When you recline, are you stealing somebody’s space?

After a little hesitation, I think it’s time for me to address one of the hottest topics in travel: reclining seats on aircraft (and buses).

Some people judge a seat’s comfort by the amount of recline it allows. Other people have been taking devices on to planes to ensure that the person in front of them can’t recline at all.

Who’s right, and who’s wrong? Or is there no single correct answer to that question?

Well, for starters, I don’t advocate using “knee defenders”, but at the same time I don’t think passengers have an automatic “right” to recline.

Quite simply, when you recline, you are invading somebody else’s space. And that can cause discomfort to that person — especially if they are tall and their knees are already hard up against the back of the seat.

Some passengers have fought back with devices that stop the seat in front reclining, but these have been banned by major airlines for many years.

But how fair is that, especially when the very same airlines are moving the rows of seats closer and closer together? It discriminates against people on the basis of their size (although it’s perfectly legal for them to do so).

British Airways is acting on the dilemma by installing non-reclining — or, “pre-reclined”, as they prefer — seats on some of its aircraft. Which is OK, I guess, for a quick flight, but passengers on long-haul trips are entitled to some comfort.

The bottom line is that flying in economy class is getting more and more cramped as airlines try to squeeze greater profits. 

The solution — for those who can afford it — is to fly premium economy or business class, where the seats are further apart, bigger, more padded and more comfortable in every way.

If you can’t afford that, check out Seat Guru or one of the other websites that gives you all the stats you need to know about your seat. Choosing wisely in the first place (even if it means an additional cost for more legroom) can save you a lot of pain on the day.