The rude practice that should ‘permanently ban you from flying’
Since commercial flights have existed, there’s always been a trigger-happy passenger who’s a little too keen to put their seat into recline immediately.
Despite airlines having strict rules on when you’re allowed to recline your seat, some people simply don’t care – or they lack the spatial awareness to know any better.
There is always a trigger-happy passenger who’s a little too keen to recline their seat immediately. iStock
I encountered a situation like this on a long-haul flight to London a few years ago.
A couple sitting in front of me both decided to forcibly recline their chairs back in the middle of dinner service (they had finished eating but didn’t realise the rest of the plane hadn’t) sending my dinner and wine all over my legs and neck pillow (which I had rested on top of my bag under my seat).
As the flight attendant continued to forcibly push their chairs up for every single meal because they refused, I could feel the rage inside my body reaching Hulk-levels.
I couldn’t believe someone could be so impolite – Etiquette Expert Zarife Hardy agrees.
“There’s general rules, don’t push your seat back as soon as the aircraft literally takes off, just let people get settled into the flight first,” she told nine.com.au.
“There is an element of relaxation and trying to get sleep, but we [should] still being mindful of people back in front of us and behind us and beside us.”
Hardy says the appropriate time to recline your chair is after everyone’s first meal.
I was the victim of a rude couple who reclined both their seats, sending my dinner tray all over my legs. Getty
“Sometimes they might do a drink service before a meal service. So I would always recommend, just waiting until you’ve had that first meal.”
“And obviously, if they start to ask you to put all your seats back up to that position, put it back.”
She added that she is “not a fan” of people reclining on short domestic flights.
“The only exception to that rule might be the 5am, the 4am, the really early flights,” she said.
Another sore point when flying is the armrests. Turns out, there are real rules around armrest etiquette – and if you break them, you’re the rude one.
When discussing armrest etiquette in the office, my colleague Patrick gave an impassioned response.
“Window seats gets an armrest and a place to rest their head,” he said.
There are real rules around armrest etiquette. Getty
“Middle gets two armrests, aisle gets one armrest and a bit of extra legroom.
“Airplane etiquette 101 and anyone who does not follow should be permanently banned from flying.”
Hardy absolutely agreed with Patrick, adding: “That is exactly how it is.”
“The middle person gets both arm rests because they’re in the, you know, the most uncomfortable position.”
But, if you find yourself in the middle without any arm rests, Hardy say’s you can politely inform the person next to you of the correct etiquette.
“I think sometimes if you can just place your elbow on the side of it, generally, people get the gist.”
