The 'unwritten' rules around reclining seats on flights as many say 'I hate it'

With approximately half of UK households taking to the skies annually, passenger behaviour on planes remains a constant source of irritation. This week, a couple from Hong Kong were banned by Cathay Pacific following a heated dispute over a reclined seat, reports the BBC.

So, how can we avoid being in our fellow travellers' bad books, especially when it comes to reclined seats? The act of reclined seating on a long-haul flight can be a source of frustration, but it appears to provoke the UK and Americans to varying degrees.

A 2023 survey by Skyscanner revealed that 40 per cent of UK respondents found it annoying, whereas a YouGov poll earlier this year suggested that only a quarter of Americans deemed it unacceptable.

Regardless of the exact figures, reclining seats "really are a problem", says Charmaine Davies, a former flight attendant. She reveals that cabin crew often have to intervene to prevent tempers flaring between passengers.

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The root issue is the airlines' practice of squeezing as many seats onto planes as possible, resulting in passengers having less space than they did in the past, according to Prof Jim Salzman of University of California, Los Angeles.

"[The airlines] are able to pass on the anger and frustration of cramped seating to passengers who blame each other for bad behaviour instead of the airlines who created the problem in the first place."

says William Hanson, an etiquette coach and author. He advises that it's a matter of choosing your time to recline your seat, which you shouldn't do during a meal.

Check whether the person behind is leaning on the table or using a laptop - and recline slowly. If in doubt just talk to your fellow passenger, he says.

How can we get along?

Other air passenger pet hates include people jumping queues, using phones or other devices without headphones, draping long hair over the backs of seats, and taking shoes or socks off on a plane. If you become aware the flight attendants are using spray to "spritz" the aircraft near you, you may want to put some socks or deodorant on, Mary says, as cabin crew won't say anything directly.

But with air travel continuing to grow, how can we get on with other passengers on planes? The key is everyone being considerate, Mr Hanson says. "If you don't want to temper your behaviour to get along with other people then there's something wrong with you, to be blunt."