Window Etiquette on Daylight flights

[cattleclass]

Having just flown a 12 hour all daylight flight with SQ318, I am interested in the onboard feelings about window shades. I always get a window, whenever possible, and can happily spend a whole flight admiring the world beneath me, the sights I'll never see on a Tiny Telly screen, and I was hassled 3 times by the middleseat video addict next to me to close the curtain, though never by the cabin staff, who were as calm and lovely as always. Am I out of line or am I just not tuned in to the Video Arcade headspace of some other travellers? If it was an overnighter I could understand blacking the cabin early(or late) to suit meal and time issues, but on an all daytime flight with a starboard seat, not even sun streaming in? I'd love to hear from Cabin Staff about their opinions on this cheers, cc/xx

[Flame]

cattleclass;

Nice question, I have been asked many times by crew to close my window blind on transatlantic flights in order that folks can watch movies. I generally do so, but INMHO, if I have paid money for a seat with a window, and gone to the trouble of requesting same, then If I want to look out the window I will, within reason of course.

If airlines have a problem with sunlight affecting the preformance of the IFE equipment, let the airlines spend the money on quality screens and let me lok out the window, if I want

[breakscrew]

I was hassled by a grumpy cow of a flight attendant on a transatlantic BA flight to close my window shade, even though it was in the middle of the night. When I asked why, she said it 'was airline policy'. Why buy aeroplanes with windows then?

[Globaliser]

cattleclass: Having just flown a 12 hour all daylight flight with SQ318

FWIW, my take on it is this. The flight may happen to be in physical daylight, but that's not the only consideration. Even if it was the only sector I was flying, I would have had to get up pretty early in SIN to get on it. The flight arrives in London at 2330 (body clock time), but it would still take some time before getting to my final destination. That, of course, may be the office. So having a dark cabin for some sleep during the flight would be lovely.

[Pax Vobiscum]

Like cattleclass, I much prefer to be able to see outside, even if there's only water out there. I'll do my best to accomodate fellow pax (and we have to recognise that long-haul flights often contain folks whose body clocks are out of sync). It's usually possible to reach an amicable compromise on a half-open position (if the blinds will sustain it).

But, in the final analysis, if you want to control the position of the blinds - get a window seat! (And, if you want to sleep on a daylight flight, bring some eyeshades

[ManAtTheBack]

Earlier this year I traveled from London to Bangkok overnight.

I sleep badly on planes, and avoid jet lag if I stop trying to sleep when it is light, so when dawn broke I decided to enjoy the view of the Afghan and Pakistani Himalayas. I was quickly ‘told off’ by the flight attendant for letting in the light.

I want to be considerate of other passengers but at the same time cannot I use the facility of the window if I wish?

[Globaliser]

breakscrew: Why buy aeroplanes with windows then?

Roll on the BWBs, I say! (Only kidding.)

[B Sousa]

Agreeing with most. Only one reason I want a window.....too see some of the world. Somebody wants to close it, then they should get that seat. Now that they are selling emergency row seats etc for more money, Im going to use every option availble to me. I prefer an Aisle seat anyway so I dont have to trouble folks when I want to get up and stretch etc.
Someone cant see the video, get a new video.
Closing at night???....Its Dark out.....DUH......... And on long hauls they give you blinders...Put them on. They work during daylight hours too and can hide a bit more of that ugly face..........
Airlines are not in business for comfort, food and luxury. They are there to take your money and maybe get you to a destination....AND if they are lucky, which most are not......Make a profit.

[MarkD]

hmm. interesting to me too as I have "window" on my BA profile.

on some a/c (744) you can go to the rear exit to look out if you want...

[bluestars]

totally understand where you are coming from on this one as it is always nice to stare out the window...

however, in defence of the middle seat IFE addict... the SQ318 departs SIN at 0900... connections from elsewhere also connect with this flight such as Australasia and therefore some people are on a completely different time zone to those joining at SIN. they could have been flying already for 12hours or so.... however that said, if IFE addict wanted to sleep she/he could put on eyeshades to block out sunlight and therefore not disturb anyone elses enjoyment... they always used to provide these on SQ in all classes but im not sure if they do now....

as for not being able to see the screen due to sunlight... surely some simple adjusting of the screen would sort this.... ???

then again, sometimes there is no pleasing some people

bluestars

[Boss Raptor]

You see it works both ways but of course they dont see that...yes it is antisocial I suppose but I dont believe that disruptive...you are given eyeshades to use after all

I also get a window seat as I like looking out the window both during the day and night...

