There are many viewpoints regarding suitable airplane behavior, covering topics such as seat reclining, dressing nicely, swapping seats with fellow passengers, and more. This article aims to discuss the etiquette involved in manipulating airplane window shades.
Who has authority over airplane window shades, and what is deemed reasonable? Additionally, how do crews handle window shades during longer flights?
In this article:
The window seat occupant controls window shades
On a fundamental level, the individual occupying the window seat has authority over the window shades and shouldn’t require consent from those in adjacent seats regarding the position of the shades. The window seat occupant can, reasonably, choose whether to keep the window shade open or closed throughout the flight.
One of the aspects I cherish about flying is gazing out the window and marveling at the wonder of aviation, and being able to manipulate the window shade is a significant reason I often opt for a window seat when traveling. Although it is certainly their choice, I am frequently astonished by how many travelers maintain the window shades shut for the whole flight, regardless of the beautiful scenery outside.
The window seat occupant controls the window shades
Be mindful of others, apply the golden rule
While I strongly maintain that the window seat occupant governs window shades, there are boundaries:
– Be considerate of others — if the sunlight is blinding a fellow passenger due to your open window shade, think about lowering it
– Apply the golden rule — if the individual seated next to you kindly requests that the window shade be closed and provides a valid reason, contemplate a compromise
– Avoid confrontation — if someone reacts rudely about your open window shade or demands that you close it in an impolite manner, try to avoid a dispute and either agree or request a crew member’s assistance, as we don’t need further disturbances during the flight
Make an effort to be considerate of fellow passengers too
Adapt to the cabin atmosphere
I believe that it is worth considering the behavior of fellow passengers as well. If you’re on a long flight and all other passengers have their window shades down, you might want to follow suit.
It’s one scenario if half or a quarter of the window shades in a cabin are open, but when there’s just one window shade open, the glare can be extremely bothersome for others, whether they are attempting to sleep or enjoy the in-flight entertainment.
Now, to clarify, this frequently frustrates me, as I often feel inclined to be less considerate. There are times when flying on a daytime flight across the Atlantic over Greenland, where the views are breathtakingly beautiful, yet the cabin is completely dark. I often feel the urge to keep my window shades open, but I think if you’re the sole person doing so, it’s best to reconsider, at least for prolonged stretches of time.
Observe the behavior of others with window shades
What about crews shutting window shades?
It’s not unusual for flight attendants to recommend that passengers lower their window shades. This may happen in several ways:
– Crews might announce something like, “We know many passengers will be trying to rest on this flight, so we kindly ask that you lower your window shades to help them relax.”
– In premium classes (or on flights that are less than full), crews may occasionally walk through the cabin and close the window shades themselves to create a darker environment.
– On Boeing 787s (which feature window dimmers — and some A350s now have these too), crews may sometimes take the initiative to dim the windows and “lock” them so that passengers cannot adjust the settings (this practice can sometimes be frowned upon by airlines).
Crews occasionally request that passengers close window shades
Personally, I believe there’s value in this on overnight flights, especially those heading east, where the sun might rise only a few hours after it sets. However, I feel that some airlines take it too far:
– It frustrates me when crews insist that all window shades be closed on a westbound daytime transatlantic journey when I often wish to remain awake and not be engulfed in darkness for extended periods.
– I feel particularly irritated by this on shorter morning flights, such as an 8 AM journey from California to Hawaii, where the crew asks all passengers to close their window shades because some wish to sleep; it’s daytime, I’m an early riser who enjoyed a good night’s rest, I thrive in sunlight, and I don’t want to sleep.
This isn’t how I prefer my cabins to be on daytime flights!
What should I do in these scenarios?
– I aim to be mindful of others, so I will never be the only person to keep my window shade open, and I typically go with the majority; I also won’t be the first to shut it, though.