How to Prevent Someone from Reclining an Airplane Seat

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Etiquette, rules, and tips surrounding reclining and seat blockers

Co-authored by Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: June 5, 2024 Fact Checked

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Asking Someone Not to Recline

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Stopping Them Physically

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Getting More Room on a Flight

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Is reclining bad etiquette?

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Q&A

Air travel can be tiresome enough without the passenger in front of you invading your space by slamming their seat all the way back down. That’s why we’re here to help you negotiate for some personal space, or use slightly trickier methods to secure your in-flight peace. Then, we’ll offer tips on getting more personal space on a flight, and answer once and for all: is it bad etiquette to recline your seat?

Preventing Someone From Reclining

Politely ask the passenger in front of you not to recline, and explain your reasoning. If that fails, involve a flight attendant or ask to move seats. Or, lift your knees or place a sturdy water bottle between the tray table and latch to stop them from reclining.

Section 1 of 4:

Asking Someone Not to Recline their Seat

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1
Ask the passenger in front of you not to recline, politely. If the passenger in front of you reclines, your first option is simply to ask them not to. Be polite and patient, and keep your voice low, so as not to draw attention, which may embarrass the other passenger. You might even ask them at the start of the flight, before they attempt to recline their seat. For example, you might say:^{[1]
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- “Excuse me, would you mind keeping your seat upright?”
- “Pardon me, can you sit upright for this flight? I’d be so grateful.”
2
Explain your reasoning patiently. If you need your leg room for health reasons, like a leg injury, then you’ve got a pretty solid justification. But you can still ask and explain yourself even if you’re just tall, nervous about flying, or simply want to be more comfortable—those are all perfectly reasonable!^{[2]
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Research source} Explain this to the other passenger patiently when you ask them to stay upright. For example:
- “Sorry, it’s just that I get anxious on flights and need some personal space to stay calm.”
- “See, I’m pretty tall, and there already isn’t much leg room. I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t recline.”
- “Excuse me, I’m eating right now, and don’t have much room. Would you mind staying upright for a bit?
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3
Involve a flight attendant or parent if things escalate. If the other passenger refuses or becomes frustrated, you might consult an in-flight attendant and explain your situation to them. If the attendant decides your request is reasonable, they might instruct the other passenger to comply. Keep in mind that many airlines do allow other passengers to recline as they please, however.^{[3]
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- If the other passenger is a child, consult their parents and ask them to swap seats with their child, or to calm them down.

Section 2 of 4:

Physical Ways to Stop a Seat from Reclining

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1
Place a sturdy water bottle on your tray just under the latch. After the plane has taken off and the “fasten seatbelt” sign dims, pull down your tray table. Place bottle directly underneath the tray table latch. You may need to use your book or something else to hold the bottle in place between the tray and the latch. Gently push bottle as far back as possible, into the seat in front of you. When the person in front of you tries to recline, the seat won't go back.
- This may not work for every airplane seat, and it depends largely on the seat’s design.
In a pinch, you can always lift your knees up and place them on the back of the seat in front of you to prevent the passenger from reclining.^{[4]
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Research source} Just be sure to place them there gently, so as not to make the unsuspecting passenger uncomfortable, and be prepared for some cold looks or even confrontation if they peek back and realize what’s going on.
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Point your over-seat air conditioning at them. This one’s fairly petty, and we don’t recommend it unless the situation is dire. That said, you might reach over your head and turn the personal air conditioning nozzle to full blast, then point it forward at the reclining passenger to dissuade them from reclining.
- Just as it’s their right to recline, it’s your right to use the personal A/C. That doesn’t make either action polite, though.
4
Use a commercial product to stop the seat (at your own risk). Knee Defenders and similar gadgets are designed to attach to the tray table and prevent the person in front of you from reclining. They’re fairly cheap, and available online in a range of designs. Just be aware that most airlines prohibit them and may penalize you for using them, but they aren’t necessarily illegal.^{[5]
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- An airline may ask you to move seats, pay a fine, or even bar you from buying a future ticket if you insist on using one. The legality of these repercussions is hazy, so tread lightly.

Section 3 of 4:

Getting More Room on a Flight

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If the person in front of you reclines, you might also recline to distance yourself from the back of their seat. It doesn’t solve the leg room problem, but it does make things a bit less claustrophobic. Of course, it does mean possibly inconveniencing the passenger behind you, but desperate times call for desperate measures, right?^{[6]
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2
Use headphones and close your eyes to find some mental space. If the person in front of you insists on reclining, try your best to relax and let the matter slide. It’s hard, we know, but lashing out will only make the flight harder. Put on some headphones, close your eyes, and do some breathing exercises—10 seconds in, 10 seconds out.^{[7]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK

Go to source} This too shall pass.
- Take your mind off the problem by listening to some music, a podcast, or looking out the window, if possible.
3
Purchase or request a seat in an exit row or front row. When booking a flight online, you’re often able to view a map of the seating plan and select which seats you prefer. If possible, purchase a seat in a front row, or one next to an emergency exit. These seats tend to have more room in front of them, making reclining passengers less of a problem.^{[8]
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- Once the flight takes off, you might also ask a flight attendant if you can move to a vacant front-row or emergency-exit seat.
Some airlines use seat designs that don’t even offer the recline function, such as Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air.^{[9]
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Research source} If you’re determined to avoid a fellow passenger reclining, purchase a ticket with one of these airlines, or ask the airline you’re purchasing a flight with if their seats recline. If not, you’re in luck! If they do, ask the customer service rep to place you in a row with more leg room.

Section 4 of 4:

Is reclining bad etiquette?

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Reclining is a right, but isn’t necessarily polite. Airline seats are often made to recline, and if a function exists, people are going to use it, and most flight attendants won’t stop them. After all, flights can be long and uncomfortable, and it’s hard to blame someone for wanting it to be easier. That said, it can be a hassle for the passenger behind you, and so many people choose not to, just to be polite.
- Really, the fault rests with the airlines, which seem to keep shrinking the space between seats for the sake of cramming more passengers onto a flight. If you, like us, need to air your grievances, take it up with the airline!

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Flying is uncomfortable, annoying, irritable, and unnecessary. Why do people continue to board planes, considering all the negative factors?

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Planes help get people where they want to go fast. Planes also require a lot less focus than driving a car does, and sometimes people need to travel internationally, where the only other option would be to take a boat, which would require several days of travel (and probably be even less pleasant than flying).

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