Reclining passenger films man punching her seat, didn't expect this reaction

Wendi was surprised to get so little sympathy after being sat infront of the punchy passenger. Photo / Supplied

A video intending to shame the behaviour of an American Airlines passenger has surfaced online, showing him repeatedly "punching" the back of a reclining traveller's seat.

However, when Wendi Williams uploaded the video to Twitter of the man hitting the back of her seat, she hadn't expected so many people to side with the pugnacious passenger.

"Here's a great jackhole!" she wrote "He was angry that I reclined my seat and punched it about 9 times - HARD, at which point I began videoing him, and he resigned to this behaviour."

Travel twitter was divided as to who was in the wrong.

"Reclining a seat into another person's face is just rude," wrote one commentator.

"You've had a shocker here," said @boxingFanatic_ "When you recline you're invading the space of the other passenger and ruining their experience."

The tall people of Twitter quickly waded into the fray:

"I'm 6'2", travel extensively, and always pay for the extra leg room," wrote one leggy passenger "This boy is in the wrong, that's assault."

Then as if to one-up the previous tweet @Boondocksaint88 wrote "I'm 6ft 5 and can't stand inconsiderate people putting their seats back."

Since first being uploaded on Sunday the clip has attracted over 600 comments. Roughly two thirds of which are on the side of the passenger behind Wendi.

To her horror, when cabin crew finally got involved, they also sided with the passenger behind Wendi, offering him a drink:

"The other jackhole is the @AmericanAir flight attendant who reprimanded me and offered him rum!"

Wendi said she was horrified by the treatment, saying that she had a medical condition that made the flight far more painful than it should have been.

"I'm in pain," she tweeted. "I am grateful for the limited movement I still have and shouldn't have had to endure repeated blows".

Other commentators on the dispute thought both passengers were as bad as each other.

However, one Twitter user @Fit_Like_Min? said it was the airline's fault for allowing the seats to recline in the first place:

"If he doesn't like reclining seats he should have taken it up with the airline. They recline for a reason and can be used."

A spokesperson for American Airlines said they were "aware of a customer dispute that transpired on American Eagle flight 4392, operated by Republic Airways, on January 31.

"The safety and comfort of our customers and team members is our top priority, and our team is looking into the issue."

Wendi tweeted an update on Sunday saying she had received a phone call from American Airlines to apologise, though they could not accept any responsibility for their attendant's actions.

In spite of being told to "delete the video" by the flight attendant, Wendi insisted "no one would have believed" her and she would not have got an apology, had she not shared the clip.

Who do you think is in the right?