LEAN IN
Flight attendant reveals the common complaint they are sick of hearing on planes – and passengers need to ‘chill out’
The flight attendant also shares some plane etiquette tips
A FLIGHT attendant has revealed the common complaint that the crew is sick of hearing on planes.
Although flight attendants are trained to deal with passengers' complaints, there is one request that they secretly find annoying.
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Heather Poole, a flight attendant for 28 years, told that travellers most often moan about a broken entertainment system, lack of wifi and reclined seats.
Recline or not recline has been a debate for a long time with some altercations getting so heated that the crew has to intervene.
Although reclining might be well-within your rights, some can be upset at the lack of space in the already-cramped planes.
One passenger was even caught punching the seat in front after a quarrel over reclining.
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It doesn't help that plane seats seem to be getting only smaller, leaving less space to stretch out during the flight.
But Poole said that asking flight attendant for help might prove fruitless as "there's nothing" they can do about reclined seats.
She said: "A recliner is allowed to recline, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
"If you kick the seat or threaten to punch someone in the face, you’ll be the one removed from the flight — not the person who moved their seat back two inches."
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Poole added that if you do recline your seat, it is courteous to do so slowly and be mindful of the people behind to avoid smashed laptops.
But it isn't required for recliners to gain permission from other passengers before leaning their seat back.
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She said: "I think some passengers need to chill out — people have the right to recline their seat.
"Nobody has to ask for permission to recline their seat."
But there are situations when you have to keep your seat upright - during take off, landing and meal service.
Poole believes that the anger passengers have for each other is misdirected, and the core issue lies with airlines squeezing too many seats on flights.
Poole added: "Really, this isn’t a war on reclined seats. This is about space, and most airlines give you the option to purchase more space."
Meanwhile, airlines could be making seats more uncomfortable to encourage travellers to spend more money.
Flyers Rights claims the width of a standard economy seat in America has decreased from an average of 18.5 inches to just 17 since the early 2000s.
One report has even warned that planes are being turned into death traps as they shrink the legroom and may not provide adequate room for evacuation.
Reclined seats might also seize being a problem as airlines are quietly scrapping the controversial feature.
Budget airlines scrapped the option for passengers to put their seats back years ago, with Ryanair ditching the option back in 2004.
But other airlines who offer longer flights and ones where shut-eye is a must are also quietly removing the function.
Reclining seats require more complex mechanisms that allow the seat back to move, which can result in more problems and issues when it breaks.
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And without these extra mechanisms, seats are often lighter - making the plane lighter too, and can fit in more seats or use less fuel.
And if you do find yourself on a plane that has seats that recline, a plane expert has revealed the magic phrase you can use to stop people reclining in front of you in the mean time.
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