I Disagree With Delta's CEO!
I disagree with Delta CEO: Ed Bastian regarding reclining on airplanes. It doesn’t matter if I’m in Basic or First-Class, I’m paying for my overpriced inches and should not have to ask another traveler if I can us it. If this is proper etiquette then I vote to throw etiquette out the window.
In an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, Mr. Bastian said: “…the proper thing to do is if you are going to recline into somebody that you ask if it’s okay first”.
Inches and reclining on airplanes have always been a hot topic in my world. After watching a video on TMZ about a man hitting the back of a women’s chair on American Airlines last week, I was not surprised when people started asking me if I recline when I fly?
Do You Recline on Airplanes?
Absolutely, as a matter of fact, I’m usually the first passenger with my seat back reclined. I booked my comfort according to my travel needs when I booked the seat. Most people will be in a reclined position, so I understand what that means to me if I buy the seat behind them. If you don't want to be behind a reclining seat, then buy an upgrade and pick the proper seat.
A Little Secret
I want to let you in on a little secret. Over the years I’ve spent thousands of dollars on Delta Airlines. I love that they offer flights from Liberia Costa Rica to Denver CO. I fly this rout often. I'm part of their miles program and they are one of my favorite airlines, so I’ve had the pleasure of flying with them on many occasions. I have bought tickets in basic, main, comfort, and even first-class. Let me tell you Ed Bastian, your inches have cost me a lot of money!
When booking a flight, I give my seating a lot of thought since it affects two major things when I travel. My bank account and my comfort.
A Little Space Makes A Big Difference
I learned at a very young age that having a nice seat while traveling makes a BIG difference. When I travel for business a seat can make the difference of being able to show up refreshed for a business meeting or presentation after traveling for 32 hours or not. It can mean having enough room to pull my laptop out so that I can work on my next project that might be due in a couple of hours.
When I’m traveling on holiday my seat makes a difference. If I show up jetlagged and hurting from my flight it will affect how relaxing my vacation is. Reclining on airplanes is a must to be able to stretch out and even catch a little shut-eye. I don’t know about you, but I want to enjoy my travels, not wish I had stayed home.
My seat and inches will play a big role in my bank account and how I feel when I arrive at my destination. This can cost me time and money. Two things I take very seriously.
How Much Is An Inch Worth To You?
To me, it can be priceless. Let’s face it, traveling can be uncomfortable. Challenges from cancelations, long flights, and layovers, to hours standing in lines, can take the fun out of traveling. Added stress comes from small uncomfortable seats that have limited space for me and my belongings. This all can lead me to feel physically and emotionally drained during and after my travels.
Understanding how much an inch is going to cost me has been a game-changer when booking my seat. This is going to affect all my travels, so I want to make the right decision. In the end, it can cost me thousands of dollars for that extra couple of inches.
Understanding Delta Inches
For those of you who don’t understand how Delta charges for inches let me explain. I’m currently in Costa Rica and I want to fly stateside on March 25, 2020. I’m going to fly out of Liberia Costa Rica (LIR). To Denver International Airport (DIA).
The cheapest ticket for Delta that day is $377. This is a Basic ticket meaning my seat is not assigned until after I check-in. I have no clue how much room I’m going to have. I do know that the seat in front of me will most likely be reclined and this is going to affect my space and can make my travels uncomfortable.
1st UPGRADE
For an additional charge of $36.90 I can upgrade to what Delta refers to as Main. This gets me advanced seating while also allowing me to pick my seat from the available seats in the main section. These seats recline while offering standard legroom. Just like Basic, there’s a high likelihood the passenger in the seat in front of me will be reclined. This is a small upgrade, but It allows me to pick from a small section of seats making sure that I don't get the dreaded back row. You know the ones that don't recline right next to the bathroom.
2nd Upgrade
If I want more room, I might want to think about spending an additional $88.60 so I can enjoy what they call Comfort seating. This gives me up to 3 inches of extra legroom. I’m paying Delta Airlines $29.54 for every inch over the basic ticket price. This upgrade allows gives me more legroom a reclining seat. My goal when taking this upgrade is to book a seat that reclines behind a nonreclining seat. Allowing me the most space and no reclined seat in front of me.
3rd Upgrade
If that is still not enough room I can upgrade to first-class. First-class will give me an additional 6 inches of legroom and up to 5 inches of recline space. That’s a total of 11 inches. These 11 inches are going to cost me $1,135.30. That’s means I’m paying $103.21 for every inch of extra space.
Are You Willing To Give Up Comfort
Sometimes my comfort and sleep are worth more than a cheap ticket. If I have long travel times an extra 3-11 inches can be priceless to me. The small seats in the back of the aircraft are hard to get comfortable in. On long travels, it can be a nightmare without reclining on airplanes. Because I am a frequent flyer, I have paid thousands of dollars in upgrade fees to make sure that I have enough room to be comfortable.
If the traveler behind me needs more room when my seat is in a reclined position, they need to buy an upgrade. This is their problem, not mine. I paid for the seat and the inches that the airline offered me when I booked my ticket.
So once again "How much is an inch worth to you?" Are you willing to give up some comfort and risk having someone reclined into your lap to save money?
This is a personal question that each traveler should ask themselves before booking any flight. So what's your opinion about reclining on airplanes?
