Is there anything worse than one passenger obliviously doing whatever they want in the cabin, and ruining the flight for everyone else?
Here’s video of a passenger with open window shade, bringing in the bright light of the skies, on a long haul Delta business class flight while “everyone [is] trying to sleep.” They’re in business class for rest and relaxation.
Now, viewing the video it doesn’t appear everyone is trying to sleep. Most of the passengers on this daytime flighthave earphones on and they’re seated upright. Maybe they had been trying to sleep and gave up but that’s not obviously the case here.
And much worse than an open window on a transatlantic flight is trying to be comfortable in the terrible Delta business class on a Boeing 767.
It goes without saying that the passenger at the window controls their own shade. If darkness is important to you, then bring sunglasses or an eye mask. A business class amenity kit may contain a mask.
There are (6) principles of airplane window shades:
- Shades up for takeoff and landing. That’s so everyone’s eyes are well-adjusted to the light, in order to facilitate evacuation in an emergency.
- The person at the window has control of the shade. If you’re in the window seat, you decide the position the shade is in.
- Flight attendant direction trumps. On modern widebodies window shades may be electronic and can be locked into position. A crewmember may decide all shades will be down, for instance, to accommodate passenger sleep. You may think you have control rights because it’s ‘your’ shade (usufructuary rights) but confrontations with cabin crew over this will not end well.
- Avoid blinding light. That’s especially the case on overnight flights and on early mornings. Traveling across time zones means that even though it’s “night” for people on board who may want to sleep, that doesn’t mean the sun isn’t shining where you are physically.
- Accommodate your neighbors. If someone asks you to put the window shade down (or up) consider accommodating you, especially if they have a strong preference and you do not. Don’t just arbitrarily do the thing they object to, or object to moving the position of the shade for its own sake.
- Close the shades before getting off the plane when it’s especially hot at your destination. That will help keep the aircraft cool for the next group of passengers during boarding.
People pay for window seats to look out the window. There are magical sights up in the clouds, they want to appreciate the approach to their destination, or maybe look down at the ice around Greenland. Other passengers want to sleep. And like so many things in a plane, preferences come into conflict.
I like an open window as much as possible, unless the sun is shining through the window so brightly that it interferes with screens. I don’t like flight attendants who require window shades to be closed on daytime flights from Europe to the U.S. since I never sleep on those flights and I find them less draining when I have light. But there’s not a lot I can do on a Boeing 787 when they control the shades, or when crew come around scolding passengers who open thei
There is a special place in hell for people who do this. Glad it’s (often) impossible on the 787 because the windows can be locked.
I would like to have a safety regulation that says shades open during taxi, takeoff, and landing. Some airlines and countries enforce this. It improves situational awareness and would be important in the event of an accident. It is also the most interesting part of the flight.
On daytime flights, open shades provide better light than the overhead lights. On eastbound redeyes, closed shades increase the ability to keep sleeping as the sun rises. But otherwise the window passenger should be able to open their shade if they choose to remain awake.
This is where you let out a ‘this fkn guy’… and end up on r/AirRage…
I really thought that’s why there’s eye masks?????????????
LHR to Bo’s during the day. Is shaded up or wear a mask. If night then shades down.
Some people need to work etc and it is daytime
You can see the guy is a jackbutt. Who wears a baseball cap under headphones while cruising at 36K?
If there’s nothing to look at then why have the window shade open? That being said if there are window views, one primary reason people reserve a window seat, then put on an eye mask. As noted they’re provided in the amenity kit.
You can see the guy is a jack butt. Who wears their baseball cap under headphones while cruising at 36k feet?
Yeah, I do this too, but I will leave it only partially open. If its a daytime flight I like to stay away.
If light bothers people on a long flight, wear eye shades.
Most people are clueless to the beauty of planet Earth. I always fly first class international, and my cabin-mates are all given free sleeping masks. Those who don’t use them are invariably watching reruns of “Cheers” or “Frasier” or the HSN. I’ve seen aurorae borealis. I’ve seen cloud types (and shapes) that will never be seen again. The Earth’s surface is magnificent. Gaze upon it, STFU, and be amazed.
“And much worse than an open window on a transatlantic flight is trying to be comfortable in the terrible Delta business class on a Boeing 767.”
OK Gary, maybe 767 on Delta is not your idea of an ideal biz class on Delta, but for crying out loud why don’t you tell them to close the window so birds can’t come in.
@Carl:
There is safety reg saying window shades must be opened for takeoff and landings.
Windows are for looking out. Wear a mask over eyes or sleep at night.
@Jack — By chance, are you the same ‘Jack’ on DoC that keeps getting replied to by ‘MeOff’? Gives me the ‘lolz’ every time.
I’m all for an open or partially open shade.
1. I like to read and so many of Deltas reading light are fixed and pointing the wrong way. Natural light is so much better.
2. As a pilot, I like the situational awareness of seeing out.
3. Absolutely up anytime below 10,000 feet.
4. In a ground accident situation, the fire department folks can see if the row is occupied. They will try not to spear you with an aircraft penetrating nozzle. Close that shed and they don’t have a clue where you are.
I echo what haolenate says. I almost always pick a window seat because I want to see the view. Otherwise, I might as well pick an aisle seat and have no view. Especially when going to a country I’ve never been to before, I want to look out and see the view. My wife also feels the same, so much so that when we fly business and it’s one of those 1 seat aisles, we’ll arrange seats so that she’ll sit behind me rather than select 2 seats in the middle section just so we can sit together. Now that I’ve stated my position, I will also say that I don’t like confrontation. So, if the whole cabin is dark or everyone is asleep, if I want to look outside, I will roll the window up slightly just enough to see the scenery without annoying the whole cabin. I think that’s a pretty fair compromise.