The great reclining seat debate ... meal service

[David48]

The great reclining seat debate ... are you requested by the hostie/flight crew to move your seat up when a meal is being served.

Not talking about when you are landing or taking off ... but when a snack or meal is served are you asked to raise your seat to the upright position so that the person behind you can enjoy their meal ... even if you aren't eating or wanting to sleep.

Comes from this ... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/755383-knee-defender-on-flights-what-do-you-think

Personally, on recent flights it has not been asked, yet others say it happens.

If you have ... what was the Airline and the route flown?

What is your experience?

.

[transam]

From my point of view one pays for a seat that has a few functions and that is what one pays for. Thats it. One can eat from a tray even if a bloke in front is sleeping. Not ideal but we can do it. IF one wants perfection then pay the money for business etc, that is why business etc is there..........

[el jefe]

passengers should put their seat up when they get up to use the bathroom or walk around, but no one ever does that.

it would be nice if passengers put their seat up during meal service but it's not required. occasionally I've seen the flight attendants ask passengers to put their seat up, but that's rare. I've been on 15 hour flights where the passenger in front of me had his seat reclined for 14+ hours. It's his right and my bad luck.

[ezzra]

It's really all boil down too confederations of your fellow travelers and flight decorum as to how

behave and act in such confined space,

only last week I came back on a Jetstar flight from Melb and after take off I switched my assigned seat that had

a mother and a young kid, both coughing and sneezing, to an aisle seat in the middle section of the plan

with an empty seat between my self and this Aussie "gentleman" who grumbled under his breath that

he was hoping to lie down and I spoiled his plans to do so, an hour before landing I went back to my assigned

seat only for that inebriated by now Aussie to come to me and cussing and abusing me for occupying the

seat and preventing him from lying down, to which I just told him to go away and left it at that, but again,

when collecting our luggage he past by still hurling abuse at me, had this happened in a public place

it would have ended differently I'm sure....

[payanak]

Both EVA and Philippines Air always ask passengers to put their seats up when meals are served. Common courtesy dictates that you leave it up at least until the meal trays are picked up. But, who eats airline food anyway.

[apetley]

Last four flights to Uk on Jet, EVA, Egyptair and Emirates have all requested seats to upright position during meals.

[Bung]

British Airways asks you to put your seat up for meals even mentioning it in an announcement. In my experience you just ask the hostess when she serves you to ask the person in front to raise his / her seat. I've done it with a reclined seat in front of me and it is doable but comically difficult.

[cnx355]

Common courtesy is expected when we are traveling, especially in planes during the meals.

But the attitude," I pay for the seat , I do as I want," is an indication on how this person act in society or maybe, they just happen to have a bad day which is also possible.

[rainman333]

eva airlines makes passengers put their seat up during meal service, always.

[rainman333]

Both EVA and Philippines Air always ask passengers to put their seats up when meals are served. Common courtesy dictates that you leave it up at least until the meal trays are picked up. But, who eats airline food anyway.

i actually think eva air's food is pretty good

[KittenKong]

Fly business class: decent food, decent drinks, decent service and enough room between the seats in every direction for proper comfort. I find that anything less is just too awful for words these days.

[petermik]

Both EVA and Philippines Air always ask passengers to put their seats up when meals are served. Common courtesy dictates that you leave it up at least until the meal trays are picked up. But, who eats airline food anyway.

I do

[Fab5BKK]

Just a matter a courtesy... is it too much asking?

[traviss]

A simple common courtesy...

[2fishin2]

Its common courtesy and Ive never flown on an airline that didnt require it.

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[AhFarangJa]

Fly business class: decent food, decent drinks, decent service and enough room between the seats in every direction for proper comfort. I find that anything less is just too awful for words these days.

I do agree with you, however, the cost of these tickets are beyond the reach of a lot of people, double the cost of an economy ticket at least.

Personally I only ever recline the seat a little, and always put it upright during meals, it is only common courtesy, though on the route I fly regularly courtesy is not in their language

[phetphet]

If my seat is reclined, I always put it back upright when meals are served in consideration of the person behind. It's bad enough travelling economy without trying to eat in an even more restricted space.

[TommyUK1960]

Its time airline company's started treating people with respect and giving more leg room even if prices have to go up. It is criminal at how they pack people into the plane. I would like them to strip out all these entertainment systems and work on giving us more space.

[manarak]

I think the now frequent threads about reclining airplane seats are hilarious.

My point of view is that things are as they are, and passengers can recline their seats at any moment for their comfort when allowed.

I often have meals when the seat in front of me is in reclined position, it's not that inconvenient.

I guess it could be inconvenient if I was very fat, and some people's problems with recliners is probably because they are very tall.

The obvious solution for someone who needs more leg space but doesn't want to pay ofr business is to book a seat that's directly behind a wall or near an emergency exit.

But maybe these seats were booked already, so if more seats with more leg space are needed, another possible solution would be for the airlines to offer two seat rows per plane with 50% increased legspace.

50% more legspace probably also means that these seats would need to be sold for 75% to 100% more than regular cattle seats, but I also suspect the oversize passengers want to get more space than the others and also not pay for it...

Question to oversize passengers: would you agree to pay 75% more than the regular price to get a seat with enough space for your height and/or girth ?

[Costas2008]

The obvious solution for someone who needs more leg space but doesn't want to pay ofr business is to book a seat that's directly behind a wall or near an emergency exit.

