I would prefer more room so that seats actually do recline, but the way seats are crammed in a plane now, we would be better off if they were fixed.

I am only 5'6" and if my legs are crossed and the person in front of me doesn't warn me, their seat crashes into my legs. My legs must be uncrossed and spread to be spared. Of course then I am encroaching on the leg space of anyone next to me. I don't know how people who are really leggy like my 6'4" son do it!

I find the few inches of reclining room that the seats have these days to be of little value. The only time I recline my seat is when the person in front of me has reclined theirs and I need the room to use my laptop. I'd much prefer to have adjustible lumbar support -- the way airplane seat backs are curved is terrible for my back. And if the headrest cannot be raised, I'd just as soon not have it; I'm tall in the torso, and fixed headrests always hit me between the shoulder blades.

I like the seats they either have, or used to have on those little
/Embraer jets. They seem to be personally more comfortable to me.

Most seats seem poorly designed.

When the seat in front of me is in full recline, I can't reach the bag at my feet (under the seat in front of me). And I'm not that tall. I have to pull it out with my feet and slide it to the side so I can reach down and grope for it.

If the airlines are going to pack us in that close to each other, better the seats don't recline.

And I really hate it when the guy in the seat in front of me reclines it as if he's in a quick draw contest. I almost had my nose broken one time, the guy recline the seat so hard and fast.

I hate flying.

I think it would be nice if the seats were permanently set with just a little recline (enough to get in and out.) I think they're generally a little to upright to be comfortable, especially if you're on a plane for more than an hour.

It would be nice if they reclined in such a way that they do NOT take space from the person behind you (yep, Conan, I've been hit by those quick-draw contestants myself).

Something along the lines of the seat bottom moving forward and taking up the recliner's leg space instead of the person's leg (or face) space sitting behind you.

Of course, ideally, it would be better if we weren't treated like cattle in the first place and given enough room to be comfortable - but that would cause us to complain about high air fares.

I'll second Conan's "I hate flying!"

Definitely fixed. The space is small enough already.

I say no. Sometimes you don't have anyone sitting behind you. I still believe in mankind enough to leave it to common decency whether or not the seat is reclined and for people to turn around and ask and, once permission is granted, recline it slowly and not all the way.

I believe the designers test the seats on people with scoliosis. Their curved spine nestles right in there and they say, "this seat is perfect! Don't change a thing!"

I agree with whistleDick. I never recline if there is someone behind me, but it is nice to use when there are plenty of empty seats on the flight. Normally, reclining doesn't help because I usually can't fall asleep on a plane anyway. If I conk out, the sudden silence inside my head always wakes me up.

I recline just enough to break the plane but don't go any further. Even if someone smallish is behind you (like me), a full recline means I can't open my laptop completely which is a problem if I'm trying to work. I don't get too annoyed with recliners though; the ones who get me are those who can't stand up without clutching a seat and shake me awake by grabbing their headrests every time they get up. I don't say anything though because that could be me in 30 years, I suppose.

You may have seen those amazing roller-coasters where the seats dangle from a support bar as they zoom around.

This is the design plan for a new generation of economy passenger aircraft.

I recline just enough to break the plane but don't go any further. Even if someone smallish is behind you (like me), a full recline means I can't open my laptop completely which is a problem if I'm trying to work. I don't get too annoyed with recliners though; the ones who get me are those who can't stand up without clutching a seat and shake me awake by grabbing their headrests every time they get up. I don't say anything though because that could be me in 30 years, I suppose.

Posted by: Astra at June 19, 2014 10:54 AM

Yea, it will be. I am 59, and pretty strong for my age. After sitting on an international flight for a few hours, if the seat in front of me is fully reclined, it is almost impossible for me to get my legs into a position to stand up without hanging onto the head rest of the reclined seat.

I also have enough arthritis, that it can be painful, especially my lower back.

If the armrest comes up on the aisle seat, I can swing my legs around and stand up that way, but not all of them do.

If I have ever been behind you, I apologize. On most of the AMC flights, I am sitting with and behind people who average out in age to about 22.

I wonder if, 200 years from now, people will talk about our air travel the way we talk about slave ships.

I would like to see an experimental seat where only the top 12 inches reclined a couple of inches. Having the whole seat go back is overkill.

There are two other fixes. Be really rich and fly first class, or fly to unpopular destinations where the planes are less full. I hear Scranton can be lovely in the summer.

fixed, a bit more leaned back. Most of them now when in the "full upright and locked position" want to push my shoulders and head over into a hunched position. And get rid of those headrests that stab everyone over 5'10" in the back.

The problem I see is that potentially two people expect to use the space as they have paid for it.

I read in one of my Dad's mag's - an IEEE one - where a guy was talking about the seats. He said the seats are designed to be the least uncomfortable for the widest range of people.

I think width is a bigger issue then legroom. I easily fit between the armrests but both shoulders are in my neighorbor's seat. And there is nothing I can do about it - my shoulders would not narrow that much no mater how little I weighted.

"I easily fit between the armrests but both shoulders are in my neighorbor's seat."

I have the same problem. It's one of the reasons why I usually get a window seat -- there's a couple of extra inches there between the seat edge and the side wall. (The other reason is, well, I like to look out the window. If the rest of the flying experience sucks, at least I can still enjoy the actual flying part.)