(NEXSTAR) – WestJet, a Canadian airline based in Calgary, will soon launch the first of its newly configured Boeing planes with “fixed recline” seats for most passengers — meaning there will no longer be an option for economy travelers to reposition their seats on certain flights.
When contacted, a WestJet representative said the seats would be set to a “slight, non-adjustable tilt,” and suggested their fixed positions would be more respectful of passengers in the cramped economy cabin.
“Through our guest user testing, half indicated they preferred to lie flat, to avoid feeling impacted by other passengers encroaching on their space,” a WestJet spokesperson said.
But if this is really WestJet’s main reason Redesigned cabins – That is, respecting passengers’ personal spaces – this indicates that any passenger who reclines, at least in the plane’s cramped economy cabins, is being somewhat reckless.
Is this really the case?
“It’s perfectly fine to recline your seat on any flight you wish.” ellen swan, A former flight attendant of 10 years and author of “Eileen Swan’s Book of Modern Etiquette,” she told Nexstar.
“This is something that is ingrained in the culture of travel. Sit back, relax and enjoy the journey,” she added.
However, Swan suggested some ground rules for lying down to ensure a considerate experience for all participants.
“Pay attention to how quickly you recline your seat,” she advised. “Take a moment to turn around and take a quick look back [at the person in the seat behind you]such as checking your rearview mirror. …You may be able to see a drink or a laptop on the stairs, and if so, that should guide you.
Sarah Murdoch, tour guide and travel writer adventures with sarah, A reclined passenger might also want to alert the person behind him, perhaps if he sees that person eating, or that his or her knees might be crushed in the process, he said.
“If your seat doesn’t recline, it might be a tall person, in which case it would be rude to try to put your seat on their knees,” Murdoch told Nexstar.
Travelers on Reddit have come to much the same consensus relatively recently leaflets, urging fellow travelers to be careful when moving their seats back.
“I ask the person in front of me to lean in slowly if they’re going to lean in. That way I have a chance to get my knees out of the way,” wrote one Reddit user who described himself as “tall.” “But we’re only having this conversation because airlines are cheap and allowed to reduce legroom beyond reason.”
Meanwhile, Swan has witnessed several reclining seat controversies firsthand. Recalling incidents from her time as a flight attendant, Swan said she was often asked to defend a passenger who was being accosted, but instead she reminded those passengers to sit down too, they needed more space.
“In fact, every passenger told us they were sitting on reclining seats,” she said.
Murdoch was also lucky when he asked the flight attendant to change her seat, in cases where the seat back in front of her was causing significant discomfort.
She said: “My family is very tall… and it happened that the cabin crew would intervene, because it was not possible for us to recline in the seat in front of us.” “In these cases, we were moved to new seats, or the person in front of us was offered a different seat.”
Any traveler who is not appeased or accommodated by these methods would be wise to plan better for future trips.
“If you want to fly and don’t want anyone to recline, there’s only one place on the plane you can sit: the exit row,” she said. “The seat will not recline in front of you for safety reasons.”