I admit it, I’ve always been an airplane seat recliner. As soon as that “fasten seatbelt” sign goes off, I push my seat back that extra inch. But on a recent flight, my seat wouldn’t budge. Trying to get some momentum, I tried rocking back and forth and using my strength. Still no give. Finally, when the person seated next to me asked if I was okay, I realized she probably thought I was having convulsions, so I stopped.

Chances are, the reason I wasn’t able to recline is because the person sitting directly behind me had installed a Knee Defender™. Designed with the express purpose of preventing airplane seats from reclining, this new invention is causing quite a stir among those who believe in the right to recline and those who believe in the right to spare their knees and laptops.

And even though I’ve always been an avid recliner, I’ve come to realize that both sides have a point. I’ve never minded when the person in front of me reclines, because 1.) I’m short and 2.) I try and avoid using my laptop on the plane. But after reading testimonials on travel sites like Gadling.com from those who have a few inches on me, I’ve realized that it actually can be quite painful to have to take it in the knee on the flight. Also, many business travelers rely on their airplane time to get some important work done, and a reclined seat in front makes it very hard to open a laptop properly.

So who’s right in this sky-high battle? Certainly, there seems to be a lot of people out there with very mixed feelings. My solution: make the airlines give us more room in the first place! What’s yours?