Is it rude to recline on an airplane? What an expert says you should do

(NEXSTAR) – WestJet, a Canadian airline based in Calgary, will soon debut the first of its newly configured Boeing planes with “fixed recline” seating for most passengers — meaning there will no longer be an option for Economy travelers to put their seats back on certain flights.

When contacted, a representative for WestJet said the seats will be set to a “slight recline that cannot be adjusted,” and suggested their fixed positions are more respectful for passengers in the tighter Economy cabin.

“Through our guest user testing, half indicated they preferred a fixed recline, to avoid feeling impacted by other passengers encroaching upon their space,” the WestJet spokesperson said.

But if that is indeed WestJet’s primary reason for redesigning the cabins — i.e., to respect passengers’ per