Recline a bit is alright. Reclining all the way, while technically allowed, is just fucking rude. You want to lie back like that, suck it up and pay for first class you poorfag.

If you have to ride economy class, than have some sense of consideration for your fellow passenger.

I won't just simply kick though. I would just complain to the stewardess and ask for another seat. If you're really lucky, you might even get an upgrade to business class (rare, but it can happen).

If there's no other seat available, the stewardess typically asks the passenger in front to straighten the seat. Most generally comply. Most.

If they are still inconsiderate enough to argue with the stewardess, that's when they start looking like jackasses. Whoo! Problem solved and I don't have to be the asshole.

But I never let any passenger get away with reclining in front of me for the long term. If stewardess doesn't want to do anything, that's when I find my own way to annoy that guy in front of me. Seat kicking will be the least of it. Think me shoving my foot up front between seats. Have a whiff of my socks. What? I'm just trying to get comfortable, just like you.

Oh, I've got sneakier ways to make the other guy look like the bad guy.

My favorite is to pretend that I'm airsick and I need the space. I pull out the air sickness paper bag and make a noxious face. Than I call the stewardess over to request that either the person in front straightens their seat so that I can lean forward, or I lean over the corridor to barf in full sight of the entire row of passengers.

I usually get my way, and I don't even look like a bad guy. Its the recliner who looks bad if they don't cooperate.

Or I pretend to have an upset stomach and need to use the toilet every 15 minutes or so, forcing the person to straighten their seat just so I can get out. If they don't want to, I point that I am not so limber as to be able to limbo.

After the 3rd time of being made to straighten their seat, the passenger in front usually gets the message.

I don't exactly set high standards or expectations of others. I merely ask that everyone be more considerate of others. If they don't want to be considerate, neither will I be to them.

I actually had no cause to use it in recent years though. Seems most passengers are actually considerate these days.

But those were the tactics I did when I was a kid flying with my parents. I was also genuinely airsick that first time which was how I learned about this little trick.

I didn't even ask for it. The stewardess saw this kid leaning over the corridor with a paper bag and she immediately rushed over to make the guy in front straighten up to give me space.

That's when I figured hey...I could use this to my advantage...