I’m a flight attendant – there’s a magic phrase that will stop the passenger in front reclining their seat
STRAIGHT UP
ONE of the worst things about flying is having to deal with other passengers.
Unfortunately we can't all afford to take private jets, so it's a necessary evil if we want to go anywhere.
For the last decade, I've worked as a flight attendant and know all too well the disputes than can arise between passengers battling against one another for space and comfort.
In my latest weekly blog for Sun Online Travel, I'll explain how you can make sure that no one intrudes on your precious legroom, with just a simple sentence.
By far, the most common cause of arguments between passengers is seat reclining and it's something we can't really intervene in unless it's during meal times.
When there's food being handed out, seats have to be upright, but as soon as we take the trays away, people quickly put their seats straight back down.
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And they're entitled to as well - every passenger has both the ability and the right to recline their seat.
However, if there's a medical reason why the person needs extra legroom, then we might be able to intervene.
For example, if you tell us you've got a history of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) then we can ask the person in front to put their seat up.
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If it's a big issue, we may even move you to a seat at the front of the row, or maybe even upgrade you, so you have more room to stretch your legs, or so you won't have to deal with a recliner.
My only other advice would be if you can't beat them, join them.
If the person in front is reclining their seat, recline your own and start a bit of a wave if you have to.
It's difficult to get comfortable during flights and you have to do what you need to sometimes, without thinking about how it will affect other people.
As long as you're not encroaching on their space unfairly, you do what you've got to do to make sure you're not squashed for the entirety of your journey.
Reclining your seat is fair game as far as I'm concerned, even if it is annoying.
If you do want to be polite, turn around and give the person behind you a heads up - that's usually appreciated.
But we can't tell you not to put your chair back unless the person behind you has a medical reason, or it's during a meal service.
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Meanwhile, this passenger revealed an "evil" method she uses to stop people reclining their seats.
Another person explained how they win reclining seat wars against other passengers.
