'I'll stop when I can put my seat back': Traveler faces off with tall dude in squabble over airplane space

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jul 3, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

These travelers couldn't agree on who deserves to have leg room. They ended up getting in an argument, which u/earthshaker495 shared to r/MaliciousCompliance.

This story takes place aboard a long haul flight — the OP was flying from Los Angeles to Singapore, a 16 hour journey. You'd certainly need to sleep and eat at least two meals aboard a flight that long. Long flights can feel endless — you can watch several full movies, only to realize you still have eight hours left of your flight. So you may as well get some sleep, too, so that you can be rested and refreshed when you get to your destination. It may not be the most comfy sleep you ever get, but it's better than nothing. 

This person couldn't even really do that. The OP writes that as a tall dude, it's hard for them to get comfortable at all — their knees usually bump right up against the seat in front of them. That means the person in front of them can't recline without making the OP even more uncomfortable. Instead of just talking it out or accepting that sometimes things don't go your way, the passenger threw a fit. 

Check out the whole story below. Then, check out these people whose coworkers had them rolling their eyes.

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  • 01
    Font - "I demand to be put in a seat that is able to recline" M A few years ago I was on a flight from LA to Singapore (takes 16+ hours). I'm a tall dude - around 6'3" (~190cm) - so I don't fit very well in economy class seats. On most planes my knees are often very close or right up against the seat in front of me. This makes it impossible for the person in front of me to recline their seat, which usually isn't a problem once the person in front of me sees how cramped I am in those tiny seats.
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 02
    Font - However for this particular flight, the man in front of me was not having it. He tried to recline his seat, but couldn't because my legs were there. He turns around and sees what's happening and asks me something along the lines of, "Do you mind letting me put my seat back?"
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 03
    Font - I respond with, "I wish I could but I physically can't. I'll do my best to give you as much space as I can, but it won't be much." At this point he starts to get angry and just starts pushing as hard as he can back on his seat. Needless to say, this was not particularly pleasant for me. I ask him to please stop, and he says, "I'll stop when I can put my seat back."
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 04
    Font - I decide I'll just wait him out; he'll eventually get tired. After about 10-15 minutes of this, he calls a flight attendant over and proceeds to demand a new seat. The flight attendant tells him there are no available seats and he will have to deal with it. He demands to speak to the pilot.
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 05
    Font - So the flight attendant goes up front to talk to the cockpit. Keep in mind that throughout this he is still pressing with all his might against my knees, with only short breaks to yell at the flight attendant. After a couple of minutes, the co-pilot (he wanted to speak to the pilot and wan't happy about this) comes back and tries to explain to the man that he can't change seats because there are no other coach seats free. The man continues to demand a seat that is able to recline, give me
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 06
    Font - The co-pilot finally gives in and says while looking at the man, "Sir, would you like to sit up in business class?"
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 07
    Font - The man stands up and mutters something similar to, "Fing finally." To which the co-pilot responds, "Sir, sit down. I wasn't talking to you." He turns to me and repeats, "How would you like a seat in business class?"
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 08
    Font - have, to this day, never seen someone as furious as the man as I walked past him to my new business class seat (with free drinks).
    via u/earthshaker495
  • 09
    Font - atomskeater +1. Does this guy think the pilot = manager? Pilot is busy flying the plane, off. Planes are a nightmare for basically everyone, and it would be better if people like this were more considerate. I never recline because it barely does anything and potentially makes the person behind me more cramped. The fact that this dude really acted like you should have just popped off your kneecaps so he could have a meager 2 inch recline really rusts my pans.
    via u/atomskeater
  • 10
    Font - Shes Quackers My fiancé is 6'9 and sends a virtual high-five because you understand his pain and got the best revenge he's heard of.
    via u/ShesQuackers
  • 11
    Font - Th3assman What airline were you on? I'm 6'2 and usually just slide my legs underneath the seat in front of me and have never had issues with someone reclining
    via u/Th3assman
  • 12
    Font - This brings me great joy that the steward did that. The d deserved it. And a few wet willys coming his way if you ask me.
    via r/MaliciousCompliance
  • 13
    Font - blackbellamy Ahh, seat drama. I had a guy on my commuter bus who always reclined all the way and got aggressive with people if they complained. He looked like Lawrence Tierney so people just let him win. One day he did that to me, I'm 6'2 so I locked my legs and let him strain. He got puffy but I won that one. He took that s personally and gave me dirty looks on other trips. One day I was already sitting in an aisle seat and he got on, gave me a nice long look and took the seat in front o
    via u/blackbellamy
  • 14
    Font - Other people were boarding, so this super- frail old lady took the seat I just vacated. Lawrence Tierney didn't notice this, he was still settling down. Then he reclined his seat violently. He thought I was going to block him and he gave it his full effort. The seat snapped back so hard it missed the old lady's face by like two inches. She yelps, and everyone around is like what the f is this guy doing? Tierney swings his fat head around, sees where I am, visibly surprised and starts to s
    via u/blackbellamy
  • 15
    Font - "You a ! You almost hit her what is wrong with you?!". Now other people are up, it's going to be a rumble, no one likes Lawrence. Commuter feuds have a long boil. Everyone calms down instantly, the aisle guy makes sure the lady is ok, we all sit there for another two hours and that's the end of that. I never see the guy again.
    via u/blackbellamy
  • 16
    Font - Jakeomaticmaldito Fellow 6'3" dude, you are a very lucky man. I seriously hope this happens to me someday.
    via u/Jakeomaticmaldito
  • 17
    Font - 4 [deleted] A co-pilot would NEVER be called into the cabin for something like that. No way that story is true.
    via u/deleted
  • 18
    Human body - toeofcamell What is the pilot going to do about it? LOL
    via u/toeofcamell
  • 19
    Font - Haymegle I feel like the guy trying to recline missed a potential simple solution. If you're allowed to switch seats and he was polite that could've worked (unless there was someone tall behind you too haha) seeing as he was a dick about it though I hope you have a good time up in business class.
    via u/Haymegle

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los angeles malicious compliance planes malicious-compliance-reddit plane travelling Travel seat airplanes singapore airplane coach
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