'Entitled' plane passenger 'bans' person in front from reclining on seven-hour flight

A plane passenger has ignited a fiery debate on proper 'reclining etiquette' after being 'banned' from leaning back during their seven-hour journey by a fellow passenger. The traveller, who was flying from Newark Liberty International Airport to Munich International Airport in economy class, had hoped to catch some sleep to make the time pass more quickly.

However, their plans were thwarted by an 'entitled' woman sitting behind them who 'banned' them from reclining because she 'needed the extra legroom'. The frustrated passenger took to Reddit to vent, explaining: "When I got on the plane I was exhausted and wanted to sleep immediately, but waited until dinner service was over. I then reclined my seat. The woman behind me immediately tapped my shoulder and said 'Sorry, you can't'."

Assuming the woman was still eating, the passenger waited another 20 minutes before attempting to recline again, only to be met with shouts about her legs being squished and in pain.

The passenger recounted: "I told her that this was an overnight flight and everyone was going to recline and sleep. She argued. It was infuriating. I waited an hour then reclined. I think she was sleeping because she didn't notice. When we landed and she stood up, I saw that she was around my height - 5'2 or 5'3. I couldn't believe it. There is literally no way that me reclining my seat was hurting her at all! ".

One user vented their frustration, remarking: "I would've reclined as well. Your etiquette was on point waiting for the meal to be over."

Another chimed in with support: "If a passenger prevents you from reclining or harasses you for doing so just ring the flight attendant and let them know."

A third user confessed their disdain for the practice: "I hate people reclining into me. Absolutely hate it. It makes it impossible to work and if my laptop isn't positioned correctly the screen can be damaged if no warning is given. So, what do I do to prevent reclining? I buy first, choose a bulkhead seat, or choose an exit row."

They continued, "If those aren't available, I hope for the best and keep my effing mouth shut if the passenger in front wants to recline."

Echoing the sentiment, another added: "I would've reclined too. Also, where did her etiquette go? How about being polite? If she wanted more legroom, she should have paid more for an upgraded seat."

In a related discussion, a flight attendant stood up for passengers' right to recline their seats. Insider's interviews with five out of six flight attendants confirmed that passengers are indeed entitled to recline, despite potential disputes.