Reclining on flights is a divisive issue – and it’s something Gemma Collins isn’t a fan of, it would seem.

The Towie star was filmed having a squabble with a fellow passenger on board a flight from Athens to Heathrow recently. She had been trying to sleep by leaning her head against the chair in front and became increasingly frustrated when the passenger in front of her appeared to recline their chair.

In a video shared by another passenger with the Mail Online, she could be heard saying: “Leave it like that… you keep hitting my head and it hurts.” When the other passenger defended themselves, she then shut down the exchange, closing her eyes and saying: “Alright, it’s fine.”

While passengers on board suggested the altercation was far more heated than the video suggests, a spokesperson for the reality TV star reportedly said of the exchange: “All Gemma did was like many passengers do in a busy air plane is ask for someone to be considerate to her. It was a gentle request and was in no way a row.”

So what is the etiquette for reclining on flights? It’s a divisive topic, that’s for sure. A poll by Skyscanner found some view it as “inconsiderate” and believe it’s never ok to recline, while others think it’s ok as long as you ask first.

Some consider it 100% unacceptable on shorter flights, while others believe that they should absolutely be able to recline regardless of flight duration – one person went as far as saying anyone with a problem should pay the extra money to sit in premium economy.

Rupert Wesson, academy director of Debrett’s, the authority on etiquette training in the UK, tells HuffPost UK: “The seats on most aircraft are designed to recline and so of course it is acceptable, but that does not mean that it should be done without care and consideration for the person sat behind.”

If a meal is about to be served there’s no point in reclining “because you will only have to put it back up again”, he says. And in his view, you don’t need to ask permission to recline – but it’s important to do it carefully and check that you are not going to knock over drinks, laptops and iPads when you do so.

“A quick glance to check will also indicate to the person behind that you going to recline which is always helpful,” he adds.