A woman said she would never recline her seat on a plane because she respects people's space and TikTokers are divided

04.08.2023 - 12:45 / insider.com

A TikTok video of a woman saying she would never recline her seat on a plane because she respects people's space has left viewers divided. While some agree that it is disrespectful, others say it's unrealistic to expect people to keep their seats forward for a long flight.

The controversial video was posted on August 3 by Loren Hodgson, who goes by the username @by.loren. It shows a woman looking annoyed on a plane, sitting behind a man with his seat reclined.

The caption reads, "Me hating on people who push their seats back on a plane bc I actually respect people's space and would never do it."

"Idk what's worse - this or a bare foot through the hand rest," Hodgson wrote in the video description, referring to multiple instances of people putting their bare feet on peoples' hand rests on planes.

The video has been viewed over 620,000 times, and has stirred debate in the comments section. 

Many agreed with Hodgson, and some people questioned why planes even have this option.

One person even said that every time a person in front of them tries to recline their seat on a plane, they stop them by pushing their leg against the seat, making them think that their seat is broken. 

But many argued that it is unrealistic to expect people to keep all the way forward for the entire duration of the flight — especially if it's a long journey. 

One person suggested that someone reclining their seat "doesn't change your legroom at all," and suggested that Hodgson should recline her own seat as well, or that she should "buy better tickets."

Five flight attendants previously told Insider's Hannah Towey that passengers should not feel guilty for reclining their chairs, although one slight attendant said it could be disrespectful.

Videos about travel etiquette frequently receive an impassioned response from TikTok viewers, whose comments can amplify a video and help it go viral, although some creators have also faced backlash from people who disagree with their takes.