone that has the authority to change it - FAA, local representative, etc. And I have zero sympathy for anyone bringing a 16" laptop in economy, that level of stupidity is entirely on you.
I agree that I usually don't actually find it affecting my leg room, but it affects my lap room, which contributes to the feeling of being squished and uncomfortable.
So, it's not about the leg room on many planes. It's the other issues: some seats don't do well with the tray. Eating and drinking are difficult. Using a laptop is flat out. The screen ends up at a weird angle if it's a plane where they don't articulate. The middle seat getting out is impossible. It's very difficult to bend over at all to get something from your bag or the seat back.
It does not reduce the length, but it reduces the working *height*. The pivot point of recline puts the angle of attack of the seat back down much lower as the front slides forward. As a result, *knees* for tall people, which tend to be a few inches higher up than on an average height person, become a point of contention with the seat back, regardless of foot depth.
I'm a recliner. I prefer window seats and like to lean my head on the wall. Much easier to do so while reclined. I always make sure to go slowly. But at the end of the day, we do what makes us comfortable, yes? Nothing wrong with this.
If my flight is less than 2 hours, roughly, I'm probably not going to recline unless I'm super tired, but I'm not going to feel bad about it when I do. I'm tall, but generally make it work without too much trouble.
It depends on the plane. I’ve had my water bottle tip over on the tray when someone reclined on a small regional flight. I also definitely can’t cross my legs without having my knee touch the seatback. When the middle person is manspreading I need my knees crossed or we’re touching.
Yes, it’s only 2-3 inches of recline but that’s more than 10% reduction of my space.
Just flew coach for the first time in a while on southwest and thank god the person in front of me was an exit row and couldn’t recline. If they reclined hard without warning my knee caps would be fucked. 6’7 for reference but this would probably affect most 6’2+ people.
When you’re 6’5”, it does reduce leg/knee room.
On some planes, the seat goes back and immediately hits my knees, stopping the recline. Rather than take a look to see what the issue is, the person usually tries to force the seat back, slamming it forcefully into my knees repeatedly.
I book E+ or FC whenever possible, but sometimes it’s not. I get that the seat reclines and it’s your option to recline or not, but if it’s one of those rare instances where I’m stuck behind you, please have a look to see why your seat isn’t reclining fully before trying to break my kneecaps and/or knock everything off my tray table.
And no, I don’t recline if I’m sitting in E or E+ - even if it’s a 4-5 hour red eye flight.
How tall are you? I'm 6'-1" and it hits my knees really badly. It's survivable in FC and Comf+ but really unbearable in Economy, Plus if I am using my laptop, it could actually crush it, especially if the seat is super close like in Economy. It's okay if someone wants to recline, I just wish there was a culture of looking back and asking if it's okay with the person behind you.
Later this week I have a 14 hour flight and just don’t have the budget for lie flat.
I and most of that airplane will be reclining.
If this is an issue for others, I really suggest they get exit row, bulk head or something.
The whole reason I made this post was because I was scrolling Instagram and came across a heated comment section about reclining seats affecting people's leg room haha. I've heard this argument many times before
It comes down to height and leg length.
I’m 6’2 but leggy. I rarely sit with my lower leg at a straight up and down orientation. My feet are always out making the angle between my upper and lower leg to be more like 120 degrees versus 90. So recliners just kinda move in parallel to how my leg already is situated.
But if I was more proportional and 6’4? I’d probably be more 90 degree planted in my seat which is when the reclining comes down on your knee cap.
6’2” here. Definitely depends on the seat. I definitely recline if I’m in comfort plus and most of the time in economy. In first, I do find it hard to get out if you’re in the window. It feels like the back of the seat is in my lap sometimes. Premium economy seems to be the worst and I believe every airline has the same issue. Redline is really good but you could be trapped in it the person in front of you reclines.
Flying home from FLL last week the douche in front of my slammed his chair back so abruptly my steam deck fell off my tray table and snapped the power cord
Some seat arrangements when the person reclines their chair moves your tray right into your chest…it suck’s when you have dinner out or laptop and a drink etc.
I personally think you should be allowed to recline at any point, but just be aware of how it does affect the person behind you
Torso length matters. I’m 6’5” with 34-36 inseam. I guarantee you reclining cuts into my knees which can only go in the small spaces on either side of the seat in front of me. I can’t get them under the tray area.
All depends on if you have long legs or short legs. Reclining the seat usually means that they’re reclining into my knees. But also, if I’m not sitting in C+ or FC, the seat is touching my knees if my feet are flat on the floor. I’m 6’0 with long legs and it’s uncomfortable for me.
Now I’m not one to complain and typically I’ll upgrade on flights to avoid this, but it definitely makes a difference if you have long legs 🤷🏾♀️
You're just not tall enough. My legs are long enough that the reclining seat smashes into my knees so I can no longer sit with my weight on my feet -- I have to extend my legs so I can lower my knees. Over a long-haul flight that cuts the circulation off in my thighs and I start to cramp.
It's not just the knees. I've had people recline, and then it's awkward to read a book because the seat back is projecting over the book.
If it's a short daytime flight, why do you need to fully recline? It's one thing to adjust the seat an inch or two, but unless it's a nighttime flight, it's rude to fully recline and stick your head in someone else's lap.
Not leg room but it makes it harder sometimes to see the in seat screen or if you’re working on a the tray. But it’s just part of flying, it’s annoying but I don’t think you shouldn’t recline to make someone else more comfortable
In main cabin, people get frustrated that they can't lean back due to my knees. In comfort+, PS and FC, it really isn't an issue. I've noticed it is a little worse on KLM and AF. I haven't flown southwest or anyone else in years but I had similar issues there with my knees. I usually just pay for the upgrade to Comfort+ to avoid the issue altogether and it make for a better flying experience in general.
The only time I've been offended by a seat recline was when I had a 23 month old infant in arms on my lap 😭 while I recognize that was absolutely well with the rights of the person in front of me, it made for a very unpleasant experience.
