Knees up for new gadget to settle airline seat war

A NEW device has been developed that has become a weapon in passenger aircraft’s legroom wars. The Knee Defender — about the size of a house key — protects precious legroom by preventing the seat in front of you from reclining.

It consists of two plastic clips that are placed at the top of either arm of the tray table. The miniature device keeps the seat in front of you locked in place.

The pocket-size gadget can be adjusted according to how much you want to allow the seat in front of you to recline. The closer each clip is placed to the back of the seat, the less the seat will be able to move. The tiny device is made with “specially shaped grooves” to fit the different seats and tray tables found on a variety of aircraft.

It is the work of Ira Goldman, a 1.8m Washington DC resident, who wanted to help other tall travellers fed up with being “bashed in the knees over and over again” while on a flight. The clips are meant to be used with your tray table down. Airlines typically request that the table be raised and locked away during takeoffs or landings.

The gadget, available on gadgetduck.com for $21.95 (about R230), comes with a “courtesy card” that can be given to the passenger in front of you to tell them you are using the clips. It provides an extensive explanation, including why you are using the Knee Defender, how much you are willing to allow the seat to be reclined and to notify you if they need to recline their seat. The card ends with a call to report any complaints of inconvenience directly to the airline in a bid to convince them to “provide enough space between rows so that people can recline their seats without banging into other passengers”.

The Knee Defender is also meant to help those who want to practise in-seat leg exercises during the flight to promote a good blood flow and prevent conditions such as deep vein thrombosis.

Reclining seats have been an ongoing issue among air travellers and the airline industry. A small group of airlines have shunned reclining seats on all or some of their flights.

Last year, a survey by Skyscanner revealed nine in 10 aircraft passengers would like to see reclining seats banned. The moment the seat in front tips back on to your knees has been voted one of the most common causes of mid-flight anger. It seemed most passengers would rather lose the right to recline than put up with having their table and leg space compromised by someone else. — © The Daily Telegraph, London