We've been having a little trouble with computer issues here…issues that took this site offline for about 90 minutes. This kind of thing will stop soon.
I've received a few messages about the seat-reclining issue. They range from utter agreement to one guy who said basically, "I pay for a reclining seat and I'm going to recline my seat and I don't give a crap about whoever's sitting behind me and if he even dares ask me not to recline my reclining seat, I'll probably punch his lights out." Remind me never to sit behind that person.
I am reminded of a flight I was on a few years ago. We were running way late and just before we were to land in Memphis, a flight attendant got on the P.A. system and explained to everyone that we had aboard a delegation of Italian educators who were touring America as part of a cultural program. They were seated in the back of the plane and when we landed, they'd have about six minutes to make a connecting flight on another airline that would take them to New York where they were to be honored at some sort of United Nations event.
"Could we please ask everyone when we land to remain in their seats for a few moments and allow our guests from Italy to exit the craft first?" There was general head-nodding and agreement throughout the cabin.
We landed, the seat belt light went off — and suddenly, a family of three leaped up and clogged the aisle as they struggled into jackets and took their own sweet time about getting luggage down from the overhead compartments. The folks from Italy were unable to pass.
The flight attendant scurried up to the family of three and asked, "Are you rushing to make a connecting flight?" The father said no. The flight attendant reminded him about the Italian educators. The man loudly announced, "I don't give a shit" and continued not giving a shit as he purposely slowed down his actions. I almost said something but figured an argument in the aisle wouldn't help get the Italian folks to their flight.
Finally, having made whatever point they thought they were making, the family of three cleared out and the Italian visitors sprinted for Gate Whatever. I never heard if they made it.
You encounter people like those aisle-cloggers from time to time…angry people who are always looking for a way to assert their right to not care about anybody else but themselves. You have to remind yourself that most human beings are not like that.