La-Z-Boy Petition To Ban Reclining On Flights Receives Over 186,000 Signatures

There are certain behaviors that are almost immediately frowned upon while traveling in an airplane. However, some, like seat reclining, exist in shades of gray. While many passengers don’t think twice before pushing the seat back with a jerk, some are more mindful of the inconvenience faced by the passenger seated behind. Then there are those who want this feature to disappear from commercial planes altogether.
La-Z-Boy petitions to ban seat reclining on airplanes
La-Z-Boy has launched a campaign that seeks to ban the reclining of airplane seats. While the furniture giant is all for a comfortable seating experience, it feels that a seat recline should not come at the expense of other people’s comfort. According to CNBC Travel, the petition started by the company has received more than 186,000 signatures. La-Z-Boy urges people to sign its #BanReclining pledge and stand a chance to win a La-Z-Boy recliner and $500 in airfare.
Passengers often have mixed feelings about the reclining features of airplane seats. Many of those who appreciate the comfort of a recline realize that it can be inconvenient for the passenger sitting behind. But La-Z-Boy has clearly chosen a lane and is in favor of banning it. Nelly Martinez Garza, La-Z-Boy’s Senior Director of Consumer Marketing, commented,
“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. Our #BanReclining campaign is simple: Just because you can recline doesn’t mean you always should.”
Campaign for a ban
To stress its argument, La-Z-Boy has released interesting videos as part of the campaign that highlights just how annoying a seat recline can be for some passengers. In an age when space in airline economy class is getting tighter, the videos show how some reclining passengers can affect the flight experience of others.
The short video shows drinks being spilled and laptops being displaced as a result of some passengers reclining their seats. It ends with the message, “Recline at home. Not on your flight.”
Another video shows the domino effect of a seat reclining, with one passenger initiating the act and not leaving a choice for all other passengers behind but to recline as well. This video, too, ends with the same message as above.
The campaign actually started during the Thanksgiving travel rush. The company said that it is pleading with airline passengers to keep their seats upright to avoid making crammed fellow passengers even more uncomfortable. Through an official statement, the company said,
“Airplane etiquette — specifically if and when it is appropriate to recline — is a highly charged and polarizing subject. In recent years, dozens of viral clips featuring in-flight incidents sparked by passengers reclining have flooded social platforms, online media, and broadcast airwaves.”
Hot-button issue
The seat recline issue can draw out various responses from passengers. Even airline executives have offered their opinions on the matter. In 2020, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said. “I think customers have the right to recline…The proper thing to do if you recline into somebody is that you ask if it’s OK first and then you do it. I never recline, because I don’t think it’s something that – since I’m the CEO of the airline – I should be reclining my seat, and I never say anything if someone reclines into me.”
Photo: Aappp | Shutterstock
His response came after an incident in which an American Airlines passenger from New Orleans traveling to Charlotte had her seat constantly punched from behind by a man because she reclined .
The same year, an angry passenger took to social media when his laptop was damaged when the passenger in the seat in front reclined his chair whilst he had his laptop open on his tray table.
Some passengers feel so strongly about this issue that it can lead to airlines having legal trouble. Earlier this year, it was reported that a couple of passengers from India successfully sued Singapore Airlines for over $3,000 because their seat did not recline on one of the carrier’s flights.