Etiquette expert reveals when it's acceptable to recline your plane seat

An etiquette expert has revealed when it’s acceptable to recline your plane seat – something that often lands people in hot water.

Plane etiquette is one of the most heavily debated topics, whether it’s giving up your seat so that someone can sit next to their child, or taking your shoes off and wandering around barefoot (that one’s NEVER okay, imo).

It seems we can never really agree, making it hard to know what’s best to do in certain situations.

That applies to the small matter of reclining your seat, which always appears to be a problematic one for travellers. After all, if a seat physically can recline, surely it’s okay to do it?

‘Etiquette instructor’ Katarina (@katarina.etiquette) agrees, but warns that there is a right way to do it.

The TikToker often posts handy videos to teach others about the dos and don’ts of everyday life, from how to hold a martini glass through to black tie dress code tips.

In a clip posted a few months back, she decided to tackle a ‘controversial yet necessary topic’, explaining in the caption: “Seat reclining is an available function on most flights, hence, it is not forbidden to do so.”

According to Katarina, we should be mindful of our surroundings before sending our chair flying into the passenger behind.

She went on: “However, it is good manners to always check on the passenger behind us before we recline.

“If they’re in the middle of a meal with the tray table open, or watching a movie on the seat screen, it is inconsiderate to disrupt it.

“Personally, I would advise against seat reclining altogether on short haul flights.”

The video prompted a bit of discussion in the conversation, with one admitting they had ‘never thought about that’.

Sharing their own horror story, someone else said: “Had someone recline on a 4 hour flight the other day and he sat leaning forward on the table the whole time.”

A third wrote: “Nobody ever asked me if it was okay if they recline, they just do it. I’m short so it doesn’t affect me too much.”

Another commented: “I have to recline for a medical reason (I have just had major spinal surgery) and it’s always so awkward to ask the person behind me and explain why.”

To which Katarina replied: “If medical reasons step in, it’s a different conversation! The function is there so it’s not forbidden to recline.”

Featured Image Credit: katarina.etiquette/TikTok

Topics: Travel, Plane Etiquette

Jess Hardiman

Jess is Entertainment Desk Lead at LADbible Group. She graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman