The issue of personal space on flights is not a new one. For years, passengers have grappled with the uncomfortable experience of being cramped in small seats for hours on end. But in recent times, the term “manspreading” has emerged as a source of frustration for many passengers, especially women.
With their narrow seats and limited space, flights on airplanes are already difficult.
One woman’s trip, however, was more uncomfortable than merely mildly so, as seen by the picture she posted online.
In the picture, a man is seated next to a woman, almost completely enclosing her with his legs.
The woman uploaded the picture to the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit thread, where users can vent their annoyances and seek advice from others. The woman’s legs in the picture are awkwardly tucked between the seat in front of her and the male passenger next to her.
This was how a 4 hour flight went today. I am a 5’8” Female.
by u/EmilyKauai in mildlyinfuriating
Although the male passenger’s legs are spread out on either side of him, encroaching on the space of the people sitting next to him, it appears that he has plenty of room in front of him.
The woman wrote, “This was how a four-hour flight went today,” above the image. I am a female that is 5’8″.
Other Redditors recounted their own terrifying flight experiences, including the lack of personal space. “On my most recent flight, I was seated next to a 6’5″ man. I was in the middle seat and I’m 6’2,” one customer admitted. “We were STRUGGLING on the flight from NY to LA.”
Another user commented, “I’m 5’5″, and even I become SO angry and cramped up after an hour.” If no one is sitting next to me, I usually end up crisscrossing applesauce with my knees to my chest and my feet on the chair.
On this one, I must admit that I feel bad for tall people because I can’t even imagine how uncomfortable that is.
Other people offered their advice on how to make cramped, long trips more pleasant.
“I’ll firmly lock my knees against the seat in front of me. It limits how far the person in front of me may recline, but it’s fair to my close neighbors,” one user commented.
“I’m 5’2″ and my husband is only 6′, so when we fly together, I always let him use some of my space, but most of the time I either rest my legs on his lap or I’ll effectively place my feet under his legs so that he can rest his feet in my space,” another user said.
He sits window and I sit middle because I can’t sleep on airplanes, so even if I put my legs up on his lap, they won’t be close to anyone else.
Some people thought the man in the picture was “manspreading.” Many users concurred that the confined spaces passengers must endure during lengthy flights make flying challenging.
Others, though, noted that the man in the picture was utterly disrespectful of his other passengers’ personal space.
He is vigorously spreading his legs while holding his phone in the space between them. Like; why?” a user questioned.
“That person in the picture is a jerk. There’s no reason to be manspreading like that unless you’re less than 48 hours post-vasectomy, another person said.
He’s manspreading outside of his lane, dude. Another user said, “A firm bump to the right should fix the problem.
The phrase “manspreading” describes male passengers who spread their legs widely apart when riding public transit, violating other people’s personal space and making the trip uncomfortable.
The phrase became well-known during a 2013 social media controversy on the website Tumblr in which Internet users criticized men for failing to show care for other people’s space by sitting with their legs apart on public transport.
Men extend their legs out while seated on the tube five times more frequently than women do, according to Hunter College research in New York.
One student questioned, “What makes so many men think that they are entitled to two or more seats on the train?” “Perhaps we need a big uprising against the man spread.”
If there is one thing that using public transit can teach you, it is that even though there isn’t much area for personal space, you should make an effort to maintain it for the sake of other passengers.
By working together and promoting a culture of respect and consideration, we can create a more enjoyable travel experience for everyone.