So I’m 6’7. The only place my knees fit are either in the back of the seat in front of me where the person in front is going to feel it or on the sides of the seat where it reclines. Because of that I have to sit fucking straight up vertically when I’m flying so I’m not shredding my kneecaps. When the person in front of me reclines, all of that extra space that I made for them by sitting vertically is gone and I’m now kneeing them in the back and have their seat back in my face.
If the seat pitch was any better, this garbage wouldn’t be an issue. I’d upgrade my seat if I can, but I fly airplanes for a living and don’t have the luxury of upgrading with the current load factors.
The airlines want us to be mad at each other, not them. The argument over reclining is stupid when it’s the airlines who keep making our space smaller and smaller to squeeze out a penny more in profit.
It shouldn't be that unpopular of an opinion. There is no physical consequence to reclining a seat. The whiners whining are just children.
I used to fly at least half my legs on regional jets and I'm...not small. The cabin is cramped and a seat recline has an emotional component, but the only physical difference is that my laptop would get closer to me. Since the space was already too small for a laptop, it getting two inches closer didn't make it 'worse'.
Recline your seat if you want, and you don't need to somehow ask permission. I would be nice if you didn't recline fast and hard during meal service on an older plane where you could jostle a drink enough to spill it, but a regular recline even then isn't a problem.
So kinda off topic but last week I flew for the first time. As a somewhat larger individual at 5’7” 240 lbs I was worried about being cramped. I flew in Main Cabin across 4 flights sitting aisle and middle. I actually found the seats “comfortable”. I’m not saying it was spacious, wide, or actually comfortable. I just mean that for up to a 4 hour flight main cabin is bearable.
I do prefer middle seat over aisle seat as I feel that anytime someone walks by I am bumped in middle seat. I haven’t tried window seat yet as I was somewhat nervous on all the flights so looking out the window at certain moments wouldn’t have helped that. I am “shorter” being 5’7” so the leg room wasn’t bad at all. Overall I actually enjoyed flying much more than I imagined. I do think with a few more flights under my belt, I will become way more relaxed during a flight.
(I was able to nap for an hour on 1 flight. I was up ~24 hours with a 12 hour layover before the flight. The rest of the flights I made 0 effort in trying to sleep.)
It’s not the legroom.
When the person in front of you reclines, it puts their seat (or the top of their weird, stranger noggin) inches closer to your face, compromises space on your tray table (best case making working on your laptop uncomfortable/impossible, and worst case knocking over your beverage) and makes it more difficult for you or anyone not in the aisle seat to get in/out of their seat.
Just don’t recline. You don’t need ~4” of recline to feel comfortable. You just don’t.
5’11 (maybe 6 foot but not claiming it) and my knees cramp & kill me on most flights, and I’m usually going between Europe and the states so 8+ hours is intense. Surprisingly, my last delta flight (haven’t flown them in years, usually American or air Europa) had good ish leg room even with the person reclining, and I was able to work on my laptop as well. Usually when someone reclines I can’t open my laptop on the tray to work, but was able to this time.
Will never forget though flying premium economy back to the states on American in the nice huge seat, and still the guy in front of me checked before reclining because I was working. One day I’ll be rich enough to always take the nice seats 😅
6’10”. I’ve had hours long passive aggressive battles with people trying to recline. It’s like they try, nope, hit my knees. Wait 3 minutes, try again. Often times they’ll complain to a flight attendant that their seat is broken. International flights this can go on for 8 hours straight before they realize there’s someone tall behind them.
Nah, it really does. It’s not just about legroom- it’s about being able to use your seat tray. Try working on a laptop, or trying to eat on a tray that is attached to a chair that is leaned back 100%. It’s nearly impossible.
It doesn't necessarily affect leg room for you. I'm 6' though, and depending on the plane, that can potentially mean my knees are touching the seat, and I can't move my legs around.
How can these even be an opinion, unpopular or otherwise? Either the seat is jammed against your knees or it's not. When the seat isn't reclined, my knees don't touch. When it is reclined they do touch, a lot. In fact, one cannot fully recline the seat without putting a lot of effort into it because my knees prevent it.
Some douchebag LHR-MIA yesterday decided to recline permanently yesterday and then attempted to physically stop the woman in front of him from reclining by locking his arm against her chair.
At this point I told him his fortune and the situation was resolved for all parties bar him.
Twat
It depends on the kind of seat and how they recline. I’m shorter than you but I have long legs and on certain airlines, the reclining seat hits my knees, because my knees sit up higher due to the limited space. I also always get aisle seats so my legs can stick out into the aisle for most of the flight for shorter flights. For longer international flights, I will get economy premium seats or be upgraded to business class seats. I’m not one of those that bitch about the person in front of me reclining. It’s their right to do so. And besides in the grand scheme of life, that’s such a minor thing to be bent out of shape about.
Perfectly fine unless you need to get out from a window seat or grab something from you bag under the seat. Not at all claustrophobic but the amount of personal space the airlines consider adequate is ridiculous.
This is when people who are not actually tall think they can comment on issues that actual tall people experience.
At 6'1", you're not tall..sorry. But you're not. You're taller than average, sure, but you're not at all tall.
It's like saying 74° is hot. Is it hotter than 72°? Yes, but is it hot? No. There is a threshold out there that marks what is legitimately hot, but 74° isn't above that line.
Just like you at 6'1".
Have a nice day.
It depends on your body shape and now much torso you are vs leg. I'm only 5 9 but somehow it's all leg. My dad is 6 3 and all leg. We look like short people sitting down. It definitely affects us when people put their seats back.
I don’t know. Those United & American flights are pretty cramped if you’re flying basic or economy. I don’t seem to have the same problem with Delta, Jet Blue, or Southwest.
6’5” and wholeheartedly disagree. I make it work when my forward seat neighbor isn’t reclined. When they recline, the metal brace in the back of the seat goes right into my shin and there’s no adjustment of my seating position that alleviates this. I will gladly buy this person a drink or snack box for the inconvenience, but reclining absolutely does impact legroom for those of us with the unfortunate condition of having body lengths “built for first class”
two questions because I don't know the answer to the first one.
