On a recent flight into O’Hare, I had quite an experience. Just as the full plane got to its cruising elevation, the young 20-something girl in front of me reclined her seat. Having my legs crossed, I was immediately smushed.
I think I said something like, “Whoa,” at which point the girl turned around with an inconvenienced look and said, “Could you move your legs?” Not, “I’m sorry” or “Excuse me.” Just, “Could you move your legs?”
I was flabbergasted and shared how cramped it was. She and her friends went on to call me selfish–after all, she paid for a seat that reclines. (I wondered at that point what my paid fare guaranteed.) I ended up moving and she got to recline. But I was frosted that this young person thought only of her own comfort and then called me selfish.
I guess those Gen Xers never learned this lesson: Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. So for the young woman on the plane, here’s an easy airplane etiquette slogan: If filled behind, don’t recline!
