Window shades for landing- Open or closed ?

[buzzc152]

I posted this in another forum but no reply so I thought I'd ask you guys ;

Windows shades open for landing - did something change?
I was a pax on a night flight recently from Atlanta to Heathrow on a UK carrier.
For departure all the window blinds/shades that I could see were closed. I thought perhaps that since we're in the U.S. then this ok. However, landing (daytime) at Heathrow, again, all the blinds were closed. The cabin crew had come through as usual for landing checks but didn't ask for the to be opened.
I thought it was a requirement in the UK for them to be open or did something change ?
Thanks

[Skipness One Echo]

Depends on what country the aircraft was registered in. British airlines seem to do it, others not so much.

[crewmeal]

Egyptair certainly ensure the blinds are up. On the other hand they don't dim the lights for a night time landing.

[Tray Surfer]

On BA there was no requirement for them to be up or down for take off or landing, apart from certain ones on or adjacent or next to emergency exits to comply with viewing requirements.

[Ketch]

I am BA crew and so can answer this quite easily.

The idea of having window blinds up/down has 2 uses, both of which are used for evacuations.

1. keeps the cabin interior the same lighting level as outside, thus the eyes do not have to adjust between light and dark etc.
- Most airlines, including BA, use cabin lighting for this, as most modern aircraft, especially the 777, 787, 380, 350 etc all have appropriate dimming options for departing/ landing during darker periods.

2. It allows crew to see outside to ascertain any dangers before opening evac doors.
- Most airlines, including UK airlines use the windows on the crewed evac doors to view dangers, as the main concern is a danger in the direct vicinity of the door.These are the only window blinds required to be open.

:)

[air pig]

Qas told by friend who is a pilot thatthe blinds should be up as it allows fire crews to see inside in the event of an incident on the ground.

[dixi188]

As pax I try to have a window seat as I like to watch the world go by, (no front end view any more), and it irks me when I am told to close the blind at night.

Blinds up for take off and landing seems a good idea to me.

[hoss183]

I've never seen it demanded, and can't think of any justification to have the blinds compulsorily down. Like others in a window seat its my right to look out if i want to, and actually help with claustrophobia and motion effects in turns or turbulence.

[snooky]

BA like the blinds closed on the ground to avoid the need to run the apu for cooling, getting them closed before landing saves the cabin crew having to do it after disembarking passengers. Strange but true!

[RoyHudd]

Nobody has "rights" in the safety area. Do what the cabin crew ask/tell you. They know safety. Passengers are generally clueless. (I'm a pilot, and I follow their instructions when positioning or as a paying passenger)

[Skipness One Echo]

BA like the blinds closed on the ground to avoid the need to run the apu for cooling, getting them closed before landing saves the cabin crew having to do it after disembarking passengers. Strange but true!
Ba don't ask passengers to close the blinds before landing though? Quite the contrary. Worst I had was a B787-8 where they had dimmed the windows on stand to keep the cabin cool but then taxied out all the way to the hold with them locked on level 1 darkness. You gotta love the B787.
Boeing : "We built huge windows on our new airplane"
Airlines : "We're going to stop passengers using them"

[Reverserbucket]

I've flown BA several times in the past week - day/night/LVO's/VMC. Each C/C pre-landing PA instructed passengers to ensure seat belts fastened, seat back in upright position, tray table stowed and window blinds in the fully open position.