Mark, a 34-year-old business traveler, found himself in a familiar yet tricky situation on a recent long-haul flight. After a sleepless night and a demanding client presentation, he boarded a delayed six-hour flight completely exhausted. Standing tall at 6’3”, he had paid extra for an aisle seat, hoping to have a little more room and comfort. When the seatbelt sign finally turned off, he didn’t hesitate to recline his seat sharply—just wanting some much-needed rest. What he didn’t realize was that the sudden recline pressed into the abdomen of the woman behind him, who immediately cried out that she couldn’t breathe.

The woman was eight months pregnant, and Mark’s instinctive response, worn out and frustrated, was to tell her, “Then fly first class,” before putting on his headphones and drifting off to sleep for most of the flight. However, the situation took a serious turn when a flight attendant later handed Mark a note from the woman. She explained that she was flying to see her dying mother and couldn’t afford a first-class ticket or a more spacious seat. She described how the unexpected recline caused her significant pain and distress during an already difficult journey.

Now Mark is left feeling conflicted. His wife insists that he was wrong to recline so abruptly, emphasizing empathy and awareness of fellow passengers’ needs. Meanwhile, his brother argues that the seat’s recline function is there to be used and that Mark had every right to seek comfort on a grueling trip. The incident raises an important question about airplane etiquette: is reclining your seat fair game, or should travelers be more mindful of those around them—especially in tight, shared spaces at 30,000 feet?