Plane passenger sparks row over reclining his seat

Do you recline, or are you against it? (Picture: TikTok/Getty)

There are many controversial dos and don’ts in the travel world.

From ‘barebacking’, which describes people who sit without any form of entertainment and people-watch, to those who put their feet on seats, everyone has their own opinions on plenty of divisive topics.

But in terms of air travel, perhaps one of the biggest debates is the ‘is it rude to recline my seat?’ question.

While many argue that every seat reclines, which means technically passengers won’t lose any personal space if they do the same, others think it’s inconsiderate for the person behind.

Now, one TikTokker has doubled down on the former after a particularly dramatic showdown on a recent flight.

Mark Roberts, who has amassed over 1.5 million followers on the social media platform, explained that during a trip from the US to Germany, the cabin crew dimmed the lights on the plane as it approached evening.

Because it was a long-haul flight, Mark noted that he was ready to get some shut-eye, and readjusted himself into a more comfortable position.

Which, if you’ve ever flown economy long-haul, you’ll know isn’t the easiest job. Especially if you’re solo in the middle aisle, as it’s a constant personal battle between getting some sleep without your head flopping on the shoulder of the stranger next to you.

Mark explained in the video: ‘I don’t know who needs to hear this but clearly it needs to be said. If you are on an aeroplane and you want to recline your seat, you do not have to ask permission from anyone.’

He continued: ‘We were an hour in, we were up in the air and they decided to dim the cabin lights to suggest taking a nap,’ adding: ‘Thinking nothing of it, I started reclining my seat to get into nap position.’

Of course, this is where the trouble (read: controversy) kicks in, depending on your stance.

TikTokker Mark Roberts sparked a fierce debate online (Picture: TikTok)

Mark said: ‘I kid you not, as I am going backwards, I am met with this woman’s face standing over me from behind.’ The TikTokker claimed the woman then reportedly said Mark had not ‘asked permission’ before reclining his seat, and that she didn’t ‘have much space.’

The stand-off didn’t end there. Mark allegedly suggested the woman recline too, but she refused and let out a ‘huff.’ She then reportedly alerted a flight attendant and complained that Mark was reclining his seat.

According to the content creator, he kept his ‘cool,’ didn’t say anything and just listened, before the cabin crew member told the woman there was nothing they could do about the situation. ‘He’s allowed to recline his seat,’ they said.

Some people said it’s OK to recline on long haul, but they’d avoid it on a shorter flight (Picture: Getty Images)

Now, the general debate gets juicier. Despite Mark being well within his rights to recline his seat, he said the flight attendant asked him if he wouldn’t mind sitting upright to appease the passenger behind.

However, when the flight attendant said he didn’t have to, Mark replied: ‘Well then I think I am going to stay reclined.’

The TikTokker said the passenger behind then ‘threw another hissy fit’ and was ‘kicking his seat the entire rest of the flight.’ 

It’s no surprise the video garnered plenty of discussion, with users sympathising with both sides.

While one person suggested, ‘if you want more space you pay for a seat with more space,’ another saw it from this perspective: ‘If you’re glad when the seat in front of you doesn’t recline, that’s why you should not recline.’

Meanwhile, another said it’s common courtesy that, if you are going to recline your seat, you should ‘warn the person behind them,’ especially if the passenger behind is currently using the tray table attached to the back of the seat to eat, drink, or do work.

Someone else touched on this, adding: ‘I agree with you. BUT, we don’t recline if they eat, and we recline slowly.’

Another simply stated: ‘If you weren’t supposed to recline your seat they wouldn’t make them reclinable,’ as a different person claimed that both passengers were in the wrong. They said: ‘I would also be angry if you just rammed your seat into my knee without warning. Her behaviour was obviously not okay either.’

A different person shared the unwritten short-haul versus long-haul rule. They said: ‘I don’t fly much but I do think it’s really not done to recline on a short flight inside Europe.’

Meaning, it’s generally polite to sit upright for a shorter flight. But, if it’s a longer journey, you’re well within your rights to get as comfy as you can — and that means being able to recline.

Ultimately, the majority agreed it’s all down to how you approach the situation. Be polite and act with kindness, and you’re unlikely to encounter a problem.

Still, to recline or not to recline? It’s a debate that will stand the test of time — unless we can somehow all afford to fly business class one day.

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