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From The Telegraph this week:
They were invented to ease the stress of air travel by helping taller passengers to fly in comfort.
But a new device called the knee defender – designed to prevent people leaning back in their seats – has sparked a vicious new row over the right to recline.
Now, dozens of the gadgets are believed to be on their way to the UK after worldwide sales spiralled in recent days.
And passengers may have to get used to finding their seat sabotaged by the traveller behind after the industry safety watchdog said it had no power to ban the products from flights.
The knee defender clips onto the lowered table and prevents the flier in front from tilting their seat.
Although it looks innocuous, its effects can be explosive. Last Sunday, a US flight had to be diverted when a fight broke out between two passengers over its use.
A man had attached a knee defender to his table to make sure he had space to work on his laptop. When a woman in front tried to recline, he refused to remove it, even when flight crew intervened.
The woman became so upset that she threw a glass of water over him, and the row prompted the pilot of the four-hour flight between Newark and Denver to make an emergency landing in Chicago.
On Wednesday evening, another battle over legroom forced a US passenger jet to turn back.
The American Airlines flight from Miami to Paris was diverted after the clash between Edmond Alexandre, a 61-year-old Frenchman, and a passenger in front who was attempting to recline their seat.
Air marshals on board intervened when Mr Alexandre allegedly grabbed the arm of a flight attendant who was trying to help. The plane was diverted to Boston, where Mr Alexandre was charged with "interfering with a flight crew".
Despite its potential to cause conflict, sales of the knee defender have rocketed, with many buyers believed to be in the UK. On Tuesday, its website crashed as travellers flocked to buy the gadget for £13.
To keep tempers from fraying, the knee defender even comes with a ‘courtesy card’ which explains to the passenger in front that their knees will be banged if the flier's seat is reclined.
Part of the card reads: “I realize that this may be an inconvenience. If so, I hope you will complain to the airline.
"Thank you for your understanding.”
British Airways (BA) said it would continue to offer customers reclining seats because many requested them. It has not yet specifically banned knee defenders on its aircraft.
But budget airlines including Monarch Airlines, EasyJet and Ryanair all have non-reclining seats for their short-haul flights.
Launching its new, non-reclining seats in May, Monarch said its customer feedback indicated that reclining seats were “deemed unnecessary and a bone of contention on short-haul flights”.
Many of America’s largest airlines have already banned the knee defender, as have carriers such as the Australian firm Qantas.
Others, such as Singapore Airlines, have said they will review their policies after this week’s airborne arguments.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it had not heard of the knee defender being used in Britain yet and said its use was up to the discretion of individual airlines.
It was created by Ira Goldman, a 6ft 4in businessman from Washington DC, who wanted to help other tall travellers fed up with being “bashed in the knees over and over again”.
A former aide to U.S. Senator Pete Wilson, Mr Goldman has said sales of his product have spiralled, but not so far that he can yet afford to travel first class.
He said: “Either your knees will be the stopping device or you use two bits of plastic to defend them.
"I was the kid who says, 'The emperor's not wearing any clothes. He's naked.”
The issue prompted Telegraph Travel readers to air their views this week. An online poll attracted more than 18,000 votes, with almost 70 per cent of readers – 12,632 people – in favour of banning reclining seats on planes.
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