Is It Ever Acceptable to Sit Back on an Airplane? Two Frequent Flyers Compete Against Each Other

How relaxed are you when you fly? No, not your view: your attitude. Do you press the recline button just as the seat belt signs flash out and enjoy every increase in your new obtuse angle - or do you pay more attention to those behind you and remain stoic even when the seat in front of you falls on your lap?

Lying down - or not - is one of the biggest debates in aviation, pushing along like the giant Rolls-Royce engines of an Airbus A380. And according to a new report from Kayak on air travel etiquette, we remain a divided country: nine in ten Brits (92 percent) say it's fine to sit back, but 47 percent say you should ask permission from the person behind you. First.

In the survey, 16 percent of respondents said it's always okay to press the armrest button, while an eerily similar 19 percent mused that this is only acceptable on a long-haul flight. This isn't just a matter of comfort, it's also a moral dilemma: in the report, one in 10 people said they would wait for the person in front to take the lead. If they lean back, tacit consent is given.

What a farce. In an effort to settle this once and for all, we asked two frequent flyers - who were on both sides of the debate - to put forward their case. Who do you agree with? Tell us in the comments below. Fasten your seat belts: This could get bumpy.

"What kind of masochist doesn't use a lever that is specifically there to reduce their discomfort?"

Says Annabel Fenwick Elliott

There is something very strange about this debate. Which is to say, unlike most "divisive" topics, which have pros and cons on both sides, I can't for a moment fathom why this is even an argument.

Seats on airplanes (as well as in cars and various other forms of transportation) are designed to recline, because it is much more comfortable for people to lean back for long periods of time than to sit upright. This fact is beyond dispute. The button has a reason and is there for you to use it. What kind of absolute masochist doesn't use a lever specifically to reduce their discomfort in the first place?

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But even more baffling: why would that person, who is not content to spend hours in such a position himself - defiant, like a martyr being burned at the stake - expect all his fellow passengers to choose the same fate?

The only scenario in which I can vaguely imagine being annoyed if someone in front of me reclined their chair would be if mine didn't recline as well. Even then, it would probably just be because my button was broken, which wouldn't be the fault of the person in front, or even anything they knew about.

Furthermore, in the unlikely event that such an accident were to happen to me on a long-haul flight, I would never in a million years stand up, tap this person on the shoulder and demand that he not use his button either; thereby doubling human suffering. Fortunately, we rarely have to delve into this level of philosophy, as reclining seats all recline, so that once the seat belt signs go out, the domino effect can take place and everyone can claim his or her few inches of improvement. Why - if this is you - don't you want to lean?

The only motive I can see for banning reclining seats is the very motive that has driven certain budget airlines to do so: stinginess. Ryanair, for example, dropped the feature (along with other frills such as seat-back pockets) in 2004 because it made seats lighter and therefore fuel costs lower. And it doesn't make for a very comfortable flight, does it?

I have written extensively about this "debate" in the past and am still no closer to understanding the other side. So if anyone has a logical argument as to why I shouldn't press that button on my next long flight, I'd love to hear it. Subscribe, leave a comment. I wait with bated breath.

"People who recline their seats on planes are psychopaths and should be banned from flying"

Jack Achter says

As the golden rules go, the one about treating others the way you want to be treated is one of the easier rules to live by. If you're going on a date, don't have a cheese and onion sandwich for lunch. If you work in a small office, you should not reheat a fish pie in the communal microwave. If you're going on vacation, don't recline your seat on the plane.

You may be thinking, "I paid for this seat, why shouldn't I do what I want?" What do you care if the person behind you has less legroom?

Airplanes are uncomfortable. For most, flying is the worst part of going on vacation; the misery of being stuffed into a metal can at 35,000 feet is the price we reluctantly pay for the joy of travel. Is eight centimeters of sleeping comfort so much to ask?

I believe it is so. We live in a society and that means that sometimes you have to deal with minor inconveniences for the well-being of the people around you. And let's not pretend that keeping your seat upright is anything more than one minor discomfort. You do it seven hours a day at work, you can make it on a short flight.

Chances are, the moment you land and leave the airport, you'll check into a comfortable hotel room where you can laze and lounge to your heart's content. You don't have to impose yourself on anyone else while you're doing it.

Allow me to remind you of a basic fact of life that some entitled airline passengers seem to have forgotten: you are not more important than the people around you. You have no God-given right to comfort at their expense.

The benefit you get from reclining your seat is, frankly, miniscule. It won't make the seat less hard, it won't improve the taste of your meal on board, it won't stink up the feet of the guy next to you who has inexplicably taken off his shoes, nothing less.

The result is that you give even less space to the person behind you, make it harder to watch the movie or eat, and get the vacation off to a bad start.

A minor inconvenience is the price of cheap airline tickets and being able to travel. If you don't like it, pay for the upgrade to first class or better yet, rent a private jet where you can literally do anything you want. If this is impossible and you really can't stand sitting upright for a few hours, you may just not be fit for travel. May I suggest you stay home in your armchair and instead whine about your misanthropy on social media?