The worst people to fly with - recliners, bare-footers or farters?

People who abuse reclining seats are far from the worst to share a plane with, if The AM Show panel is to be trusted.

Budget airline Volaris is considering getting rid of reclining seats on its fleet in order to cut costs and fit more passengers on board.

Reclining seats are heavier than non-recliners and cost airlines more in fuel, as well as repairs when they break.

Volaris also hopes passengers will appreciate not having to deal with passengers in front of them reclining all the way, encroaching on their space.

An unscientific poll run by The AM Show on Monday found only 30 percent of viewers have no shame about reclining their seats, the vast majority feeling bad about it.

Appearing on The AM Show, TV presenter and actress Louise Wallace said she'd never fly any airline that didn't have reclining seats.

"The seat is there to be reclined, unless they're having a meal. Out of courtesy, put it up when they're having a meal. But when they're not having a meal, for god's sake, that's why they've put reclining seats in."

Broadcaster Kim Blair of classic rock station The Sound said as a tall person, he understands what it's like to be cramped - so has more consideration for the passenger in the seat behind him.

But far worse than super-recliners, he says, are people dressed inappropriately for flying.

"I've been in some flights where they look like they're off to the beach wearing shorts and singlets, and no shoes. It's like, what is this?"

Wallace said agreed there were far worse things to do on a flight than recline your chair.

"Far worse than someone putting their seat back on you is if they take their shoes off.  That is the worst. And then you see them get up and head to the loos in bare feet and stand in everyone's wees."

There was agreement among the panel that people who fart on planes were the absolute worst however - except Mark Richardson, who went into bat for the flatulent.

"A lot of people complain about people who fart on planes. But you can't help farting - that's actually a biological problem you have with the different air pressures, but you can stop from taking your shoes off."

Though passenger plane interiors are pressurised, they're done at an altitude of about 2km - significantly higher than sea level. The reduced pressure makes gas expand about 30 percent, so it's more difficult to hold in. 

"There are some people who fart who don't actually realise they're doing it," added host Duncan Garner, but newsreader Amanda Gillies wasn't buying it.

"No, you're just in denial. You always know. There is not a moment where you don't know."

"You can generally feel that sudden gush of wind," said Richardson, lamenting that it never stops his wife trying to blame her wind on him.


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