N79969 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (10 years 8 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1130 times:
Does anyone know the safety reason why seats are not supposed to be reclined during takeoff and landing? I can understand if you have 180-degree bed in first class, but for coach what is the safety benefit?
Bobcat From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (10 years 8 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1117 times:
If your seat is reclined during take-off/landing, the person behind you have less room. In case of an emergency, this
will make it more difficult for that person to get out.
(the same reason the row in front of the emergency exit
rows don't recline at all)
Crosswind From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 2572 posts, RR: 59 Reply 3, posted (10 years 8 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1075 times:
It's a safety feature.
In a sudden decceleration, with the seat in the upright position, the seatback will pivot forwards thus reducing the risk of the upper body/face of the passenger behind striking the seatback. To achieve this, the recline mechanism works so that in the upright position the seat is prevented from moving backwards but is free to move forwards.
If the seat is reclined (even slightly) the recline mechanism locks the seatback in place, in a sudden decceleration there is a risk that the passenger behind could injure themselves as they are thrown forward.
You can see in the above photo that some seatbacks on the left are folded forward. In this case they have been deliberately pushed forward to provide more space, and its a design feature of the seats - western airline seats don't have that feature, but you see the idea. Obviously the seats wouldn't go that far forward in a sudden decceleration if there was someone sitting in it
Bobcat From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (10 years 8 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1060 times:
In my own experience, the FAs rarely ask me to bring my
seat to the upright position, if I happen to be sitting in the very last row. (if I'm unfortunate enough to get that row, which has happened a few times when my company books me at last minute, on a full flight, with no upgrades left )
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