> They cram more people on, giving you less space - but charge the same - and you get mad at other customers, rather than them for cramming you in.

Airline fares are very cheap. Just the other day they compared the cost of flying from London to Calcutta decades ago vs now - much cheaper now. You'll see the same when you compare domestic flights.

Yes, it's true that you had more leg room back then. Now you have the option to pay the same high fares and get similar leg room, or be cheap and get less leg room.

Classic example of "more choice leads to more dissatisfaction".

I pointed out exactly the opposite: surely moral action is only possible when one has agency.

If an airline needs to force you to be a decent person, then you have no right to claim decency in the first place.

People who lean their seats back are assholes. Claiming “but this is permitted!” proves my point.

I can’t imagine what a nightmare world it would be if decency were only possible through the exercise of external authority.

You have the agency to let the person in front of you have a more enjoyable flight without judging them for it.

That is also a decent and unselfish thing to do.

I don't lean back on flights, but I don't consider the person in front of me an asshole for doing it.

Are you talking about agency and not being an asshole, or are you just being selfish about your space?

> You have the agency to let the person in front of you have a more enjoyable flight without judging them for it.

No, being doormat that never judges assholes is not necessary in order to be a decent person.

In fact, there is special category of decent person heroes who do the uncomfortable thing, judge assholes and even protect and help others when assholery becomes too much. Both when talking about recliners and like, terrorizing thugs in streets.

> Are you talking about agency and not being an asshole, or are you just being selfish about your space?

It is not being selfish to not want to give your space to an asshole who decided to take it. That person is still an asshole. And again, both when we are talking about recliner and when certain government sends violent thugs.

> People who lean their seats back are assholes.

Clearly, many HN users, as well as much of the population, disagree with you.

You may want to re-evaluate your moral values.

And yet I'd prefer both myself and the person in front of me lean back. The upright posture is painful for me. Is your preference more valid then mine? The fact that the chairs are configured that way suggests the cultural norm.

Leaning back doesn't help knee room, the person in front leaning back actually reduces it by the seat back leaning against a tall person's knees.

Even though I'm tall it's about the back, not the knees.

For me, it's the knees. When everyone is leaned back you can't even comfortably use a tablet to read, while I can comfortably sit upright for a few hours (of course taking a walk from time to time). The person in front reclining their seat forces me to either manspread into the seat on the left or right (if I'm not on the aisle) or stick my feet in the aisle and getting in the cabin crew's way as they move back and forth.

so I guess you pay to choose seats in the last row of the plane...

I did this once and one time was forced into doing it and it was a horrific nightmare. The lack of contra for my legs meant I was constantly slipping forward, it was tiring. The fact that this is an emergency seat made it worse - there was no handle for the hand because of some bullshit. The flight attendant policed every action I did from putting my jacket on to eating with the attachable tray. I will never do it again even if it means I fly for free.

One of the most relaxed flights I ever had I was window seat in the back row with a pleasant elderly couple. When everyone else was busy queuing to get off the plane they were sat knitting. I'd got into my novel and just sat enjoying it until they moved. Far less stressful than the usual madness.

They're absolutely not assholes. People who expect the world to revolve around them and cater for their every whim are probably more deserving of that title.