Legroom fight diverts flight

[fholbert]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• An argument over legroom resulted in a flight diversion
• A passenger's use of a Knee Defender did not sit well with another flier
• The two were removed from the plane before it continued to its destination

I couldn't make this stuff up!

Story here: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/26/travel/united-flight-knee-defender/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[SeanD]

Is that MSFS image they are using?

 

[MercFE]

5 extra inches... And still needed that garbage? I know it can be tight on an airliine, but I can't say I've ever had the reclining make it THAT much worse.

I'd just keep trying to recline until I broke the guys table. That would teach him.

 

[Murdoughnut]

I'm on a red eye Friday night - I'd kill anyone who tried to stop me from reclining.

People - I swear. If only the airlines offered consumers some other option allowing them to pay for additional comfort and space.

 

[Murdoughnut]

5 extra inches... And still needed that garbage? I know it can be tight on an airliine, but I can't say I've ever had the reclining make it THAT much worse.

I'd just keep trying to recline until I broke the guys table. That would teach him.

He was trying to work on a laptop, which I get - it can be impossible to type while the seat in front is reclined. But I just say "oh well" and make do or put my laptop away, mostly because I'm not an asshat.

 

[tomokc]

Things got out of control pretty quickly.

Seatbelt sign goes off near top of climb, female pax tries to recline, troubleshoots and then presses her FA call button. FA finds the "Knee Defender" and asks him to remove it, explaining that they are prohibited by UAL. He resists and while she's trying to remember FAR 91.11, the female pax gives the Ice Bucket Challenge to the guy behind her.

One hour 52 minutes from T/O at KEWR to landing at KORD: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/UAL1462/history/20140824/1943Z/KEWR/KDEN

 

[tomokc]

If only the airlines offered consumers some other option allowing them to pay for additional comfort and space.

They were in Economy Plus, each having paid for four extra inches of legroom.

 

[🦈💜]

I have no sympathy for anyone trying to prevent someone from reclining, and the dude in back should be slapped. Get a smaller laptop if it's a problem, or lose weight or fly first class. This coming from someone who uses a laptop on every flight I'm not working.

-Fox

 

[flyinggreasemnky]

I have no sympathy for anyone trying to prevent someone from reclining, and the dude in back should be slapped. Get a smaller laptop if it's a problem, or lose weight or fly first class. This coming from someone who uses a laptop on every flight I'm not working.

-Fox

I believe a person's height really comes into play when determining which side of the argument you are on. Short people tend to not understand what reclining does to tall people's legs. Granted in this case with the extra legroom, it probably wasn't a factor.

 

[jskibo]

#extremeexitrow

 

[fholbert]

People - I swear. If only the airlines offered consumers some other option allowing them to pay for additional comfort and space.

I think it's called 1st class?

 

[KKochan]

Clearly we've got a case of a first-class douchebag, that's too cheap to pay for first-class.

 

[scooter2525]

Clearly we've got a case of a first-class douchebag, that's too cheap to pay for first-class.

Hey! Shut-up!

 

[SquatThrust]

You buy the seat and the recline that comes with it. End of discussion in my mind.

 

[jskibo]

The guy that invented that should have to ride in the overhead!

 

[Ajax]

What kind of person thinks that restricting the person ahead of them from reclining is acceptable and that no one would care? What a selfish ass, and she's probably a witch with a capital b but good lord can people act like kids on planes.

 

[Vector4Food]

Most people check their humanity with their luggage

 

[Roger Roger]

I'm fairly certain the federales frown on the use of a device that would impede use of the exit by (at least from the looks of it) preventing the tray table from being closed.

 

[SmoothLanderJ]

Some people have no class. Ridiculous.

 

[floridabeachbum]

Two grown people acting like that -kids pretending to be adults.