But maybe these seats were booked already, so if more seats with more leg space are needed, another possible solution would be for the airlines to offer two seat rows per plane with 50% increased legspace.

The emergency seats can not be booked in advance.

That's why, I always go earlier to the airport, so I am one of the first people on the check in line.

Most of the time, I succeed.

I've flown with many airlines and if I remember well, I was always asked to put my seat on upright position during meals.

Even, if I wasn't asked, I would have done so.

As about the meals, can't understand why people find them inedible.

I always enjoyed them, with a glass or 2 of beer.

Even last time, I flown Air India, and I was subjected to 4 curry meals, but I did enjoy them.

[manarak]

The obvious solution for someone who needs more leg space but doesn't want to pay ofr business is to book a seat that's directly behind a wall or near an emergency exit.

But maybe these seats were booked already, so if more seats with more leg space are needed, another possible solution would be for the airlines to offer two seat rows per plane with 50% increased legspace.

The emergency seats can not be booked in advance.

That's why, I always go earlier to the airport, so I am one of the first people on the check in line.

Most of the time, I succeed.

I've flown with many airlines and if I remember well, I was always asked to put my seat on upright position during meals.

Even, if I wasn't asked, I would have done so.

As about the meals, can't understand why people find them inedible.

I always enjoyed them, with a glass or 2 of beer.

Even last time, I flown Air India, and I was subjected to 4 curry meals, but I did enjoy them.

Well, I guess the "bookability" of emergency exit seats depends on the airline.

I don't know why you suddenly bring the taste of meals into the equation, but meals depend on the airline.

The meals as well.

The meals I got on Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France and Air Berlin were very bad.

Emirates, Etihad and Oman Air have rather good meals, while surprisingly, I didn't enjoy the meal on Singapore Airlines too much both times when I flew with them.

Meals on airlines from countries where the average income of citizens are not in the worldwide top 20 are usually far superior. I'm unsure of how to interpret this.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Is that what they're doing in the back of the plane these days? I've never been asked to do this in business class.

Edited August 30, 2014 by OMGImInPattaya

[wgdanson]

From my point of view one pays for a seat that has a few functions and that is what one pays for. Thats it. One can eat from a tray even if a bloke in front is sleeping. Not ideal but we can do it. IF one wants perfection then pay the money for business etc, that is why business etc is there..........

But the person behind pays for a seat at which he is able to COMFORTABLY eat his meal. A little bit of consideration for others is called for.

[wgdanson]

Surely it cannot be beyond modern technology for the seats to be locked upright from the cockpit, until at cruising height, and for the pilot to put them upright when required, ie turbulence or meal times.

[Gsxrnz]

I've seen that happen on Emirates a few times. I generally book 49G on a 777 which has nobody behind me just so I can have the luxury of reclining knowing I'll have no problems.

Once I missed out on 49G but got 48G and after the meal was served and cleared, I reclined my seat a few inches to sleep - an 11 hour haul to Sydney. The bloke behind me took offence and started banging on the back of the seat. The hostess was right there and she scolded him, and I took the opportunity to fully recline the seat which I had no intention of doing in the first place.

I kept it fully reclined all the way except when meals were served. When I did a few toilet trips or got up to stretch my legs, I was rather confused when I gave this middle-aged gentleman a friendly smile and all I got back in return was a scowl. Manners go a long way with me - a simple request to not recline would have seen me probably comply, so if that was you, think smarter next time.

[Naam]

Its common courtesy and Ive never flown on an airline that didnt require it.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

because you never flew business or first.

[Fab5BKK]

When you fly Long Haul Business or First your seat won't interfere with others (shell concept)

Its common courtesy and Ive never flown on an airline that didnt require it.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

because you never flew business or first.

[Benmart]

It's really all boil down too confederations of your fellow travelers and flight decorum as to how

behave and act in such confined space,

only last week I came back on a Jetstar flight from Melb and after take off I switched my assigned seat that had

a mother and a young kid, both coughing and sneezing, to an aisle seat in the middle section of the plan

with an empty seat between my self and this Aussie "gentleman" who grumbled under his breath that

he was hoping to lie down and I spoiled his plans to do so, an hour before landing I went back to my assigned

seat only for that inebriated by now Aussie to come to me and cussing and abusing me for occupying the

seat and preventing him from lying down, to which I just told him to go away and left it at that, but again,

when collecting our luggage he past by still hurling abuse at me, had this happened in a public place

it would have ended differently I'm sure....

It's unfortunate that you had this experience with the intoxicated and rude person. In my drinking days, I too was obnoxious and self-centered on numerous occassions.

I now make amends by trying to be civil, courteous and considerate wherever I may be. You handled the situation well IMO.

Happy travels my friend.

[Benmart]

Its common courtesy and Ive never flown on an airline that didnt require it.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

because you never flew business or first.

How would one know the flying history of another?

[robertthebruce]

Actually in some configurations in Business class , if you do have a middle seat/flat bed, if the Aisle Seat , is in the flat bed position, you actually have to step over someone, which , is quite difficult in a long haul flight at 3am, I have often nearly tripped and fell on the passenger.. Which would be not nice to say the least...

All the same, flying Coach fortunately is not an option for me, short flights yes,no problem, but long flights, I think the extra money is well worth it...

Just my two cents worth......