Recently, everyone on Twitter lost their minds arguing about whether or not it was okay to recline a seat on an airplane after a video of a man punching the back of a woman’s seat went viral. Personally, I think his behavior was totally out of line and bizarre and airplane seats are designed to recline. Prepare yourself mentally for the possibility that might happen so you don’t have some sort of mental break and enact violence on others.
But are airplane interiors poorly designed? Are we pushed too close together so that companies can make more money to the detriment of our safety and comfort as passengers? Yes and yes! And it causes all sorts of problems unrelated to an adult having a temper tantrum.
A guy named Pat Cassidy shared one of those problems on Twitter as well, posting a photo of his smashed MacBook Pro, which he says got destroyed when the person in front of him reclined their seat as he worked on the tray table. He tweeted it at Delta, and it went viral:
@Delta small note for the suggestion box, maybe have a little warning sign or someway to prevent my laptop from being destroyed when the person in front of me reclines their seat. pic.twitter.com/QHmphXiDhH
— Pat Cassidy (@HardFactorPat) February 26, 2020
He was also pretty unhappy with how he alleges the flight attendant dealt with the situation, writing, “Also, this one is more of a critique than a suggestion. I really appreciate that your flight attendant came over to tell me that the passenger in front of me ‘needs to be able to recline’ and then asked him ‘if he was okay?’ as if your seat hadn’t just ruined my livelihood”
@delta Also, this one is more of a critique than a suggestion. I really appreciate that your flight attendant came over to tell me that the passenger in front of me “needs to be able to recline” and then asked him “if he was okay?” as if your seat hadn’t just ruined my livelihood
— Pat Cassidy (@HardFactorPat) February 26, 2020
Because of the recent seat reclining controversy, some people are a taking this as an opportunity to add fuel to the anti-recline establishment:
I used to be that guy. I spilt a mans hot coffee on his lap and felt guilty
For the entire 5 hour flight
Never reclined a seat without asking since
— Shiv Kap (@Shivdotmov) February 29, 2020
Or they thought it was basically his fault:
Three blames here:
1. It’s Pat’s fault, he should have been more careful with his laptop placement
2. It’s the recliner’s fault: they reclined too fast, too carelessly
3. It’s bad seat design in an era when everyone has laptopsI’d go 1,3,2 if it was me, but 3,1,2 for others.
— Max Howell (@mxcl) February 27, 2020
Trying to understand how it is @Delta fault!
— Prasad Patil (@PrasadP74208851) February 27, 2020
That’s on you bro… but what movie were you watching? I’ll give you a review
— Peas the Theatre Greeter (@TheatrePeas) February 27, 2020
Should have used a case cover and screen protector! 😂😂😂 Seriously though, maybe next time position your laptop in a safer position and not blame others. You gotta think ahead that someone might actually want to recline their seat.
— Kache in must exceed cash out (@kachebass) February 28, 2020
But another guy posted a picture of his ruined laptop that he originally shared in October of 2019, which he says was also smashed in the same way on a Delta flight:
So this happened on my flight home… pic.twitter.com/FQx7lS2ejT
— Jud Mackrill 🎈 (@JudMackrill) October 4, 2019
In his case, the flight attendant was nice about it and Apple Care covered the repair. But it can and does happen, and is an issue built into the plane’s design.
It’s a dangerous world out there, folks. If you’re using a computer while flying through the air, be aware that the table you’re resting it on might move at any time. Or talk to the person in front of you and ask them to give you a head’s up if they’re gonna recline. We’re all soaring through space in this metal tube together.
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