Former flight attendant gives verdict on reclining your seat on a plane

A former flight attendant has spoken about the best etiquette for when you find yourself on a flight and feel like reclining your seat or putting a bag in an overhead locker

A former flight attendant has provided some guidance on if and how passengers should recline their seats on an aircraft. As thousands of Brits jet off around the world this summer, it may be tempting for some to recline their seat a little when they take off.

However, former flight attendant Elaine Swann suggested that if they are to do this, then they should be mindful of the person behind them.

She told the Guardian: “Yes, but recline it slowly, so that if someone has laptop or a beverage, they can see you’re starting to come back. Think of the inches above your knees as being shared space with the person sitting in front.”

Elaine also added that it was acceptable to move around people’s things in the overhead locker, but that you should probably ask nearby people first.

She said: “Typically, you’ll find that it is someone within close range, so ask whose bag it is, and then say: ‘I’m just going to scoot it to the side a little bit’.”

While Elaine has been talking about the etiquette behind a common occurrence, another former flight attendant has spoken about something far less common, people who give birth on planes.

Although unusual, it does sometimes happen that a baby may be born mid-flight, posing a major challenge to those onboard.

Speaking to the Independent, former flight attendant Marika Mikusova said it was something they received training for, but that it wasn’t something they were tested on every year.

She told the publication: “Although we do receive training for childbirth on board, it’s not something we’re tested on annually.

“So, if a childbirth were to happen during a flight, our first step would be to immediately ask if there is a doctor on board and contact ground medical support for guidance on how to proceed, to make sure we are doing everything we can.

“If circumstances allow, the delivery would ideally take place near the bulkhead seats. As stated in the manual, we would place the passenger in a comfortable position, preferably upright with knees parted and drawn back against the bulkhead.”

However, if the bulkhead isn’t available, they might move the person to the galley because of the space it has. Whilst they wouldn’t have time to clean the floor before the passenger sat down, Marika explained that a clean blanket would be placed on the floor before the delivery.

She also revealed that aircraft are equipped with an onboard delivery kit for if the situation arises and that the crew would be guided through the delivery from a medical team on the ground. On whether a plane might divert or continue onwards to its destination, Marika said it was dependent on the situation of the birth at the time.