How much legroom should there be on a plane: experts assess a viral post on Reddit

The photo of the post shows a person's feet on the floor with personal belongings in the space in front of them. One foot appears between the legs, covered by a sock that sticks out from the row behind them.

"Don't be that person," the Reddit user wrote in a post that garnered more than 2,500 comments. Etiquette coach Mika Meyer said that "the woman who took this picture was not wrong, because someone's foot, sock, or anything else, even hair, would be inappropriate in someone else's seat." This was reported by goodmorningamerica.com.

Flight attendants say that such incidents are not uncommon, especially when seats are squeezed closer together as airlines try to pack passengers.

"People put their feet on the armrests in front of them - sometimes they reach under the seat and into the legroom in front of them," said Sarah Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants.

According to SeatGuru, on short economy flights, there is approximately 30 inches of legroom between the seats.

If you do find your foot in the way, experts advise politely taking steps to give the person your shoes.

"Say: 'Oh, I was hoping that if you don't mind, you could just move your arm or leg. Then, if they ignore it, I'll just calmly warn the flight attendant,'" advises Mayer.

Tips on airplane etiquette and personal space

Nelson shared additional tips to help passengers feel comfortable in their own space.

If you're tall, choose an aisle seat so you can stretch your legs in the aisle when carts and flight attendants aren't passing.

Stay behind the bar under the seat. A small bar designed to keep your luggage from sliding forward under the seat in front of you can also be a visual cue that indicates your seat is up. As soon as you cross the bar, as in the photo from Reddit, you enter someone else's zone.