A U.S. airline passenger who was thrown off an aircraft
after a row over reclining seats says he now feels bad
about the incident.
James Beach was on flight last month when he used a
product called a Knee Defender which prevented the seat in
front of his from reclining.
The US$21.95 gadget attaches to a passenger's tray table
and prevents the person in front from reclining.
Beach, who is more than six-feet tall, told the
Associated Press that he doesn't always use the
device, but he needed to do some work on his computer
during the flight.
Beach also said he never reclines his own seat.
After the woman seated in front of Beach worked out he
had installed the Knee Defender, preventing her from
reclining her own seat, the pair got involved in a spat
that involved bad language and tossed water.
The plane was diverted to Chicago where Beach and the
woman were escorted off the plane.
Beach said he was "pretty ashamed and embarrassed" by
what happened.
The Federal Aviation Administration leaves it up to
individual airlines to set rules about the device. United
Airlines says it prohibits its use, like all major US
airlines.
Spirit and Allegiant Air are the only U.S. airlines to
install seats that don't recline.
Often, if two warring parties cannot resolve disputes
over space, it is down to the cabin crew.
Liz, the pseudonymous flight-attendant co-author of the
"fly and tell" book, You F'Coffee Sir?!!, says
they try to start with a commonsense approach.
She told the Financial Times: "You ask them to
be nice, suggest solutions, move the most disruptive
[individual] if possible, try to explain it's not the end
of the world, and finally warn of 'serious
consequences'."
She adds that such disputes have become more common over
the years: "People are not as considerate as they once
were."