Are You Inclined to Recline?

The great seat debate!

To recline or not to recline?  That is the question.

This remains a hot button topic going back through a number of years of air travel.  Should passengers recline their seats on a commercial flight?  Over the past few weeks we inquired on Twitter and Facebook to get a temperature on this topic.  The responses we received were passionate on both sides of the argument!  We've sampled a few of those answers below: 

Pros:

• Mark states, "My rule is more the timing... Do it early in the flight before beverage service on shorter flights, or on longer flights with a meal I wait until the meal service is over so they're not scrunched behind you trying to eat."
• Greg says, "OK, since we are doing etiquette, The recline is there, and free to use. Whether we use it is up to us. It truly depends on the aircraft I am on, if I use it. Some of the older CR aircraft are not that comfortable. Some of the new 170-190, I never need to recline. The common theme, if I want to recline, I will always look back, check the person behind me and let them know I am coming back a little..."
• Christopher shared this, "Well...I always look behind me first...and if the person doesn't look like they would be uncomfortable by my seat going back a bit, I just do it. (airplane manners??) My logic is, I paid for the seat (literally on some airlines), so if it goes back a few inches...I'm going for it if I need to rest. In first class it's never an issue. If the plane has WiFi (US Airways, AirTran, Delta, Southwest) or satellite TV (JetBlue, Virgin) I'm upright enjoying technology!"
• Lee Ann conveyed, "It's polite to warn and ask the person behind you first! Nothing like having a full tray suddenly unexpectedly in your lap. Think first if it was YOU in the rear!"
• Max says, "yes but SLOWLY... and if you're going to lean forward to eat, RAISE IT!"
• Timothy espoused, "Certainly, you payed for those extra several inches of room!"

Cons:

• Bob says, "If you clearly see someone behind you with long legs or working on a laptop then the answer is 'no.'"
• Susan's thoughts on the matter, "NO!!! Space is very limited. Every time the person puts their seat back I feel like it is an invasion of my space. Suck it up like the rest of us courteous people. I have noticed that the people that normally recline do not seem like frequent flyers."
• Dan indicates, "I personally do not use that feature because I dislike when others do and never inform you they are and if you have a drink on your tray at the time is can and does spill. Most people are not courteous to even ask or inform the person behind them they are going to recline there seat."
• Evan opined, "No unless no one is behind you. I almost never recline my seat anyway. I I am tired enough on a flight I will fall asleep no matter what position my seat is in. I fly 20,000-30,000 miles a year."
• Jeff shared, "Not okay. I avoid it because I fear being perceived as rude by the person seated behind me."
• Ryan said, "I tend not to. They don't go back far enough to be comfy and it just annoys the person behind you."

A number of taller passengers indicated that due their above average height, they needed to recline for more space, but didn't care for seats being reclined into their knees.  So they were honestly on both the pro and con side of the seat reclining topic!   We found responses to our inquiry to be nearly an equal split for and against the idea of seat reclining. 

So, where do you sit on this matter?  Are you inclined to recline?  We'd be interested in hearing what solutions you have that could remedy this great debate once and for all in everyone's favor.