Why do a few inches of recline make a difference on airplane seats during take off/landing?
In: 72
In addition to the evacuation reasons previously listed, the seats are certified to withstand crazy loads (measured in G’s) and they are certified in the non recline position.
So if you recline your seat and the seat experiences a sudden acceleration or deceleration, the seats may not be able to bear that load.
Submarining. If the plane crashes, you move forward real fast. If you’re in a reclined position, your body will be forced below the seat belt and you’ll be stuffed with your carry-on underneath the seat in front of you.
I’m going to say this one time and one time only. Everyone should have their seats upright when taking off.
Example. The seat belt goes across your lap. When upright and in an emergency when the plane comes to a stop. Your body goes forward, you bend at the waist. Okay cool pretty bad, but safety wise pretty good.
Example. The seat belt goes across your lap. You decide to recline the seat. Then the seat is reclined and the plane comes to an emergency stop. You’re fucked. You’re pretty much going to slip under the seat belt up until the chest. Your chest gets crushed. Then you’re legs slip out under you towards the seat ahead, your legs get crushed.
Both are shitty situations, but I’d rather not have my chest and legs pressed like a panini.
I’m 6’4″. If the selfish buckethead in front of me has their seat reclined my legs are jammed against the seat and I am eating the headrest, thus making egress x2 more difficult. Also, submarining.
Because takeoff and landing are the most likely times to have a crash, and even a few degrees of incline much it much more likely that during a sudden deceleration that you get slid UNDER the seatbelt instead of INTO it. During which you can literally lose your head.
This is on top of the space/escape issues others have brought up.
Ok, i get the explanations on why it shouldn’t be reclined from neutral, but 90 degree chair backs kill my back. Why is the default q straight 90, instead of like 95 which would feel so much more natural and reflect the general standards in public.
Also, put your window shades up on takeoff and landing, as instructed. It gives a clear view of danger or obstructions outside of the exit in the event of an evacuation. On my most recent three-hop trans-Pacific flight, so many passengers popped their wireless earbuds in and ignored the crew members.
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