Window Blinds

[All names taken]

As a passenger, I have always been keen to have the window blinds raised for take off and landing. Basically if there is any sign of trouble I would want to be amongst the first to know and in the case of an evacuation, I would want to be as fully aware of my surroundings as possible. I believe this is a regulatory requirement in the EU anyway.

Can anyone tell me therefore why in some parts of the world, keeping window blinds down is either ok or sometimes even encouraged, for example in the tropics in order to keep the sun from warming the cabin. Surely the same safety principle applies or should apply.
There doesn't even seem to be consistency amongst airlines with one transatlantic carrier insisting on blinds up for that sector but insisting they were down for another flight in a hot country. I was definitely frowned upon for my insistence on raising the blind.

Can anyone shed any light on this situation? (if you'll pardon the pun)

[Rwy in Sight]

I think the regulation of having to open the window blinds is more associated with landing and take off.

In other cases it is closed either to improve the visibility of the IFE system or keep the aircraft cool on the ground by closing the blinds from the sunny side.

I hope it helped you.

Rwy in Sight

[Centaurus]

It varies as you say with individual airlines. Blinds down in the cruise at high altitude often depends on the whim of individual passengers rather than an airline policy. Hot sun streaming through a window can be downright annoying especially to some one trying to sleep.

In most Australian airlines, I believe it is company policy to have the blinds up for take off and landing for the reason you gave. But you then get the ridiculous situation at 15,000 ft on descent the flight attendants walk up the cabin and tell you to raise the blinds when there is at least 20 minutes to go before landing. The blazing sun hits you through the window and you feel blinded by the glare. All the FA's have to do is ask passengers to raise the blinds when the gear goes down for landing..

One Pacific airline I flew on had the FA's turning off all the cabin lights in daylight during take off and descent for perceived ease of night adaption even though it was midday. There are some crazy inexplicable policies around often dependent on the intellectual ability of officials manning the safety department of the airline. And worse still is where you get a bolshie senior flight attendant interpreting company policy his/her way and they just love the power.

[All names taken]

Thanks both of you for your replies.
My query was really targetted at the take off and landing routines. I prefer to have the blinds up for what I think are obvious reasons. I was just surprised in the Tropics to be expected to leave them down at take off, I think because it was so hot. I found that un-nerving. And this was a 'global carrier' that wanted the blinds firmly up for landing and take off on the transatlantic sector.
Just wondering if different regs applied in different parts of the world?
Regards
ANT

[Gentleman Jim]

Just tell the FA that in the interests of safety you wish to leave the blinds up for take off and will close it as soon as you are airborne. They simply cannot argue.