A PASSENGER was left fuming when his Apple MacBook Pro was destroyed during a flight – after the person in front reclined their seat.
Pat Cassidy was flying with Delta from Austin to Los Angeles when his computer was crushed by the seat going back onto it.
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He wrote on Twitter: “@Delta small note for the suggestion box, maybe have a little warning sign or someway to prevent my laptop from being destroyed when the person in front of me reclines their seat.”
A picture of his laptop shows the screen no longer working, with half of it black and the rest of it broken and blurred.
Pat, from Texas, continued, adding that the crew on board were also of no help: “Also, this one is more of a critique than a suggestion.
“I really appreciate that your flight attendant came over to tell me that the passenger in front of me ‘needs to be able to recline’ and then asked him ‘if he was okay?’ as if your seat hadn’t just ruined my livelihood.”
Social media users were conflicted, with some saying the person in the front was in the wrong.
Someone wrote: “Nobody should be allowed to recline on an airplane. It only causes issues.”
Another person added: “Who are all these folk reclining instantly at maximum velocity?”
Pat also wasn’t the first it happened to – Twitter user Jud Mackrill shared his own cracked screen after he had the same problem.
He said: “Person in front of me reclined and my MacBook Pro screen got caught in the angle. The person in front then gave her seat and extra push – shredding my screen.”
Others thought Pat was at fault, with one person saying: “Kind of your fault tbh. Why would you tuck you screen under the TV.”
Someone else agreed: “It’s your fault though for putting it in the area where the tray table is stored.”
After complaining to the airline, Pat was offered just a $75 gift card, along with 7,500 air miles and an “explanation you would give a six year old”.
The email from the airline said: “I’m sorry your laptop was broken due to another passenger reclining on your seat.
“It’s not fair when one person’s behaviour affects another person.
“Please know that personal property damaged in-flight as a result of a passenger action is not reimbursable.”
The etiquette of reclining was raised last month after a man was caught punching a woman’s seat after she reclined it.
The CEO of Delta then sparked outrage after saying he never reclines his seat – and that passengers should always ask permission first.
Last year, Delta reduced the amount that passengers can put their seat back.
Etiquette experts have weighed in on the reclining debate – with when you should do it and how you should do it explained.
Sun Online Travel contacted Delta Airlines for comment.