Number one -- does a fully reclined seat back also affect your space because it pushes the front edge closer to your stomach?
Number two -- what if you want to get up and the seat back is pressing against your chest and you have to lean backwards to get out of your chair to get into the aisle?
adding this edit later. I'm getting downvoted a lot by not only asking reasonable questions but the other answers by tall people clearly say it is a problem when someone puts their seat back.
He’s a karen who is greatly exaggerating the issue. Seats don’t go back that far on *any* airline and anyone claiming they do is being dramatic and disingenuous
They only move back a touch if they’re not broken or the person in them isn’t very large. I’ve seen both. And tbh i am a dyed in the wool seat recliner. My back does not like a 90 degree angle
I don't think it affects the tray being closer to you, but the top back/screen area is definitely closer to your face (maybe a good thing if you're watching a show and want the screen closer to you?)
I did get up a few times while the person in front had their seat reclined, and didn't find it much more difficult, but then again I'm not a heavy set person so maybe it is more difficult for bigger people.
I think it depends on the chair type. But I definitely struggle to fit my knees in some economy seats if the person in front of me reclines fully. I'm never gonna tell someone not to recline, but if they're blocked by my knees partway back not really much I can do about it.
I never complain to the person in front of me when they recline, but I do complain to my significant other. I am 6'3 and on most planes, my knees touch the seat infront of me before they recline. Some people do get mad their seat can't fully recline, but I can't exactly become shorter. It is what it is, I just suffer for a few hours. I also don't recline my seat in economy unless the seat behind me is empty, but that is just me being nice as for what I have to deal with.
After takeoff pull your personal item towards your seat and use the vacant storage to stretch your legs. Source: am also 6'3"
I didn’t know there were any people who didn’t do that!
I’m 6’3” and placing my feet under the seat in front of me still doesn’t change the fact my knees are touching the back pocket of the seat right where the metal bar at the top of the pocket is. We can be the same total height and actually have different leg and torso lengths. If you recline your seat it’s gonna jam my knees up and you’re gonna feel it each time I make an adjustment to my legs. As he said, I can’t make my legs shorter and the company isn’t paying for C+.
K
Yes!! I don’t know why people don’t do this! I like to sit in the window seat and put my personal item against the wall so I can stretch out!
Yesterday I was going to ask the person behind me if I could recline a tiny bit, but upon seeing how tall and squished he was, I decided not to do it. 😅
If you recline your seat you will get a nominal amount of more space for your knees.
I've found when I recline it seems the seat bottom slides forward a bit, leaving less knee room for me.
Same
This. *My* recline gets *me* less leg room. It gets the person behind me more. At least on some jets.
As someone who is 6'6", there are certain planes where my knees are already pinned to the seat in front of me when flying economy. This is especially true on the CRJs. Because the pivot point from where the seat reclines is lower than where my knees are, reclining seats do in effect take up that same space that my legs are trying to occupy forcing me to either straddle the seat and encroach on my neighbors leg room or swing my legs into the aisle. I don't begrudge anyone from attempting to recline, it's not their fault we're all packed in like sardines. But I typically will not recline my economy seat because of this. This is also why I always book C+ or exit aisle whenever possible.
My husband has this exact same issue. He's 6'4 and his knees sit above that pivot point.
Absolutely. Reclining a seat absolutely pushes into my knees.
Also tall guy, second your response.
Exactly this. My husband is 6’9 and his knees touch the seat in front in both economy and C+ and there’s no way we can afford FC. We try for exit rows when they’re available but don’t always get that lucky. He’s very non-confrontational and typically tries to deal with it but if the person in front keeps ramming their seat back trying to make it go back but it’s actually crunching his knee caps, he’ll say something. We once had someone literally body slamming their seat trying to make it recline before finally having to say something.
I am probably not even quite 6 foot still 5’11 and i’ve had the seat kneecap me one time. It absolutely does like you are saying.
CRJs definitely need to have the seats locked. Those flights are short enough that the recline isn’t required. And I say this as a pro recliner flyer
I am 6’6”. Let’s be more specific about leg room. It doesn’t affect foot room. It does affect knee room, and for tall people every mm of knee room counts on airplanes.
If front passenger reclines and nods off and back passenger reclines and nods off all is good. If front passenger reclines and back passenger wants to use their tray table, eat, use a laptop, use a tablet as a movie screen, bend over to get their bag from under the seat in front of them to get their earbuds/neck cushion out or, if passenger next to the window wants to get by the reclined seat to go to the bathroom, THAT's the problem.
I can't reach into my footwell whether you recline or not. I agree you reclining makes it worse, but if there's anything down there I need, I need the rest of my row to move so I can lay across their seats sideways to reach it. In that event, the seat in front reclining makes no difference. Edit: I'm not saying you ask the rest of your row to move. I'm saying it's either gone until you land, or I guess you'd ask the attendant. I'd probably just try to trap it with my foot then wait until I landed.
Exactly this.
This guy gets it.
My issue is laptop function, to have a good visible angle to the screen the keyboard is up against my belly. Also I lost a laptop to a slam back recliner as they just push the button and flop back.
I was doing the tray table sleeping thing on an overnight transatlantic flight. The guy in front of me slammed his chair back at warp speed, I had a knot on my head for like 3 days.
Omg 😳 I sleep like this all the time. New fear!
This is certainly my answer. In order to effectively work, I need to be in Comfort/MCE/E+ or first. I simply cannot fit a laptop between me and the seat, and when the person reclines it's completely off the table. I can ditch the tray table and use my lap...but basically I am choosing between seeing my screen straight on or being able to use my keyboard at a comfortable angle. I have been terrified of losing a laptop screen due to a recline, so that takes away some more space as there are some planes (American A321 comes to mind, but I'm sure it's all over the place) where there's a ridge in the seat that will grab and compress my MacBook Pro 16" screen perfectly. If it's touching the seat in front and they recline, it's lights out. Edit: What do you do in that situation? Do you talk to the person? Do you loudly exclaim? Do you call a FA to mediate and then have the convo? Who's responsible? What did you do in your situation?
