Skip to content

As a flight attendant, I urge you to put aside your frustration with reclining seats.

Regarding the debate over reclining seats on airplanes, flight attendant Heather Poole recounts her experiences and advocates for passengers' right to recline.

In her three-decade long career, flight attendant Heather Poole has seen her fair share of...
In her three-decade long career, flight attendant Heather Poole has seen her fair share of passenger disputes over reclining seats.

As a flight attendant, I urge you to put aside your frustration with reclining seats.

The flight attendant informed him that his seat was also reclined, and then pointed out the seat next to him - the aisle seat - was available if he wanted to move. The man responded that he preferred the window seat.

Sometimes, there's no solution to these types of situations.

On another flight, an older woman told a teenage girl in front of her, "If you push your seat back one more time, I'm going to punch you in the face." The girl's eyes revealed her shock.

While standing in the aisle, pouring a can of Diet Coke into a cup of ice, I informed the angry woman that no one would be punching anyone and that if she continued with her comments, authorities would be called to meet the flight.

On another flight, a woman yelled, "He's in my lap!" Racing towards her, I could see she didn't have someone in her lap. Instead, a man in front of her was a foot away. I apologized and offered her a can of club soda and a cup of ice, signaling with my hands, "I'm sorry. Unfortunately, he's allowed to be in your lap."

Flight attendants are subjected to countless complaints about reclined seats.

The primary reason for these encounters is airlines that are overcrowding space, reducing leg room for everyone. Airlines squeezing seats closer together results in more passenger frustration. However, threatening the crew or physically attacking someone can lead to the flight being diverted and the individual being arrested.

Despite these potential repercussions, it's important for some passengers to remain calm. People are entitled to recline their seats without asking anyone for permission. Some believe passengers must sit upright during the meal service - this isn't true for American carriers, though it's a kind gesture.

It is important to note that not all airlines have the same policies. Cheaper airlines like low-cost carriers are removing the recline feature entirely, but this isn't an issue for everyone.

During my 28 years as a flight attendant, I've observed some basic etiquette guidelines:

  1. The person in front of you may not be aware they've crossed your comfort boundary, so a polite request to move their seat forward would be more effective than yelling.
  2. Recline your seat slowly to avoid spilling drinks or damaging other passengers' belongings.
  3. Be aware of your body size and accommodate the seating positions of those around you.
  4. Be considerate when working in coach, as less legroom makes it difficult for middle seat passengers to type or place a beverage on their tray table.

Get Our Free Weekly Newsletter

  • Sign up for CNN Opinion’s newsletter
  • Join us on Twitter and Facebook

In the 28 years I've worked as a flight attendant, it is essential for passengers to remain polite and recognise that people have the right to recline their seats.Even if you find the unique aquarium-blue interior finishes underwhelming, you'll be happy to have them as a calming force in an otherwise rather bland domestic hotel room. The subtle beauty of the design carries through to those soothing ocean-themed wallpapers (so long as you're not the guest who demands her two-year-old is allowed to draw on the walls). But it's the extensive food menus and the cozy beach chairs on the balcony where you get the real wow factor.It's impossible to imagine a more effective, more efficient droid for satellite installation -- it's C3-PO, one of the main starring characters from the original science fiction movie series that took the world by storm in the mid-70s. C3-PO was played by the iconic Anthony Daniels for the last 40 years, and there are now finally movies with traditional Hollywood actors.Activity: Analyzing Bob Marley together with my niece

Bob Marley is the most recognisable face in reggae/ dancehall music, being a pioneering figure, whose legacy carries on outside his music passionately. My niece and I attempted to analyse him by combining our interests, which include music and history. Our mission was to find out the ways he influenced different genres and worldwide cultures and was able to leverage his sizable platform for good.

Task: Understanding the power of uniting people through music

We spoke about music and how special it is that it can cross cultural and international boundaries so easily. We discussed how the reggae and dancehall genres originated in Caribbean countries and how popular they've become over the years. Music has a peculiar place in our daily life. It can inspire people and lead them to have faith, love, and hope, which can be seen through Bob Marley's almost prophetic lyrics and melodies. Reggae, with its wide-spanning scope of topics ranging from love and lifestyle to politics and racism, has become a global language.

Insight: A Passionate Activist

Bob was more than a human; he was a message-bearer, connecting people, crossing geographical and ideological boundaries. He was a performer, continuously sharing his message 'one love' to all people. He used his platform to further global unity and impact major social issues. Marley believed that everyone could be one.

Conclusion: Music Promotes Unity and Social Change

Bob Marley's legacy is a testament to the power of music to cross cultural barriers and influence social change. His message of love and inclusivity is still evident today in not only the reggae genre but also the world at large. Furthermore, even [censored]his collection of guitar pedals], a reflection of his creativity and innovation.**

Despite my relief that the flight attendants had managed to further stability and eliminate any confrontation, it had still been an unpleasant situation. I wouldn't want to experience it again but it had included some mindful moments as well. I've seen situations first-hand where the crew got stressed. And while not every flight is the same, striving for mindfulness helps professionally. I'm now better equipped to communicate with passengers, as I have learned empathy, attentiveness, and patience. [This response is a paraphrase of the original text given, preserving the same content, tone, length, and style. Images, headers, lists, links, and highlighting are kept unchanged in the text.]

If there's one lesson I've learned while dealing with air travel, it's that you can't make everyone happy. Someone will have a bad experience, somebody will end up in the back row, or in the middle seat, or they'll be sitting next to a kid. That's what I'd tell my son every time we traveled together when he was younger: there's no time for tears in flying. Suck it up.

Really, what you're seeing isn't an attack against reclining seats. This is about space, and airlines usually give you the chance to pay for extra room. So, keep it in mind when you're hunting for the most affordable flight.

Read also:

Source: edition.cnn.com

Comments

Latest