At 16, I’m unusually tall, standing just over six feet, and flying is always uncomfortable. During a recent trip with my mom, the flight was delayed, and the cramped space in economy became unbearable. After boarding, the man in front of me reclined his seat fully, crushing my knees into the seatback. When I politely asked him to move his seat up, he refused, dismissing my discomfort with a shrug.

My mom suggested letting it go since the flight was short, but things worsened as he reclined even further. Finally, inspired by my mom’s prepared bag of pretzels, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I began eating noisily, letting crumbs fall on the man’s head. After a few moments, he demanded I stop, and I “accidentally” sneezed, sending more crumbs his way. Frustrated, he raised his seat, freeing my legs.

The rest of the flight was much more comfortable.