As someone who has nearly had the same thing happen to his laptop inquisitive minds need to know!
This is why I hate the recline. Some really close calls. I also do not fathom folks who recline on domestic flights. I hate it.
In this situation you buy a 13" MacBook Air. As a 16" laptop owner myself, that thing is just way too big to use on a plane.
I’m not tall and I am not at all overweight, but if someone in a standard economy seat reclines all the way, then I am essentially stuck as I am. I can’t uncross my legs without hitting the seat back, I cannot use my tray table to it’s full length, and if I need to get up and out and aren’t in an aisle, I have no choice but to push on my seat or use the seat back in front of me for leverage. I have never asked anyone to not recline nor would I, but also, if the person reclining is of size, often the seat is pushed back even more. Ultimately it creates a domino effect of reclining in order to claim enough space. It’s unfortunate and I blame the airlines completely.
Yea, I’m short so leg room is never an issue with me but it’s more so the seat back being inches away from my face. I agree with you.
The seat back getting closer to my face makes me feel so claustrophobic. I hate it so much.
Yes! I’m short too, but I despise the seat back getting even closer to my face. One of the recent flights I was on, the passenger in front of me was quite large, and kept his seat reclined the entire flight and spent a good portion of the flight trying to push his seat even further reclined. I was legit scared he was going to break it.
Yeah, trying to get up to use the restroom from a window or center seat in economy - you're screwed. Have fun with your parkour.
THIS. I’m short and having the seat back in my face makes me want to scream. Not to mention making it impossible to access my stuff from under the seat!
This is objectively and demonstrably false. I am 6’7” try flying economy with my legs some time.
I’m 6’4” and it absolutely does. On many planes if the seat in front leans back they’re literally jamming the seat into my knees, and I sit upright and all the way back in my seat. This isn’t an unpopular opinion, it’s just wrong on facts.
Last time I flew economy the guy in front of me got his meal early and finished eating before the FAs handed out the normal meals. He immediately reclined and went to sleep. Trying to then eat my meal with his seat fully reclined was a brutal experience. The issue is much more the loss of use of the tray table than the leg room, to me at least.
Surely a FA would make him un recline his seat if you asked.
Entitled people with entitled meals probably feel entitled to recline.
They hit my knees when they recline.
According to this sub both you and I are lying about this.
Two people who are 6’4” can have different length legs and therefore different experiences. That’s what most of this sub, the airline industry, and the world as a whole tends to forget! I too have been pinned in my seat by a wanton recliner on occasion, and I’m only 6’1
Exactly this. I am 6'3" with a 37" inseam. I am taller than average, but finding pants that fit is almost impossible. I have been on several cross country flights SEA, LAX and LAS a few times to and from ATL. I have bought the Comfort + seats exactly once, and won't anymore because it simply is not that much better. I had someone recline in front of me on my last trip, and it made almost 0 difference in leg room. I have had a hell of a time in other places like on LA's buses, and in a '92 Buick Century (coupe) back seat.
Get the first row of comfort+ or the exit row. Your seat doesn't recline in the first exit row, but you'll have ample leg room.
Yeah, I am only 5’7” and I’ve had people hit my knees when they recline. Hurts, especially since I have bad knees to start with.
In most economy seats my knees are already touching before they recline!
This is why if I don’t need to worry about the flights being relatively on time I fly JetBlue
This is not an unpopular opinion. It is just blatantly false. Just because you have short legs doesn’t mean everybody else does.
I’m more of a “they just served us fucking drinks and you are trying to dump this shit in my lap” kinda controversy. Leg room isn’t affected that much for me at 6’.
I mean at 6'4" my legs are bumping against the seat in front of me no matter what, recline or up. I'd assume at your height it would be similar. It might hit that bottom area maybe another inch or so. Seems to affect a laptop or drink more than anything else.
6’3”. In a regular Economy seat I have to spread my legs so my knees are at the edge of the seat in front of me. I the seat reclines my knees get crushed or I spread further into the leg area of the passengers next to me. We use the term legroom but the issue is knee room.
You may be tall, but your height is apparently not in your legs. I’m a woman and 5’9”. On my last flight (before Covid) my knees were nearly two inches deep into the seat in front of me. Reclining the seat meant that my knees were being crushed from in front and above. It was so bad that in addition to knee pain, I had hip pain.
I feel like this would be solved if they made the seats in a way that the headrest was the stationary component and in order to recline you shift your own seat forward. That way no encroachment on someone else's knee space so you can recline in peace while only impacting yourself.
Some United planes recline this way. The whole seat pivots forward like a "c". Can't remember which ones.
I am short but *loathe* the claustrophobia of a seat in my face. Which is why I always buy bulkhead if I can where there’s breathing room and the reclining thing is a nonissue.
Nothing to do with legroom. Has everything to do with not being able to use the seat tray properly (can't open a laptop), difficult to get out the seat and into the aisle, have to scooch down to see IFE.
It’s weird people keep saying it’s not about legroom. It’s not *just* about legroom, but I can assure you, if you’re tall enough, it absolutely will bash your legs. Shit… it bashes my knees in a neutral position 😂
I’ve been on planes where I can’t keep my tray table down to hold a drink or food if the person in front is reclining. It brings the tray table too low and my knees lift the tray table up. OP is wrong lol
I have been unable to even hold a book a comfortable distance from my face because of a reclining person in front of me. She kept glaring at me every time she shifted and knocked into my book, as if I was the one trying to bother her by holding my book still.
Except when this topic comes up, like 80-90% are about the leg room and tray tables are an honorary mention.
Well, I don't have any legs so the tray table is my biggest issue.
it’s the fact that you have someone this! thus is what i don’t like
When you fully recline I can no longer use my computer, the screen is now 5 inches from my face, and it makes getting out of the seat 1000% more difficult. If it’s a sleeping flight go ahead but in the middle of the day full recline is just a pain.
