There’s Actually a Petition Going Around to Ban Seat Reclining on Planes — and It Has Over 150K Signatures

There’s only one air travel debate that’s as divisive as window or aisle, and that’s the issue of reclining. 

On the one hand, economy seats are typically fairly uncomfortable, and reclining can make things a little bit better for you. On the other, reclining eats into the extremely limited legroom of the person behind you. And that’s not to mention that aggressive recliners have been known to knock over drinks and damage laptops behind them.

While we’re not here to settle this debate ourselves, iconic chair company La-Z-Boy — whose founders invented the recliner — has taken a stance. La-Z-Boy has officially launched a campaign against reclining on planes, recommending that travelers save the reclining for home, where it doesn’t negatively affect others.

“La-Z-Boy has spent nearly 100 years innovating and crafting the most comfortable, high-quality recliners. While this continues to set our products apart, we believe comfort shouldn’t come at others’ expense,” Nelly Martinez Garza, La-Z-Boy’s Senior Director of Consumer Marketing, said in a statement. “Our #BanReclining campaign is simple: Just because you can recline doesn’t mean you always should.” 

So far, more than 150,000 people have signed the petition, the company claims. Of course, there’s a little bit of an incentive to do so. If you sign the pledge, you’ll have the chance to win prizes like a La-Z-Boy recliner and $500 in airfare.

No matter which stance you take, if you do decide to recline on a plane, make sure to do so as gently as possible. That way you’re less likely to damage anything or hurt anyone behind you. And when it comes time for meal service, sit up! Everyone needs as much tray table space as possible. 

And finally, here’s a pro tip: If you really don’t want to deal with a recliner in front of you, book a bulkhead seat, which means there’s no one in front of you. You can also book an exit row seat, as the seats in front of this row don’t usually recline so as not to obstruct the exit.