Was I Wrong for Reclining My Seat? We recently heard from Mark, a 34-year-old business traveler caught in a dilemma many
flyers face: the airplane seat recline debate. After a sleepless night and a successful client presentation, Mark boarded a delayed,
six-hour flight utterly exhausted. At 6’3”, he’d paid extra for an aisle seat, hoping for a bit more comfort.
As soon as the seatbelt sign turned off,
he reclined his seat sharply without checking behind him—just desperate for rest. Almost instantly, the woman behind him
cried out, “I can’t breathe!” She was eight months pregnant, and the sudden recline pressed into her abdomen.
Mark, drained and frustrated, responded, “Then fly first class,”