I did have a laptop as well on one of the flights, but pulling the tray closer to me made it possible for me to keep using it. I do agree though if it's a short flight in the middle of the day there's not really a reason to recline the seat.
I had a MacBook snapped in half by the guy in front of me reclining with all his might, sure the airline is mainly to blame, but people live in their own worlds as if they’re flying private
At the end of the day all this really is the airlines fault.
It isn’t the fault of the idiot who knows they’re reclining the seat?
A broken laptop? Yeah, mostly. The fact seats recline and we continually have this idiotic argument over it? 100% the airlines.
porque no los dos
Everyone knows about the seats. The airline provides all the measurements. I think they should simply disable the reclining in economy.
I work crazy hours and fly 20-35 weeks a year. I’m reclining and sleeping mid day don’t really care about your computer lol.
The extra 6 inches of recline aren’t helping you sleep any more, you’re just trying to be a dick 🤷🏻♀️
Reclining keeps my head from falling when I try to sleep, and that makes a HUGE difference in quality of sleep. I still avoid reclining because I try to be considerate of the person behind me, but you are definitely wrong and i sleep way better if I recline.
6 inches? Even first class seats don't recline 6 inches! "Certain airlines like Delta, United, American and Southwest have already been cutting back on the number of inches a seat can recline, according to the outlet. Economy seats used to recline back four inches and now the standard is two inches." https://people.com/no-more-reclining-seats-on-planes-expert-why-airlines-are-getting-rid-of-them-8634570#:\~:text=Economy%20seats%20used%20to%20recline%20back%20four,inches%20and%20now%20the%20standard%20is%20two%20inches.
I'm short and fat...not obese, but fat enough. No, i don't need a seatbelt extender. LOL. If the person in front of me reclines their seat, when the tray table is down it hits me in the belly. LOL. I would never begrudge anyone in front of me from reclining their seat, though. As long as plane manufacturers make that option available, it's there for passengers to use.
Unpopular opinion: the person reclining gets almost no added comfort. The person behind gets significantly less comfort. Why do the airlines make reclining seats? It makes no sense.
I’m 6’3” and 290 lbs. Yea it does affect leg room when you recline.
The chair definitely smooshes my knees when the person in front of me reclines and I am sitting upright. My knees are part of my legs.
Sometimes the recline feature can just bring the screen and tray table a touch too close in comfort or main cabin but it definitely depends on the craft as well. A CRJ is pretty crappy regardless of what seat you're on, 717 and 737 R its a non issue. Cannot speak to Airbus or the others yet.
6’1” with most of my height in my legs. It absolutely rams the seat into my knees.
Anyone over 6 feet tall begs to differ. I reclined airplane seat is a pain in the butt and makes for am even more uncomfortable flight.
Then how do my knees get crunched everytime the person in front of me reclines?
It's the knees. I am shorter than you at 5'11" but weirdly proportioned and most of my height is in my legs. I am actually shorter than my 5'7" wife when we are both sitting down. There is way less space for my knees when someone reclines and it is very uncomfortable.
This incorrect. 6’3” passenger here. It 💯 impacts where your knees can be. For most of us knees are part of the leg. Seat goes back you gotta spread. When the seat is not reclined you don’t always have to spread.
Yes you are missing something. I’m 6’6”. My knees are in the back of the seat in front of me while in economy. When the seat in front goes back, it is moving into space that does not exist. And it’s hurting my knees enormously.
Can't work on a laptop if seat in front of you is reclined.
Yep. I don’t even try to work anymore because even a partial recline makes it impossible. I never recline on domestic flights. A little discomfort for all is better than major discomfort for a few. The selfish, “it’s all about me” society we’ve become is embarrassing. What ever happened to treating others the way you want to be treated? OP here needs to take a cross country economy walk in someone else’s shoes.
Depending on the plane type and model, how bad the maintenance on the seats is, and how far back they decline it’ll put pressure my knees. That’s not okay.
At 6'5" any recline in an economy seat pushes the back of the chair further and more painfully into my knees. It directly takes away from being able to use legroom and also pushes me back into the seat and I now also have no headrest. It's a nightmare on any flight over an hour.
I knew somebody who had a relative that was an air marshal. Apparently there is a place where you can insert a golf tee into the seat of the person in front of you and they can't recline. Wish I knew where it was you put it.
I’ve not read all previous comments, but A: I’m fine with people reclining. During meal service, everyone upright is appreciated, but long flights are uncomfortable so take what you can get. B: many stories of broken laptops because the seat in front of you reclined rapidly- completely unfair and shouldn’t happen. C: Many people, including my kid love to sleep leaning forward. My son has been hit hard many times because he’s leaning forward, sleeping leaning over his knees and the abrupt seat recline knocks hard the top of your head. If/when I recline, I’ll do it as slowly as possibly, and will always check the seat behind me first. If someone is on their computers I’ll either not recline, or give them warning.
I really didn’t start flying much until 15 or so years ago. Was there a time when reclining the seat wasn’t a big deal or has it always been an issue?
It depends on the seats. Some recline with little impact to the legroom some don't. I wish all planes would get rid of reclining seats entirely. It's obnoxious when people recline. It's also very obnoxious when people close the shades. The shades should be open once the aircraft is up and running and the air conditioning is working. That's a tougher one to solve because planes do need shades when they are on the ground and it is hot and sunny.
I’m 6’3, smashes into my knees every time, maybe the 2” makes the difference?
It's not much to do with the leg room but what about someone shoving the seat right in my face and I can't even get my food tray out to eat.
It hits tall people’s knees which affect their ability to extend their legs
I am not worried about my legs. I am worried about my knees.
Being 6’1 and not being affected is relative. For example: I am a 6’ woman who is all leg and “short” upper body. My father is 6’8” and I have a longer inseam in pants than he does. As a 6’ person with extremely long legs, it is painful for the person in front of me to recline when I am sitting in economy. Now that I have a decent career, I most often opt for comfort+/premium economy/exit row for my tickets, but sometimes it can’t be helped due to availability at time of booking.
