Mark, a 34-year-old business traveler, was running on fumes after a sleepless night and a big client win. Boarding a delayed six-hour flight, he was desperate to rest. At 6’3”, he’d paid extra for an aisle seat, hoping for space—and relief.
The moment the seatbelt sign blinked off, he reclined sharply without looking back.
A gasp followed. “I can’t breathe!” the woman behind him cried out. She was eight months pregnant, and the sudden recline had pressed hard into her belly.
Exhausted and annoyed, Mark muttered, “Then fly first class.”
The cabin went silent. Was it rude exhaustion—or a selfish move? That’s the debate.
