Flight Diverted When Passengers Feud Over Reclining Seat

NPR ^ | August 26, 2014 | Eyder Peralta

[nickcarraway]

Flying is already a pain. But a story from the Associated Press Tuesday really brings home the point: The wire service reports that an entire plane was diverted on Sunday after a fight broke out over a passenger's right to recline her seat.

The AP explains:

"The spat began on United Airlines Flight 1462 because one passenger was using the Knee Defender, a $21.95 lock that attaches to a tray table and jams the reclining mechanism of the seat in front. "The male passenger, seated in a middle seat of Row 12, used the device to stop the woman in front of him from reclining while he was on his laptop, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"A flight attendant asked him to remove the device and he refused. The woman then stood up, turned around and threw a cup of water at him, the official said."

[Truth29]

"I wonder how much extra it would cost per seat for an airline to cater to those who want more space but don’t care about the amenities of first class. I have to believe that if people were willing to pay more money for more space that airlines would start servicing that market. My suspicion is that in general people are not willing to pay the cost of accommodating their body sizes or desire to use a laptop and they would rather take the cheap fare and try to force others to accommodate them."

Some airlines do. They have economy and a more space economy which has a little more pitch and width. It isn't great, but every inch counts.

[SW6906]

"If possible avoid Boeing aircraft. Their seats are crap. Airbus uses much better seats."

Seats are completely chosen by the airline and installed per the airlines specifications. They are buyer furnished equipment and Boeing does not manufacture them.

[DuncanWaring]

Meanwhile, if the person behind doesn’t want you to recline your seat, don’t recline your seat.

[ladyjane]

Almost EVERYBODY still reclines their seats.

Huh? I'm a very frequent flyer. Usually I'm upgraded to first where there is more room between the rows. Even there, you'll see very few seats recline. The ones who do the full recline are first time or infrequent flyers.

[SW6906]

The pitch of the seats (the distance from the armrest to the seat back in front) is completely decided by the airline. The older the plane or Boeing/Airbus has absolutely nothing to do with it. You could take a 40 year old 737-400 and put 20 first class lie-flat seats on it if you wanted. If you put 200 economy class seats on it (if you could even get that many on it), no one will have any leg room.

[LibWhacker]

Sorry, have a bad back and can’t sit in one position, and do have approval of the airlines.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

Hope so. All kinds of obnoxious, wacky devices could be invented.

[Dalberg-Acton]

"an entire plane was diverted"

I suppose that means they weren't able to divert just part of the plane. Great reportage there, NPR!

[Organic Panic]

Yes this sort-of true that Boeing and Airbus use whomever they want. However the Airbus team uses European designed seats usually with German ergonomic influence. Their current manufacturer is still part of EADS which is a mish mash of all things Airbus all pretty much a socialist company.

Boeing uses US manufacturers and designers that use the American approach of thicker pads more comfortable seats. The problem with that approach is they can not squeeze the extra 2 inches in to the frame as Sogerma does for airbus. Weber makes most of the seats for the US market.

[samtheman]

I find the upright position very uncomfortable, but it only takes an inch or two of recline to fix that. I don’t recline completely because I know how annoying it is and I’m comfortable enough without doing it.

Yup. A little tilt will do ya.

[a fool in paradise]

"A flight attendant asked him to remove the device and he refused.

Tampering with airline equipment, refusing to cooperate, how about showing him the door and letting him walk home?

[dfwgator]

It is something one most often sees from people making a once in a lifetime bucket list trip to see the world’s biggest ball of twine.

Nice "Vacation" reference.

[dfwgator]

Knowing how airlines nickle-and-dime these days, I figured by now they’d charge a fee to recline your seat.

[Cboldt]

The two bolts that hold your head on your neck?

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

It’s the airlines’ fault for cramming so many people into such tight spaces. It’s a wonder we don’t have more “air rage” incidents like this.

---

Anybody notice there weren’t any “Air Rage” incidents to speak of until they banned smoking on flights?

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

Some people are incurable romantics; other’s are simply antibiotic resistant.

[DuncanWaring]

If the person in front of me has a medical reason they actually need to recline their seat, I’ll put up with it.

If they just want to make themselves comfy at my expense, screw ‘em.

[southern rock]

And any A-hole that would be so rude as to invade that space will soon un-recline himself.

Really? What specifically will you do? I hate people who recline as much as the next guy, but I hate B.S. internet tough talk even more.

[expat2]

Not if your reclining into his space is causing pain to his knees.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

I’ve done that many times! Especially if they are trying to sleep...they won’t get one wink! I’m 6’3” with one knee replacement. Touchy is not the right word to describe me on a flight when the seat starts back into MY space.