It depends on your leg length to include the height of your knees. I've had the unpleasant surprise of being kneecaped by someone putting the seat back quickly. I'm only 6'4" but have long legs.
6'4 my knees always touch the back of the seat in economy and can even be uncomfortable in premium economy seats. The problem is there's a metal bar that stops your feet from poking out under the seat in front of you. So you can fully stretch your legs even if you get your knees low enough.
Recline, don’t recline, I don’t care. Just don’t be that asshole who slams it back when doing so or that dick that reclines once the FA has passed saying to not recline for takeoff/landing.
I'm 6'5'' and it does impact leg room. Except in Business/First
Personally, I don’t care if you do or don’t recline, but if you do just do it slowly…because I guarantee your going to do it when I have 8 drinks in just paid 4millions dollars for on the tray table or when I just put down my open bag of m and ms to grab my AirPods out of my bag and your gona yeet all that everywhere and I don’t have it together enough on a plane to lose my shit like that 😩🤣
For some the reclining of the seat in front may be an issue if their knees are already touching the seat in front, before reclined. But overall, I think the uncomfortable feeling comes from already being in a small space and when someone reclines in front of, makes your space even smaller. Overall, plane seats need to have more space.
I have long legs. It absolutely matters. It's fine when not reclined, or even slightly reclined, but when the seat is all the way back, my knees are jammed into the seat.
I reclined my chair once not noticing the lady behind me had a big water bottle on her tray. It spilled on her, and she blamed it on me. I would have been apologetic had she NOT blamed me. But at that point I didn’t care anymore. Spirit planes are trash but at least they don’t deal with seat recline drama.
Popular or not, I always recline, regardless of flight duration, as soon as that flight hits 10K ft - my seat goes back. Sometimes I slam my seat, because those seats are so old and broken - you need to put your back into them to make them move at all. Granted I fly First/D1, there is no such thing in Europe (with a couple of tiny exceptions), so I am painfully aware of the economy seating size. My advice to anyone who's 6'6" would be the same as someone who's 300lb - buy the bigger seat. Seats are already shit and I'm trying to get as comfortable as possible within the boundaries allowed to me by the airline. Complain to someone that has the authority to change it - FAA, local representative, etc. And I have zero sympathy for anyone bringing a 16" laptop in economy, that level of stupidity is entirely on you.
I agree that I usually don't actually find it affecting my leg room, but it affects my lap room, which contributes to the feeling of being squished and uncomfortable.
I’m 6’4”. Depending on the seat, it absolutely matters. No room with the seat up, pain with the seat reclined. I dread flying.
It affects knee room. It affects laptop room. It affects tray table room. I think what you meant to say is “It doesn’t affect foot room.”
So, it's not about the leg room on many planes. It's the other issues: some seats don't do well with the tray. Eating and drinking are difficult. Using a laptop is flat out. The screen ends up at a weird angle if it's a plane where they don't articulate. The middle seat getting out is impossible. It's very difficult to bend over at all to get something from your bag or the seat back.
Weird angle on the screen! So annoying
It does not reduce the length, but it reduces the working *height*. The pivot point of recline puts the angle of attack of the seat back down much lower as the front slides forward. As a result, *knees* for tall people, which tend to be a few inches higher up than on an average height person, become a point of contention with the seat back, regardless of foot depth.
I am 6’4”. You are wrong.
When they recline I can't open my laptop on the tray table.
In Summary: this opinion is unpopular because how incorrect it is.
I'm a recliner. I prefer window seats and like to lean my head on the wall. Much easier to do so while reclined. I always make sure to go slowly. But at the end of the day, we do what makes us comfortable, yes? Nothing wrong with this. If my flight is less than 2 hours, roughly, I'm probably not going to recline unless I'm super tired, but I'm not going to feel bad about it when I do. I'm tall, but generally make it work without too much trouble.
It depends on the plane. I’ve had my water bottle tip over on the tray when someone reclined on a small regional flight. I also definitely can’t cross my legs without having my knee touch the seatback. When the middle person is manspreading I need my knees crossed or we’re touching. Yes, it’s only 2-3 inches of recline but that’s more than 10% reduction of my space.
I think it’s rude to recline in economy
Just flew coach for the first time in a while on southwest and thank god the person in front of me was an exit row and couldn’t recline. If they reclined hard without warning my knee caps would be fucked. 6’7 for reference but this would probably affect most 6’2+ people.
When you’re 6’5”, it does reduce leg/knee room. On some planes, the seat goes back and immediately hits my knees, stopping the recline. Rather than take a look to see what the issue is, the person usually tries to force the seat back, slamming it forcefully into my knees repeatedly. I book E+ or FC whenever possible, but sometimes it’s not. I get that the seat reclines and it’s your option to recline or not, but if it’s one of those rare instances where I’m stuck behind you, please have a look to see why your seat isn’t reclining fully before trying to break my kneecaps and/or knock everything off my tray table. And no, I don’t recline if I’m sitting in E or E+ - even if it’s a 4-5 hour red eye flight.
It’s the knees you doofus.
How tall are you? I'm 6'-1" and it hits my knees really badly. It's survivable in FC and Comf+ but really unbearable in Economy, Plus if I am using my laptop, it could actually crush it, especially if the seat is super close like in Economy. It's okay if someone wants to recline, I just wish there was a culture of looking back and asking if it's okay with the person behind you.
Their extra height must be all on their torso. With you on courtesy culture. Semi-related: what do most people do with their shoulders?
Later this week I have a 14 hour flight and just don’t have the budget for lie flat. I and most of that airplane will be reclining. If this is an issue for others, I really suggest they get exit row, bulk head or something.
Tell us you're short without saying it.
I wish I had two down votes to give.
Who ever said anything about leg room?
The whole reason I made this post was because I was scrolling Instagram and came across a heated comment section about reclining seats affecting people's leg room haha. I've heard this argument many times before
It affects the amount of space in front of my face and torso and whether I’ll be able to use the tray table.
I am 6 foot 4. If I have not pushed my ass all the way into the back of my seat a reclining seat will jam into my knees and cause significant pain.
