Delta reducing the ability to recline seats

[Pooh2]

Glad to hear it!

 

[DLgal]

I don't understand the need to have the seats recline at all.

Well, have you ever been on a long flight (more than 4 hours)?

I have some neck and back issues and get severe pain and migraines from sitting too upright. My spine curves forward at my neck due to scoliosis and I need to recline in order for my head to be at a comfortable angle. I also often fly cross country when I fly so my flights are long. I purposely avoid seats that don't recline at all.

4 inches seems like a lot though. I fly Southwest primarily and if I had to guess, those seats don't recline 4". 2" seems more in line with my experience, so this change by Delta isn't that bad.

 

[Floridaman999]

I hear they're developing some new under the plane economy seating. Oxygen masks, $10 extra.

Sounds like something Spirit Airlines would try.

 

[ronandannette]

Because sitting upright for long periods can be very uncomfortable for some people. It can aggravate some people's back and neck problems, as well.

I'm with the PP's who are wondering what recline ability there is even left to reduce. On most flights we've been on in recent years, the amount of recline already possible is tiny.

Agree with both. I hate this already and FWIW, I don't believe for one second Delta or any other airline gives one hot blankety-blank about customer comfort or preference. If anything this is a run-up to being able to charge for reclining seats or non-reclining seats, if that's what the customers will pay for. Wow - it must be the end of a very trying week because I'm sitting here actually getting angry just thinking about this...

 

[antmaril]

Good news. I never recline my seat out of courtesy for the person sitting behind me.

 

[Poohforyou]

I get what you're saying about someone reclining a lot. However, the way the airline seats are constructed, and i guess my height, make me actually pitch forward unless I recline the seat a bit. I don't go crazy but my seat is reclined 2-3 inches just to make it tolerable for me.

 

[RedAngie]

I hear they're developing some new under the plane economy seating. Oxygen masks, $10 extra.

edir eht namtaB.

 

[mnrose]

All for it.

 

[low-key]

The big ugly guy who always sits in front of me is gonna be mad

 

[kaytieeldr]

The airlines should reverse their evil tortuous efforts to cram even more human beings into less passenger space.

How much - or what percentage - more are you willing to pay for airlines to remove seats?

 

[AP1209]

Being 6'3 and having seats jammed into my knees all I can say is, it's about time!

 

[jec6613]

I hope American Airlines follows suit. The guy in front of me reclined and I felt like his head was about in my lap. I don't recline after reading years ago here on the DIS how it bothered people, so this doesn't bother me.

AA bought seats that don't recline back, but rotate and cradle forward on their new Boeing aircraft. So instead of using up somebody's space behind you, you eat up your own legroom.

And if the person in front of you reclines, you get more legroom!

 

[sam_gordon]

But so many times I get the full in your lap drop recliners in front of me

I had my knees bashed by the seat in front of me

Oh I can smell their shampoo now

The guy in front of me reclined and I felt like his head was about in my lap.

I know exaggeration is normal online, but every time this comes up, I think "what airlines are they flying"? About 4 years ago, I was flying Delta home from an event and had gotten upgraded to the "comfort+" seating. Before we got off the plane (after we were on the ground), I reclined the seat all the way so I could get a picture of how much this recline really is.

That looks like 2-3" to me. I don't see anyway that's even close to being in someone's lap. And if the seat truly "reclines", wouldn't the bottom of the seat back then be moved forward?

Next time you fly, do the same thing I did... recline the seat all the way and then take a picture.

 

[jec6613]

That looks like 2-3" to me. I don't see anyway that's even close to being in someone's lap. And if the seat truly "reclines", wouldn't the bottom of the seat back then be moved forward?

Not on 99% of airline seats. On some newer ones they do, as I mentioned above the newest AA seats, but it's certainly quite rare. There's a lot of impact absorbing going on in an airline seat, and to be put on a certified transport category aircraft takes a lot of engineering and design work, which is why such a basic feature is such a recent addition to aircraft. And I don't believe that a single regional jet has them as an option yet.

 

[sam_gordon]

Not on 99% of airline seats. On some newer ones they do, as I mentioned above the newest AA seats, but it's certainly quite rare. There's a lot of impact absorbing going on in an airline seat, and to be put on a certified transport category aircraft takes a lot of engineering and design work, which is why such a basic feature is such a recent addition to aircraft. And I don't believe that a single regional jet has them as an option yet.

Sorry, "not" what? The bottom of the back of the seat, even if it doesn't go forward, must then not move back. If the entire seat back moves back, then it's not reclining. And I'm not referring to where the seat is physically attached to the aircraft.

 

[pixiedustedme]

I agree with the PP. When flying domestically in the last ten years, even first class, I have never had or seen a seat with deep recline ability. They've only gone back 2 - 5 inches already.

Maybe in some very old aircraft used only for short flights that is the case, but for multi-hour domestic flights, I've just never seen deep recline.

 

[dish rag]

I know exaggeration is normal online, but every time this comes up, I think "what airlines are they flying"? About 4 years ago, I was flying Delta home from an event and had gotten upgraded to the "comfort+" seating. Before we got off the plane (after we were on the ground), I reclined the seat all the way so I could get a picture of how much this recline really is.

That looks like 2-3" to me. I don't see anyway that's even close to being in someone's lap. And if the seat truly "reclines", wouldn't the bottom of the seat back then be moved forward?

Next time you fly, do the same thing I did... recline the seat all the way and then take a picture.

Thanks for posting that pic. It’s so slight of a recline I don’t know how any one could be bothered by it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I know exaggeration is normal online, but every time this comes up, I think "what airlines are they flying"? About 4 years ago, I was flying Delta home from an event and had gotten upgraded to the "comfort+" seating. Before we got off the plane (after we were on the ground), I reclined the seat all the way so I could get a picture of how much this recline really is.

That looks like 2-3" to me. I don't see anyway that's even close to being in someone's lap. And if the seat truly "reclines", wouldn't the bottom of the seat back then be moved forward?

Next time you fly, do the same thing I did... recline the seat all the way and then take a picture.

Thanks for the pic.

Could it depend on the aircraft itself though in terms of how much recline is allowable?

As far as I've read for Delta it's the Airbus A320 of which Delta only has 62 of them where the reclining is being adjusted from 4 to 2 inches and from 5 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches (for first class). Do you remember what aircraft type that picture was taken on?

 

[kaytieeldr]

That looks like 2-3" to me.

According to the link in the first post, economy seats currently recline 4", and FC seats recline 5.5". These test planes are having that reduced by two inches (50%/36%).

And if the seat truly "reclines", wouldn't the bottom of the seat back then be moved forward?

The seats don't truly recline, apparently. The seatbacks hinge back. If the seats truly reclined, that would reduce the reclining passenger's pitch even more than the airlines have already designed.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

After reading this thread I wonder if the people who think that it's "only" a couple of inches and that it certainly can't affect the people behind are the recliners or maybe even short people that don't "get" it for those of us with longer legs.

I always hate it when they recline all the way and then don't lean against it. They just sit up straight and chat with whoever they are traveling with. I've seen that multiple times.