Tiktok video of reclined plane seat sparks debate about inflight etiquette

A video of a passenger reclining their seat back on a flight has re-sparked the age-old debate about whether the practice is fair enough or just plain rude.

Henry and Mike Budrewicz, known as The Pointer Brothers on Tiktok, shared a clip with their 1.4 million followers that highlighted the issue.

In the footage, the camera pans around, showing the plane cabin, before coming to rest on one of the brothers – whose space is severely compromised by the passenger in front’s reclined seat.

Text on the video reads: “Five hour flight home. Is this the most reclined seat in the history of aviation?”

The caption below says, “easiest red card of all time #redcard #thepointerbrothers”, referencing the fact that Budrewicz is holding up a red card in the video.

The clip has been viewed 4.6 million times, receiving more than 175,000 likes and almost 1,000 comments.

Some viewers were outraged by the passenger in front’s behaviour, claiming that reclining your seat on a flight is bad manners as it impinges on another traveller’s comfort.

“Out of respect for the person behind me, I never recline,” said user Darlene.

“Those seats should just not recline, it’s cramped enough and I already don’t have leg room,” commented Surrah, while another viewer said: “I convince myself that every person that reclines, it’s their first flight and they don’t understand how AWFUL it is for the person behind them.”

Some followers took a more nuanced approach: Jacob commented, “You can recline you seat but not to the point where the person behind you don’t have any more space to move,” while another user wrote: “Flight attendants should make the point, or announcement, to return seats back to upright during meal times. #manners #etiquette”.

However, others were very much on Team Recline.

“Simple solution; recline your seat,” commented one person, echoing the advice of numerous others.

“I’m gonna recline every time,” said another user, with one Tiktoker writing: “I recline my seat every single time and never once have I been upset with the seat in front of me for reclining their seat…”