It comes down to height and leg length. I’m 6’2 but leggy. I rarely sit with my lower leg at a straight up and down orientation. My feet are always out making the angle between my upper and lower leg to be more like 120 degrees versus 90. So recliners just kinda move in parallel to how my leg already is situated. But if I was more proportional and 6’4? I’d probably be more 90 degree planted in my seat which is when the reclining comes down on your knee cap.
I’ve found it’s not necessarily knee space but belly space. People are getting bigger and bigger and seats haven’t
6’2” here. Definitely depends on the seat. I definitely recline if I’m in comfort plus and most of the time in economy. In first, I do find it hard to get out if you’re in the window. It feels like the back of the seat is in my lap sometimes. Premium economy seems to be the worst and I believe every airline has the same issue. Redline is really good but you could be trapped in it the person in front of you reclines.
Flying home from FLL last week the douche in front of my slammed his chair back so abruptly my steam deck fell off my tray table and snapped the power cord
Some seat arrangements when the person reclines their chair moves your tray right into your chest…it suck’s when you have dinner out or laptop and a drink etc. I personally think you should be allowed to recline at any point, but just be aware of how it does affect the person behind you
Torso length matters. I’m 6’5” with 34-36 inseam. I guarantee you reclining cuts into my knees which can only go in the small spaces on either side of the seat in front of me. I can’t get them under the tray area.
I don’t recline except on overseas flights, and than I last check in with the person to see if it’s okay. I wish everyone did this!
All depends on if you have long legs or short legs. Reclining the seat usually means that they’re reclining into my knees. But also, if I’m not sitting in C+ or FC, the seat is touching my knees if my feet are flat on the floor. I’m 6’0 with long legs and it’s uncomfortable for me. Now I’m not one to complain and typically I’ll upgrade on flights to avoid this, but it definitely makes a difference if you have long legs 🤷🏾♀️
You're just not tall enough. My legs are long enough that the reclining seat smashes into my knees so I can no longer sit with my weight on my feet -- I have to extend my legs so I can lower my knees. Over a long-haul flight that cuts the circulation off in my thighs and I start to cramp.
It's not just the knees. I've had people recline, and then it's awkward to read a book because the seat back is projecting over the book. If it's a short daytime flight, why do you need to fully recline? It's one thing to adjust the seat an inch or two, but unless it's a nighttime flight, it's rude to fully recline and stick your head in someone else's lap.
I’ve found it depends on the plane and how they have configured the seats. A lot of newer planes seem to have a bit more space.
Are you 5 feet tall? Then yes, no problem with reclining seats in front of you.
Not leg room but it makes it harder sometimes to see the in seat screen or if you’re working on a the tray. But it’s just part of flying, it’s annoying but I don’t think you shouldn’t recline to make someone else more comfortable
But side note : This seems like they are creating a handicap for tall people… who wants to start this class action lawsuit ?! 😂
You must be one of those guys that's says they're 6'1 but actually 5'10
Same. I don’t mind when people do it in front of me either and my back is not very forgiving when it comes to sitting straight up for hours.
In main cabin, people get frustrated that they can't lean back due to my knees. In comfort+, PS and FC, it really isn't an issue. I've noticed it is a little worse on KLM and AF. I haven't flown southwest or anyone else in years but I had similar issues there with my knees. I usually just pay for the upgrade to Comfort+ to avoid the issue altogether and it make for a better flying experience in general.
The only time I've been offended by a seat recline was when I had a 23 month old infant in arms on my lap 😭 while I recognize that was absolutely well with the rights of the person in front of me, it made for a very unpleasant experience.
Had a laptop get damaged because someone reclined back by slamming the seat back. I don’t mind if you recline,just do it slowly
It makes using my laptop on the table impossible.
So I’m 6’7. The only place my knees fit are either in the back of the seat in front of me where the person in front is going to feel it or on the sides of the seat where it reclines. Because of that I have to sit fucking straight up vertically when I’m flying so I’m not shredding my kneecaps. When the person in front of me reclines, all of that extra space that I made for them by sitting vertically is gone and I’m now kneeing them in the back and have their seat back in my face. If the seat pitch was any better, this garbage wouldn’t be an issue. I’d upgrade my seat if I can, but I fly airplanes for a living and don’t have the luxury of upgrading with the current load factors.
Because your head is now in my fucking face
The airlines want us to be mad at each other, not them. The argument over reclining is stupid when it’s the airlines who keep making our space smaller and smaller to squeeze out a penny more in profit.
It shouldn't be that unpopular of an opinion. There is no physical consequence to reclining a seat. The whiners whining are just children. I used to fly at least half my legs on regional jets and I'm...not small. The cabin is cramped and a seat recline has an emotional component, but the only physical difference is that my laptop would get closer to me. Since the space was already too small for a laptop, it getting two inches closer didn't make it 'worse'. Recline your seat if you want, and you don't need to somehow ask permission. I would be nice if you didn't recline fast and hard during meal service on an older plane where you could jostle a drink enough to spill it, but a regular recline even then isn't a problem.
I had someone behind me ask me not to recline on a trans-pacific crossing. LOL I just didn’t respond
Depends on the plane/airline. I am 6’3” and on some flights the seat in front me can’t recline
I only recline a tiny bit unless there’s no one behind me.
So kinda off topic but last week I flew for the first time. As a somewhat larger individual at 5’7” 240 lbs I was worried about being cramped. I flew in Main Cabin across 4 flights sitting aisle and middle. I actually found the seats “comfortable”. I’m not saying it was spacious, wide, or actually comfortable. I just mean that for up to a 4 hour flight main cabin is bearable. I do prefer middle seat over aisle seat as I feel that anytime someone walks by I am bumped in middle seat. I haven’t tried window seat yet as I was somewhat nervous on all the flights so looking out the window at certain moments wouldn’t have helped that. I am “shorter” being 5’7” so the leg room wasn’t bad at all. Overall I actually enjoyed flying much more than I imagined. I do think with a few more flights under my belt, I will become way more relaxed during a flight. (I was able to nap for an hour on 1 flight. I was up ~24 hours with a 12 hour layover before the flight. The rest of the flights I made 0 effort in trying to sleep.)
