Video Of Feud On Plane Over Reclining Seat Sparks Debate: Who Is The Villain?

A mega-viral video is stirring up a popular debate topic:

Reclining your seat on a plane.

People get weirdly fired up when it comes to talking about whether it’s okay to recline a seat on a plane. It’s one of the few issues everyone seems to have an opinion on.

There’s nobody really in the middle, and I’m firmly in the camp that believes it’s *NOT* acceptable. Well, debate is, once again, raging.

A video circulating social media shows a feud over a reclining seat on a plane. (Credit: Getty Images)

Viral video sparks debate on reclining plane seats.

A video making the rounds features a guy jacking up the reclined seat in front of him by pushing it forward, and the man sitting in the reclined seat tried to flip out before being unable to undo his seat belt.

A classic plane situation! Watch the video below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Naturally, I had to ask who was the villain in this situation where both camps in the debate are bound to have serious opinions.

Below are some of the answers I received:

• The seatbelt.
• Red headphones guy
• That’s why I always get the window seat
• You have right to recline
• I HATE IT when someone in front of me reclines into my space. Ask first of you have too, but I’ll make your life miserable if you do it and don’t ask. Your space becomes useless unless you then recline into the next person’s space. I won’t do it.
• Airline
• the guy that reclined his seat.. i am not as aggressive as that guy but i do lift my cramped knees so they are on the back of the chair and start shaking them.. if they think my space is their space i have every right to shake up what little space they have left me..
• Anyone putting their seat back on a plane is an inconsiderate a-hole. He deserved that..
• The seats recline.  If you don’t like it, then petition the airlines to install non-reclining seats. I don’t care for people reclining in front of me either, but the airlines permit it. Violently shaking the seat in front of you in this situation is a good way to be kicked off.
• If you are flying economy and you lean your seat back, you are an awful human being and deserve whatever reaction is coming to you.
• The guy thought playing chess on a plane was so important.
• Guy kicking the seat. If you want more space, get business or first class. The seat reclines, so I’m going to recline. Nobody is eating or drinking so guy in the back can kick rocks.
• The guy leaning back.
• lean back dude.
• Whoever designed the airplanes so that the seats can be pushed back.
• I feel like it’s an unwritten rule to recline on international and overnights and not on domestic.
• The airline and the guy pushing the seat, the recline option is there and they can use it, give people a little more legroom from the airline
• The airlines. But also. The dude acting like a child in the back.
• The airlines are the villains! They sacrifice travelers comfort for increased profits!
• The person throwing their seat back. They should ask permission from person behind. There is very little space and it should not be encroached upon. Person paid for that limited space, no one should intrude on it.
• The guy behind his should just recline too. If you don’t want someone reclining buy 1St class.
• If everyone just acted like an adult, this type of thing wouldn’t go on. Both are being asses in reality.
• The clown who is trying to lean back.
• Only sociopaths recline their seat on a non overnight flight. You can’t sit up for a couple hours? Are you a toddler?
• I cannot stand it when people go back in their seats and slam it when they go back. But they aren’t doing anything wrong because the seats allow for reclining. However, you’re just an arshole if you do this.
• You are allowed to put your chair back. Suck it up butter cup.

As you can tell from the answers above, people have varying opinions on the situation, but the majority definitely feel the guy reclining was in the wrong.

That is the correct answer!

Just because a seat can recline doesn’t mean you should do it. There’s something to be said for being a part of a civilized society and observing social norms and decorum. 

Cramping on someone’s space on a plane ride is violating social norms, decorum, politeness, and it just can’t be tolerated.

We live in a society, and the rules of being a good member of society aren’t suspended just because you’re in an airplane. Personal space matters. Not being a jerk matters. Now, should the guy in the back jacked up his chair in that way?

Maybe not, but it was funny. I certainly laughed, and we all know every man has a breaking point.

Viral plane video sparks debate online. (Credit: Getty Images)

Who do you think was in the wrong? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.