Perhaps before I had kids I would have sided with you, but now, not a chance. Kids are kids and it has little to do with parenting. If any parent hits their kid for kicking an airplane chair, they have issues. Granted I am from the camp that solving problems with violence (yes, spanking is violence) doesn't help the mental well being of anyone. It appears you were hit as a kid and now have anger management problems.

Tangent aside, kids are hard to deal with on a plane. They have EVERY right to talk. It is an airplane, not a movie theater. Kicking your seat is annoying, but 1) was it all the way reclined? 2) Were you exaggerating the situation because you hate kids? 3) There are better ways to ask the mother to do a better job monitoring her child.

Overall, you handled the situation poorly, very poorly As another response said, karma.