Not baffling at all. When I'm in an economy seat with typical seat pitch, someone reclining in front of me makes it difficult to impossible to use a laptop on the tray table. The recline angle of the seat means you have to angle the screen downward in an uncomfortable way. I'll often end up putting the laptop directly on my lap in that situation, but that creates other comfort/ergonomic issues.

Well, you'd be baffled then. When the seat in front is reclined, I can't open the lid fully or even well enough. I've tried.