Passengers slam Delta’s CEO for suggesting travelers ask permission before reclining seats


‘Are you mad? We PAY to recline’: Outraged passengers slam Delta CEO for suggesting travelers ask permission before putting their seats back

  • Outraged passengers are slamming Delta Airlines’ CEO Ed Bastian
  • He suggested travelers ask permission before reclining seats on planes
  • ‘I think the proper thing to do if you’re going to recline into somebody is that you ask if it’s okay first,’ he said in a Friday interview with Squawk Box 
  • Comments were in response to viral video showing a man punching a woman’s reclined seat aboard an American Airlines flight 
  • ‘Are you mad? We pay to recline,’ movie producer Judd Apatow tweeted Friday 
  • One former Delta flight attendant said the CEO was wrong and passengers have the right to recline without asking for permission 

Outraged passengers are slamming Delta Airlines’ CEO and calling for a boycott after he suggested flyers should ask permission before putting back their seats on planes in response to a viral video showing two passengers fighting over a reclined seat. 

‘I think customers have the right to recline,’ Ed Bastian, who has been CEO since 2016, said on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Friday. ‘[But] I think the proper thing to do if you’re going to recline into somebody is that you ask if it’s okay first.’ 

But Delta customers were quick to push back against the CEO, arguing they pay good money to be able to recline and don’t have to ask permission.      

‘Hey @Delta – no!  You want to create a situation where we all have to negotiate and fight with each other? Are you mad? We pay to recline,’ movie producer Judd Apatow tweeted Friday. ‘How about massive discounts when the people behind us say no.’ 

Outraged passengers are slamming Delta Airlines' CEO Ed Bastian after he suggested flyers should ask permission before reclining seats on planes in response to a viral video showing two passengers fighting over a reclined seat

Outraged passengers are slamming Delta Airlines’ CEO Ed Bastian after he suggested flyers should ask permission before reclining seats on planes in response to a viral video showing two passengers fighting over a reclined seat

'Are you mad? We pay to recline,' movie producer Judd Apatow tweeted Friday

'Are you mad? We pay to recline,' movie producer Judd Apatow tweeted Friday

‘Are you mad? We pay to recline,’ movie producer Judd Apatow tweeted Friday

Actress Rosanna Arquette even called for a boycott of the airline

Actress Rosanna Arquette even called for a boycott of the airline

Actress Rosanna Arquette even called for a boycott of the airline

'The airlines are squashing more seats on planes, and more people in those seats. Taking an etiquette position on this matter is a fool's errand,' one Twitter user said

'The airlines are squashing more seats on planes, and more people in those seats. Taking an etiquette position on this matter is a fool's errand,' one Twitter user said

‘The airlines are squashing more seats on planes, and more people in those seats. Taking an etiquette position on this matter is a fool’s errand,’ one Twitter user said

Buzz Patterson, a Republican congressional candidate in California challenged the CEO, 'How about this? You build more space between the sardine can seats?!'

Buzz Patterson, a Republican congressional candidate in California challenged the CEO, 'How about this? You build more space between the sardine can seats?!'

Buzz Patterson, a Republican congressional candidate in California challenged the CEO, ‘How about this? You build more space between the sardine can seats?!’

ESPN radio host Josh Cohen called out Bastian for his hypocrisy saying: 'Hey Delta CEO Ed Bastian. A) When is the last time you even flew commercial? Flew economy?

ESPN radio host Josh Cohen called out Bastian for his hypocrisy saying: 'Hey Delta CEO Ed Bastian. A) When is the last time you even flew commercial? Flew economy?

ESPN radio host Josh Cohen called out Bastian for his hypocrisy saying: ‘Hey Delta CEO Ed Bastian. A) When is the last time you even flew commercial? Flew economy?

The CEO’s comments were in response to a viral video that emerged last week showing two flight passengers scuffle on an American Airlines flight, where one woman reclined her seat and an angry man behind her repeatedly punched her seat in protest. 

Female passenger Wendi Williams filmed the moment she reclined her seat on the flight from New Orleans to Charlotte on January 31 and the man sitting behind her began ‘punching’ the back of her chair.

She says she was nearly thrown off that flight for filming the bizarre incident. 

She told TMZ on Friday that the worst of the ‘assault’ happened before she started filming it on her cell phone, and that she now wants to identify the man in order to press charges against him.

Angry passengers are now voicing their frustration on Twitter after Delta CEO suggested that asking permission before reclining one’s seat is good plane etiquette.  

Actress Rosanna Arquette even called for a boycott of the airline.

‘Don’t fly that airline,’ the Pulp Fiction actress said. 

Buzz Patterson, a Republican congressional candidate in California challenged the CEO, ‘How about this? You build more space between the sardine can seats?!’

‘No. No, I don’t. If I buy your seat and it reclines, I’m going to gently, and respectfully recline it,’ he tweeted Friday. 

ESPN radio host Josh Cohen called out Bastian for his hypocrisy. 

‘Hey Delta CEO Ed Bastian. A) When is the last time you even flew commercial? Flew economy? B) Why do your seats even RECLINE if you think we should ask permission from the passenger behind us? C) Why don’t you take a pay cut and remove 3 rows instead? #RECLINEGATE.’

An American Airlines passenger, Wendi Williams, has divided social media after shaming a fellow traveller who she claimed repeatedly punched her seat when she reclined it

An American Airlines passenger, Wendi Williams, has divided social media after shaming a fellow traveller who she claimed repeatedly punched her seat when she reclined it

The clip was filmed on a flight from New Orleans to Charlotte

The clip was filmed on a flight from New Orleans to Charlotte

The CEO’s comments were in response to a viral video that emerged last week showing two flight passengers scuffle on an American Airlines flight, where one woman reclined her seat and an angry man behind her repeatedly punched her seat in protest 

‘The airlines are squashing more seats on planes, and more people in those seats. Taking an etiquette position on this matter is a fool’s errand,’ one Twitter user said. 

One Twitter user who claimed to be a former Delta flight attendant said the CEO was wrong and passengers have the right to recline without asking for permission. 

‘That’s a lie!!! You paid for a seat that recline and you do not have to ask permission. Then make it so the seats do not recline!!! Former flight attendant, here! Delta ceo sitting in his office lying and making the flight attendants do their dirty work with their customers!!’ Twitter user Linda Harris-Boyd said.  

Last year Delta refitted its Airbus A320 jets to reduce the recline of the coach seats from four inches to two inches. The first-class seats were adjusted to recline just 3.5 inches from a previous 5.5 inches.