Clearly all planes aren’t created equal. My legs have fit fine in the delta planes I usually fly in when those in front of me lean back. But on a recent American flight, the way the seats reclined was different, jamming the bottom of the front seat much closer than I’d noticed before.

I now think this is an airplane seat design issue. Airlines could make it so that you can recline with much less impact on the passengers behind you. Hopefully they are working on it.

In the meantime, I’m reclining unless the guy behind me is 6’4”. Pay for more if you want the leg space.