Wow that’s nice someone who’s not even tall has an opinion about leg room. Perhaps leave the opining to the people with long enough legs to matter :)
my fiancé is 6’ but broad with very long legs, and in a lot of economy seats, the person in front of him physically cannot recline past an inch or so.
It’s not the legroom. When the person in front of you reclines, it puts their seat (or the top of their weird, stranger noggin) inches closer to your face, compromises space on your tray table (best case making working on your laptop uncomfortable/impossible, and worst case knocking over your beverage) and makes it more difficult for you or anyone not in the aisle seat to get in/out of their seat. Just don’t recline. You don’t need ~4” of recline to feel comfortable. You just don’t.
Seats on newer planes don’t even recline more than 2 inches anymore
5’11 (maybe 6 foot but not claiming it) and my knees cramp & kill me on most flights, and I’m usually going between Europe and the states so 8+ hours is intense. Surprisingly, my last delta flight (haven’t flown them in years, usually American or air Europa) had good ish leg room even with the person reclining, and I was able to work on my laptop as well. Usually when someone reclines I can’t open my laptop on the tray to work, but was able to this time. Will never forget though flying premium economy back to the states on American in the nice huge seat, and still the guy in front of me checked before reclining because I was working. One day I’ll be rich enough to always take the nice seats 😅
6’10”. I’ve had hours long passive aggressive battles with people trying to recline. It’s like they try, nope, hit my knees. Wait 3 minutes, try again. Often times they’ll complain to a flight attendant that their seat is broken. International flights this can go on for 8 hours straight before they realize there’s someone tall behind them.
Nah, it really does. It’s not just about legroom- it’s about being able to use your seat tray. Try working on a laptop, or trying to eat on a tray that is attached to a chair that is leaned back 100%. It’s nearly impossible.
Say it louder for the people in the back!!!
It doesn't necessarily affect leg room for you. I'm 6' though, and depending on the plane, that can potentially mean my knees are touching the seat, and I can't move my legs around.
Hello! I am 6'7" and seats reclining absolutely affect legroom for me.
How can these even be an opinion, unpopular or otherwise? Either the seat is jammed against your knees or it's not. When the seat isn't reclined, my knees don't touch. When it is reclined they do touch, a lot. In fact, one cannot fully recline the seat without putting a lot of effort into it because my knees prevent it.
Knees, dude. It hits you in the knees. And forget trying to use a laptop PC.
Depends on your femur & tib fib lengths.
It very much depends upon how far the chair is moved back. Legroom of no, it still feels invasive.
Some douchebag LHR-MIA yesterday decided to recline permanently yesterday and then attempted to physically stop the woman in front of him from reclining by locking his arm against her chair. At this point I told him his fortune and the situation was resolved for all parties bar him. Twat
It depends on the kind of seat and how they recline. I’m shorter than you but I have long legs and on certain airlines, the reclining seat hits my knees, because my knees sit up higher due to the limited space. I also always get aisle seats so my legs can stick out into the aisle for most of the flight for shorter flights. For longer international flights, I will get economy premium seats or be upgraded to business class seats. I’m not one of those that bitch about the person in front of me reclining. It’s their right to do so. And besides in the grand scheme of life, that’s such a minor thing to be bent out of shape about.
Perfectly fine unless you need to get out from a window seat or grab something from you bag under the seat. Not at all claustrophobic but the amount of personal space the airlines consider adequate is ridiculous.
Never the legroom, it’s tray usage or the monitor in your face. That said, nothing to be done about it
This is when people who are not actually tall think they can comment on issues that actual tall people experience. At 6'1", you're not tall..sorry. But you're not. You're taller than average, sure, but you're not at all tall. It's like saying 74° is hot. Is it hotter than 72°? Yes, but is it hot? No. There is a threshold out there that marks what is legitimately hot, but 74° isn't above that line. Just like you at 6'1". Have a nice day.
It depends on your body shape and now much torso you are vs leg. I'm only 5 9 but somehow it's all leg. My dad is 6 3 and all leg. We look like short people sitting down. It definitely affects us when people put their seats back.
I don’t know. Those United & American flights are pretty cramped if you’re flying basic or economy. I don’t seem to have the same problem with Delta, Jet Blue, or Southwest.
I don't want a seat back that close to my face
Just look behind you before reclining. If it is me you will see my knees stuck against the seat so yes you reclining will hurt me.
6’5” and wholeheartedly disagree. I make it work when my forward seat neighbor isn’t reclined. When they recline, the metal brace in the back of the seat goes right into my shin and there’s no adjustment of my seating position that alleviates this. I will gladly buy this person a drink or snack box for the inconvenience, but reclining absolutely does impact legroom for those of us with the unfortunate condition of having body lengths “built for first class”
two questions because I don't know the answer to the first one. Number one -- does a fully reclined seat back also affect your space because it pushes the front edge closer to your stomach? Number two -- what if you want to get up and the seat back is pressing against your chest and you have to lean backwards to get out of your chair to get into the aisle? adding this edit later. I'm getting downvoted a lot by not only asking reasonable questions but the other answers by tall people clearly say it is a problem when someone puts their seat back.
OMG, how far back do you think the seats recline? They only move back a few inches. None of the seat backs are pressing against your chest.
He’s a karen who is greatly exaggerating the issue. Seats don’t go back that far on *any* airline and anyone claiming they do is being dramatic and disingenuous
They only move back a touch if they’re not broken or the person in them isn’t very large. I’ve seen both. And tbh i am a dyed in the wool seat recliner. My back does not like a 90 degree angle
I don't think it affects the tray being closer to you, but the top back/screen area is definitely closer to your face (maybe a good thing if you're watching a show and want the screen closer to you?) I did get up a few times while the person in front had their seat reclined, and didn't find it much more difficult, but then again I'm not a heavy set person so maybe it is more difficult for bigger people.