‘She Slammed My Seat, Then Screamed For My Upgrade’—Here’s How American Airlines Shut Down Recline Rage Karen
https://viewfromthewing.com/she-slammed ... age-karen/
A passenger on American Airlines flight 91 from London Heathrow to Chicago on Sunday says that they found themselves in an altercation with the woman seated behind them, whom they dubbed a “Karen.”
The top tier Executive Platinum member redeemed 27,000 AAdvantage miles to fly home on the new Boeing 787-9P in economy after a 72 hour visit to London for a wedding. They were seated in an aisle seat in regular economy – not even extra legroom Main Cabin Extra. He was exhausted and reclined his seat slightly. But something seemed wrong with the brand new aircraft? No, it was the woman behind him, a “mid-50s Karen” who was fighting him on recline because it was intruding on her space to work.
SLAM. My seat rockets forward like it’s spring-loaded. “New plane, maybe a mechanical issue?” I think, trying again. SLAM.
I turn around to discover I’ve apparently disturbed the natural habitat of a mid-50s Karen who informs me that her “work” is infinitely more important than my need for sleep. Because nothing says “critical business operations” like a cramped economy seat on a transatlantic flight.
He sought out help from a flight attendant who, he says,
thanked him for his loyalty as an Executive Platinum member
Offered help.
The flight attendant reportedly tried to reason with the other passenger, but she declared him “childish” for involving crew in the dispute and refused “to even let the [flight attendant] demonstrate the recline because she “will not tolerate” such an egregious assault on her workspace.”
So the flight attendant offered a solution – moving him to an empty seata in premium economy. The woman behind him was apoplectic: she “practically shrieks that SHE should get the upgrade since she needs ‘more space to work.'”
Freed of the passenger reclining back into her, the man now in premium economy says she “‘worked’ for exactly 20 more minutes before giving up entirely.” I’m not sure I’d have gone back to monitor her, to be honest. I’d have just taken the win. Although it seems to me that American should have upgraded the Executive Platinum member into premium economy if there was an empty seat.
However, he applauds American for doing “something right” and wanted to highlight it, saying he was “10/10 [happy to] get bullied by a Karen again if it means free upgrades.”
Seat recline is important for passengers on long flights with poorly-padded seats. Recline works to distribute passenger weight and reduce back stress. Reclining is also a basic right when it’s a feature of your seat (certain airlines like Spirit and Frontier feature seats they call “pre-reclined” i.e. that do not recline).
A passenger controls their own seat
Airlines ban the Knee Defender device, which prevents recline – a device was designed to stop reclining. While their interest is prevent damage to the seat, they do not allow the passenger seated behind to interfere with the recline function
There is an etiquette to exercising your right to recline, though. Don’t recline during mealtime. Try not to recline unless it serves a real purpose (if it doesn’t actually benefit your comfort, don’t recline).
Ultimately you need to buy the space that you want, ask politely that passengers around you conform to norms, and if they don’t get a crewmember involved. You can also consider a Coasian solution: you each have an initial set of rights and they can impede on each other’s preferences, so find a (cash) bargain.
PP
