Late last year, American furniture brand La-Z Boy Inc. launched a petition called #BanReclining, inviting Americans to sign the pledge. Those who sign the pledge “commit to reserving the act of reclining for my home, and will not engage in reclining aboard any and all future flights.”

The petition also features three short videos, including one of a passenger in the last row of a plane unable to recline his seat in response to the reclined seat in front of him. The petition was initially launched as a way to promote the brand’s signature reclining chairs. Those who sign are entered in a sweepstakes to win prizes like $500 in airfare and a La-Z-Boy recliner.

So far, the petition has received about 200,000 signatures, raising the ever-growing question: Is it rude to recline your seat when flying?

A Harris Poll conducted last October found four in 10 Americans would support a ban on passengers reclining their seats on domestic flights.

The continuing debate has boiled over into all-out fights onboard. In August 2023, a viral video from Paris to Los Angeles saw two passengers argue over a reclined seat. Last November, a first-class American Airlines passenger documented a less-than-ideal experience on X, in which the seat in front was practically in his lap.

One of the biggest bust ups occurred on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight last September, in which a couple harassed another passenger who refused to put up her reclined seat. The airline subsequently banned the couple from any future flights.

There are two sides to the debate. Some passengers argue reclining their seat is an in-flight right made possible through seat design. Other passengers also state the reclined option eases back pain and other medical issues, leading to increased comfort, particularly in economy and premium economy cabins.

On the other hand, other passengers argue reclining seats decrease an already-limited space, making it harder to move, eat, and watch films and television series on the seatback screen. Space is already at a minimum at 35,000 feet in the air, and many passengers are already on edge from stress and flight anxieties, so this added factor often pushes some over the edge. Banning reclined seats also takes away from the awkwardness of facing or encountering the passenger behind you, removing any guilt you may have for infringing on their space.

What are your thoughts on reclining seats on a plane? Do you recline your seat? Have you witnessed or experienced an argument over a passenger reclining a seat? Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.