What are our rights for flying?

When we buy our plan ticket, what rights do we have while on the plane?
Well on a plane flight to Denver, CO. There was one guy going to see what his rights really were. He went to lay back his seat and the man behind him didnt like that and wanted the space to be on his laptop. The guy thought he had the right to have the other sit up so he can do his work while on the plane. What happened? Well, they both didnt want to budge what they thought they had the right in. So, it ended up in a punch fight during the flight! Both guys were then thrown off the flight when it landed in Denver. Although only one guy got removed from that airline the other continued to fly that day through the same company just on a different flight.

Do you think this was right? Do you think, that when we fly we have the right to use the features provided to us through that airline?