#trending: Passenger on 14-hour flight told off for reclining her seat, triggers heated discussion online

UNITED STATES — Now that the travel bug is back with more countries opening up for travel, an age-old debate resurfaces: Is it rude to recline your chair on the plane?

Air travellers are divided on this topic: Pro-seat recliners argue that seat reclining is a right of paying passengers, while anti-seat recliners find it discourteous to the passenger sitting behind them. 

Reddit user u/cherryham123 recently renewed the discussion with a personal anecdote.

The Reddit user was on a 14-hour flight to the United States from Australia and decided to recline her seat to sleep during the flight, reported Fox News Digital.

However, the passenger seated behind her took issue with that.

"The girl behind me poked me and told me to not recline my seat because she was uncomfortable. What is the etiquette here?" said Reddit user u/cherryham123.

"After the woman behind me poked my seat repeatedly, I turned to look at her — and she then told me that she was trying to watch a movie and I shouldn't recline my seat.

"I've never been on a long-haul flight where the person behind me was so aggressive about seat recline."

Fox News Digital identified the Redditer as Ree Winter, an Australian.

Redditors in the thread reacted mostly in support of the poster. 

One commenter wrote, "Recline the seat. She can deal with it."

"People do recline [their seats]. I try not to during meals, but other than that, it's your seat — you can do what you want with it. If she didn't want to sit behind a reclined seat, she should have booked a different fare class or a bulkhead," another user reasoned.

IS IT RUDE TO RECLINE YOUR AIRPLANE SEAT?

In another Reddit thread titled “Is It Rude To Recline Your Airplane Seat?” posted on Sept 21, Reddit users also debated on the contentious topic. 

Many users felt that airlines were to blame, as one user put it succinctly: “It sucks that airlines created a problem that the customer has to feel bad about.”

“The problem is airlines turning airplanes into cattle cars,” another pointed out. 

The general consensus was that reclining your seat was acceptable. One user quipped: “The button exists for a reason and it goes back like three inches. Is it so bad?”

Others also agreed that reclining your seat isn’t rude: “No it is not. You pay for a seat that reclines. They advertise seats that recline. They make extra money for seats that are wider and recline more. It's your right if you pay for the ticket.”

However, some point out that it is proper plane etiquette to recline in a slow and mindful manner. Redditors complained of instances where passengers reclined so quickly that it nearly broke their laptop, spilled their drinks or upended their meal. 

Several also suggested warning passengers sitting behind before reclining your chair. 

However, a minority of commenters felt that reclining the seat on a plane was rude. 

“Yes, it's very rude. I don't want no one sitting on my lap. It's uncomfortable and it invades personal space,” one Redditor wrote.

“Definitely find it rude most of the time,” another Redditor agreed. “On short flights I don’t feel it should be done at all. On long haul flights, I would only see it appropriate when the person behind you had already reclined their seat or is asleep.”

AIRPLANE ETIQUETTE

Jacqueline Whitmore, a Florida-based etiquette expert and former flight attendant, shared some tips with Fox News Digital on appropriate behaviour regarding airplane seat reclines:

1. Recline slowly and gradually. This would ensure that the passenger is aware of your movement.
2. If the person seated behind you is blessed with long legs, be considerate and refrain from reclining all the way.
3. Bring your seat up during mealtimes, if you are in a reclined position. 
4. If you’re attempting to eat or use electronic devices, it is reasonable to politely ask the passenger in front to raise their seats.
5. It is common courtesy to take a look behind before reclining your seat, in order to watch out for knees or computers that may get in the way.