Protect Your Precious Knee Space!
By Amy Ziff, Editor-at-Large
January 14, 2004
As some of you may know, a tricky new mechanism called the Knee DefenderTM is generating a lot of buzz among air travelers. As the name implies, the Knee Defender'sTM purpose is to, well, defend your knees—defend them from the wanton recliner in the seat in front of you.
What exactly is it you ask? And how does it work? Are they legal? Allow me to elaborate.
The Knee DefenderTM is a simple, yet durable device that's made to work on most planes and comes in pairs--you'll need a pair for it to work properly. You place the Knee DefenderTM (or KD as they are dubbed) on each arm of the tray table in front of you. By sliding them down into place they prevent the person in front of you from fully reclining, thus preserving your precious knee space.
A few months ago I polled business travelers and asked what the hardest thing to give up when traveling by air is. The majority noted the lack of legroom as the biggest problem. What's more, my recent poll on rudeness revealed that travelers found people who reclined all the way were among those rated as most rude--but my view is, it's a jungle out there, and sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Etiquette issues aside, the more burning question is: Does the Knee DefenderTM work? There is only one way to really be sure of anything: personal experience. So I donned my investigative reporter hat and put my very own KD to the test. Although I was skeptical at first, I have to tell you, these little beauties work! Not only did I have knee space, I also had plenty of space to work. No more seat back pushing my laptop screen to half-mast. To my great relief, the person in front of me never complained. Truth be told, I don't think he had any idea why his seat wouldn't go back. I just kept quiet and kept on typing.
In the end I decided the moral question was not mine to answer, and sometimes, a flier or a columnist must do what they must. But having used it, I can say this: the Knee DefenderTM most definitely made my time at 36,000 feet more comfortable and more productive. At $14.95, I suspect it won't break the bank and may prove valuable to you too.
For now, the Knee DefenderTM is legal. However, the manufacturer of the KD is urging people to not "hog space.” Use it only as needed, be polite, and obey flight attendants' directions. If the flight attendant or passenger in front of you requests you to terminate usage, you must comply.
Please visit www.kneedefender.com for more information on the Knee DefenderTM and to purchase…while you still can.
For more travel tips and advice, check out Amy Ziff's blog, The Window Seat, or her monthly column, Travel Trends & Advice from A to Z. To suggest a topic for a future column or to tell about a travel experience of your own, please email Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com.
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