Should plane window shades be open or shut? A flight attendant says it’s generally up to the passenger in the window seat, unless there’s an onboard issue or the crew has instructed otherwise. She prefers them open, but respects a passenger’s choice to close them.
Her main reason is safety. Since becoming a flight attendant four years ago, she says open shades give passengers and crew better visibility and situational awareness, especially at takeoff and landing.
Why This Flight Attendant Prefers Open Window Shades, for Safety and Views
A window-seat passenger might spot a problem first, such as a fire on the wing. Many international airlines require open shades at those times, and some US airlines encourage it, though the FAA does not mandate it.
She also loves the views. After more than 800 flights, she says scenery never gets old. She has seen Zion, Canyonlands and the Grand Canyon, New England foliage, fireworks and once the northern lights, and would have missed them with the shades down.
She admits closed shades help on long flights, since people sleep better in a dark cabin, which makes her job easier. Even so, she recommends eye masks for passengers who need darkness. She asks for shades to be closed mainly after landing at a hot destination, since direct sun heats a parked aircraft. When cruising in a cool cabin, she’d like them up.
