That's a good point nic. I am usually travelling alone and my hand luggage is minimal so I usually don't need overhead lockers. I do join the queue for my row simply because they do it for a reason now - ie. board the passengers at the rear of the plane first - makes perfect sense doesn't it?

I refuse to travel on an airline that does not allocate seats. It brings out the worst of the British mentality. Why people can't behave and form an orderly queue I do not know.

Even with an airline who board by row numbers some people tend to ignore the announcements and think that they are above everbody else and can board when they like. All this achieves is annoyance and a slowing down of the boarding procedure.

Some airlines are doing away with reclining seats on short haul flights - a very good thing in my book. I very rarely recline my seat - usually only when there is nobody sitting behind me. There is nothing more annoying than as soon as the plane is in the air then the seat in front being reclined - especially when the occupant doesn't even have the decency to put it up when drinks or meals are being served.

At the end of the day it really boils down to having a little respect for your fellow traveller and treating them as you like to be treated yourself.

Pippa

Totally agree Pippa

I do appreciate the point made that the reclining seats are there for a reason - but on short haul flights I dont see the point of reclining them and think that they should be abolished on those flights. Long haul is of course a completely different kettle of fish as folk may need to get their heads down for a sleep.

The table may stay static but surely if the back of the seat in front of you is reclined then the TINY space you have already between your body and the table is even less?

(and Im only 5ft 3ins so god love anyone tall)............what I mean is that if folk are using the table surely its good manners to keep your seat straight to accommodate them?

What about the folk who cant wait to get out of their seats when the plane lands? they are stood queued up in the aisle as soon as the seatbelt light goes off - it would be much easier if they would just filter out from the front and back one row after the other - but no they push on to the front blocking the aisles for everyone else...........

PMSL all these things dont bother me THAT much - its just I find human nature facinating in some situations, and travelling is one thing that brings out the worst in some folk!

Everytime I fill in one of those questionnaires on the plane, I put that reclining seats should be removed from short haul, dont have a problem with them on long haul, peoples needs are different then and the seat pitches are larger. I always ask the flight attendant if the person doesn't put it back up during the meal, I dont see why I should get in a confrontative situation with people, especially if they have been drinking alcohol.

I have this vision of the only person on the flight wanting them reclined being in row 1 and the other 32 rows reclining because of this, to gain back the space that has been invaded.

I dont have a problem with it being reclined slightly especially if I can see the person in tall and struggling. I have got stategys to deal with someone who puts a seat right back in my face from the moment we take off, but best not to mention them here.

I also wonder why people cant wait to get out of there seats on landing, it seems to slow things down as the aisles are blocked.

Can't - I sometimes slip my shoes off but do shower before my flight so don't THINK they smell My husband has never commented and I know he'd be the first to if they were a bit wiffy

I also recline my seat by about an inch as soon as I can - although I'm only short I find that the shape of the seat back forces my head forward and it's really uncomfortable. I've had problems with my back and neck in the past so being seated in the right position is essential for me. I do think that reclining it right back though is taking the mick but I think a tiny bit doesn't make much difference to the person behind - please correct me if I'm wrong!

sorry girls i must take you to task on reclining seats .. I only fly short haul and after take off always recline my seat a little [not to the fullest, as i have a back problem[ and have had for many years and still work ] which means i cannot sit for more than the minimum time required for take off or landing bolt upright if any airline went over to non reclining seats i would have to look at alternatives, as i would not want to spend most of my holiday in bed with excruciating pain

Brian

The seat completely up right is uncomfortable. I never fully recline the seat, just a little bit to be comfortable.

nicJW

I know on fly thomson you are not allowed to take your shoe's off, it on their with a cross over it. Just think if everybody took their shoes off, the pilot would get gassed and the plane would crash.

On the Thomson flights I went on last month I thought the seat was reclined as I sat down.
I tried to put the seat back up for take off but the seats were so comfortable I thought it was reclined.
The magazines were in the seat in front at the top of the seat and the bottom of the seat had much more space where your knees go.
It may have been a new plane but the 2 Thomson holidays I went on last year had the same seats but in a smaller plane.

Reclining your seats by an inch or two I think is acceptable, however not everyone thinks that way. Those annoying people tend to be the first in the queueto board, recline the seat to the fullest (cos they can), down as much alcohol in the premium seats cos it's FREE, stand up first as the plane lands despite being told to stay in your seats, runs to the luggage carasol, pushing over everyone to get their case first, runs to the coach, gets the best seat and tells everyone he's been here before etc., gallops to the reception of the hotel to be seen first, and in the morning getsd to sun beds at ridiculous o'clock to put his England flag towel on his spot for the entire 2 weeks, and woe betide anyone that tried to nab his spot.

