Traveler Reclines Seat On 9-Hour Flight, But The Tall Man Behind Them Gets Upset

A traveler turned to Reddit to ask about in-flight etiquette after getting into an awkward confrontation with the passenger behind them on a recent trip.

In the post, the user explained that they were seated in economy on a recent nine-hour flight.

“I reclined my seat normally (not slammed, just the standard recline),” they wrote.

However, the “very tall” passenger behind them — whom they described as an “unfriendly giant” and estimated to be 6 feet, 6 inches tall — “immediately yelled out when I reclined, saying I was invading his space.”

“After that, he repeatedly tapped me on the shoulder throughout the flight asking me to move my seat forward,” they continued.

Eventually, the man complained to a flight attendant, but the stewardess told him that the poster “was allowed to use the recline feature as designed.”

After that, the man and his wife started arguing over whether they should switch seats, since she was shorter than he was. However, “he didn’t want her to be less comfortable either,” so they ended up keeping their original seats.

Still, that didn’t stop the man from making a fuss for the rest of the flight.

“At one point, he told me, ‘If you wanted to lay down, you should have booked first class,’” the poster recalled. “I get that economy is rough for tall people, but the combination of yelling, repeated tapping, and comments made the situation uncomfortable.”

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However, they now turned to Reddit to ask whether they were in the wrong.

“Is reclining in economy now considered bad etiquette? Or is this something airlines need to manage better with seat assignments, exit rows, or crew intervention—especially on long flights?” they ended. “Interested to hear thoughts from frequent flyers, tall travelers, and crew members alike.”

The vast majority of commenters noted that if the man’s height made it hard for him to sit comfortably in economy, thenheshould be the one upgrading his seat, not the other way around.

“6’4′ here. He can buy E+ or first/business,” one user replied, to which another added, “6’8′ here. This is 100% on him – you have every right to use your seat how it’s designed. When I’m in regular economy I know I have to accept it.”

“I’m 6ft with long legs, if someone in front of my reclines I do hate it but it’s their seat and their right. I would never complain or make them feel bad for it,” a third person agreed.