The .Plan

When I fly, I am usually struck with the misfortune of being placed next to or behind a person of wide girth. If behind her, then the seat tends to recline a few more inches than normal, squishing my knees or making it impossible for me to use my laptop; if next to him, then he spills over the armrest into my seat, making it impossible for me not to touch him. Hasten the day that airlines implement girth-based pricing.

In the meantime, there are some new devices that will help me in my war to reclaim my personal space on the airplane:

Some companies have devised gizmos to thwart recliners. Among the gadgets are a wedge that fits in with a tray table to restrict seat movement and a car-key size contraption called a “Knee Defender” that slides onto the arms of a seat-back tray and up against the seat, limiting recline. But airlines say they have prohibited use of recline-limiters, which can lead to broken tray tables when passengers push back forcefully.
–Scott McCartney, “Recliners vs. Uprights: Tighter Seating Puts Passengers at Odds”, Wall Street Journal, November 28, 2006