I bet it's those same people who write all those grotty reviews complaining about evertything too

Kedi, it's for that same reason I won't look in the hotel reviews about a hotel in Jamaica that I am going to next year - would rather wait and see, than let some moanalot put me off

My pet hate is muppets who use forums to completely slate a place that they have not even visited They read reviews pick out the bad bits and then bleat on like their information is factual.

For instance I was standing behind a women in a hotel restaurant recently who was complaining rather loudly that there was nothing at all for her children to eat as there was no chicken nuggets.. If I had not heard it myself I would have thought that she was joking but she most certainly was not and will no doubt be leaving a bad review because of the terrible food in the restaurant

It's a vicious circle of ignorance at times!

I also agree that I hate it when an airline actually charges you a premium to try to avoid a scrum for seats and you still end up caught in the scrum anyway! For that price they should reserve your seats like most other airlines do.

I know what you mean about hotels reviews stardust, I stayed in a lovely hotel in majorca the gran vista in c'an picafort and I read a review by a woman you would of thought it was some run down dirty hotel when it wasn't. If 95% of the reviews are good then I put it down to a very fussy person, and if 95% reviews are bad and somebody says its great, then they don't want anybody to know they had a terrible holiday, stay in a barn on holidays normally, and my favorite is the best hotel I have ever stayed in, god know where they normally stay. I look for the same fault coming up in different reviews and then you know its true.

Being disabled we usually get boarded first. Now I don't make the rules so why do some people have to complain very loudly how unfair it is as we hobble to the front.
It's distressed my other half so much in the past that he's made me wait to board with everyone else which of course caused everyone to be held up as we are slower than them.
I would happily wait till last to board if someone wants my disability.

Hmm I am one of those tall people and my knees without the seat inclined already are wedged against the seat. I used to pay the extra for the emergency exit seats but now I have a toddler that option is out.
Anyways last year our baby was under two so was sat on my knee and the person in front fully reclined their seat and didn't think twice about it. I had to get an attendants attention to sort out the problem. The person kicked up such a fuss and shouted all over the plane how rediculous it was and that I should just deal with it. My nubby also tall and very laid back was so close to thumping the old grump. The grumps wife once the drinks trolley had been round flung her seat back and my husbands tea covered him just as well I had the baby or she could have been scalded. She didn't even apologise.
So for all you seat recliners just take a look round before reclining incase of either of these situations happening.

i very rarely recline my seat, i have a bad back and sometimes take a cushion with me which helps.

i agree with mike about smelly feet, we had someone with very smelly feet on a flight last year and i kept saying very loud what a disgusting smell of sweaty feet etc, i dont know whether it came from someone in front or infront of them but we had to suffer it all flight, i did think about telling the hostess but as i didnt know who it was decided not to.

now on the flight back from istanbul just over a week ago, we had the family from hell 2 rows behind us, but my poor father in law was in the row behind us and another chap and they had the worst flight ever, it was a turkish couple with a boy of about 3-4 oh my was he naughty, he kept hitting my father in law and this chap on the head, poking them,pinching them,pulling their hair, shouting, screaming, and the parents did nothing to stop him. i reported it to the stewards who did nothing but watched them a few times and as soon as they watched he behaved lol. this chap next to my father in law told them to stop their child but they again ignored him, i felt very sorry for them, my father in law didnt like to say anything ,just turned around and looked a few times lol. we were in the first row and they even let him walk to the door and play with it and the kitchen area,ive never seen such a naughty child on a flight and parents who had no control whats so ever !!! every time the seat belt sign went on he screamed and shouted grr and wanted to sit on his mothers knee lol, thats the only time i heard the stewards tell them off !! if i had been in the seat behind i couldnt have put up with that for 4 hours , 1 chap already had moved seats due to them lol

"Being disabled we usually get boarded first. Now I don't make the rules so why do some people have to complain very loudly how unfair it is as we hobble to the front.
It's distressed my other half so much in the past that he's made me wait to board with everyone else which of course caused everyone to be held up as we are slower than them.
I would happily wait till last to board if someone wants my disability."

That's awful silverpixie.

I was up early this morning and decided to do a bit of research into the complex we are staying in in Alcudia. There was a review (not on this site!) which complained that there were "too many foreigners" in the complex!

What????? Foreigners????????? in a foreign country - how absurd eh?

Yes foreign people in their own country is terrible and then there is the foreign food, What about those who complain that their are no chips served in the restaurant