Can I recline my seat?
re-cli-NA-re — stress on third syllable. se-DI-le — stress on second syllable.
When you want to lean back your seat, particularly during long flights.
'Reclinare' (to recline) is the standard Italian verb for leaning back a seat. 'Posso' (can I) asks for permission. On budget airlines, seats often cannot recline at all. When reclining, it is polite to warn the person behind you, though not legally required.
Mi dispiace, il suo sedile è reclinato sul mio vassoio.
I'm sorry, your seat is reclined onto my tray.
Polite way to ask someone to put their seat up during meals
Posso mettere il sedile in posizione verticale per l'atterraggio?
Can you put the seat upright for landing?
Cabin crew instruction before landing
Il sedile non si reclina.
The seat won't recline.
Report a broken seat to cabin crew
Italian aviation etiquette on reclining seats mirrors the broader European norm — it is generally accepted to recline during long flights but considered rude during meal service. On short domestic Italian flights under 2 hours, most passengers do not bother to recline.