I have been hassled on several occasions by idiots sitting next to me or even worse right across the other seat block - yet the same idiots dont seem to worry about the fact that I have to put up with their inane giggles every 2 mins at the movie they are watching, the background noise from their headsets for the whole flight...or the women who complained about the light in her eyes from across the row whose screaming kids had kept the whole plane awake all night and then she has the cheek to complain about me watching the sunrise...

I book a window seat and I am going to look out the window - they can s!d off

[Jerricho]

(And, if you want to sleep on a daylight flight, bring some eyeshades

Best suggestion!!! Also, from my experience, it indicates to CC that you seriously want to sleep and don't wish to be disturbed.

[atco-matic]

From Flame: "if I have paid money for a seat with a window" ...are there any airlines that let you pay to sit next to the window then???

I wish plane windows had electronic blinds so the crew could keep them shut when it's sleep time!

[apaddyinuk]

Im crew myself,
To be honest your under no obligation AT ALL during any flight day or night to close your window blind. I generally run through the cabin after the meal service on daylight flights and close window blinds so people can sleep or watch movies that bit easier but I would always ask the person beside the window first and I would never insist on it.
Like wise on night time flights but mainly because it tends to get bright quicker on eastbound transatlantic trips so I do it so that the passengers can maximise their rest before the cabin brightens up. But id be lying if i said I didnt enjoy slapping the lights on full when we start breakfast...I always get a giggle out of watching dazed passengers wake up to what must be like a dentist chair light!!! hehe!!!

[aaaaa]

I also object to being told to close the blind. I frequently travel DXB/MNL and ok, I admit the flight leaves early in the morning so there will be people who wish to sleep. On the other hand the flight is 9 hours so if you sleep this length of time and arrive in MNL at 16.30, it is almost time to go to sleep again to get adjusted to local time.

The last trip I did, I kept the blind shut until about two hours before landing and saw the most beautiful sight of a layer of fluffy clouds, with cunim towering through the layer. The sun was begining to set so everything had a slight pink glow and with the wing sweeping back with that cold frosty look the whole scene was one of those so beautiful and rare sights, I am so glad I did not miss it. I would love to have got a photo of it.

aa

[B Fraser]

If you want to sit in the dark, wear your eyeshades and I won't object.

If I want to look at Asia from 10 miles high in the sky, why should anyone stop me

[classic707]

If iīm lucky to get a seat at the window i alway enjoy the sight and donīt close the blind - my experience with cabincrews concerning blinds: on a QF-flight from FRA to SIN - sunrise around 3 hours after departure - cabin-attendant nearly cried through the cabin that i should close - scenery was really great!! - finally i ended up at an entrance-door where the crew closed the curtain and i enjoyed the view - on a recent UL-flight from CMB to FRA crew asked to close the window-blind but i told her that i would like to have a look outside and she accepted this without arguing - the sleeping passengers missed the crossing of the Arabian peninsula overhead Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar etc!!
I think that closed blinds makes life more easier for the cabin-crews: blinds closed - passengers sleeping - no requests for drinks and snacks and more time to chat in the galley !!

[USA_flyer]

two things

Having flown on an a/c without windows I can tell you it's a bizzare experience. Not for those with delicate stomachs.

Ear plugs and eye shades. The perfect solution to day flight sleeps. My biggest bug bear are noisy people... the thought of airlines allowing mobile phones to be used in flight sends a shiver down my spine.

[mirabelle]

windows are for looking out of

Airplanes have artificial light for illumination; the ONLY reason for having a window is to enable people to see what's outside. If the video screens cannot be seen with an adjacent window uncovered, it would not be over-hard to add little fold-out shades to the side of the screen. (Which would, incidentally, enable me to reduce the temptation for my travelling companion to look across at my screen to see what I'm watching and then suggest I'd be better off with something else!). Clouds can be endlessly fascinating to those of us who only fly a few times a year; likewise ground formations and settlements. And sunrise/sunset is often jaw-droppingly glorious.

Let window-seaters enjoy their view. If they annoy you, just be grateful not to be sitting by a 300-lb lump, or a breaker-of-wind, or a single parent with squalling brat, or someone with no leg-discipline who invades your miserable portion of space, or.... Of course, if they are any of those things as well, you are certainly to be pitied - and there's nothing the aircrew can do to help!

[Romeo Delta]

Last month I did the 15 hour ATL-ICN flight (all daylight) on Korean. There were not a whole lot of pax in biz class on the flight, and I usually like to have the window shade at least halfway down (a compromise so I can see out, but dimmer for those who wish to use IFE). The flight attendant (Korean, with minimal English) didn't even ask, just reached over with a menu and shut the blind! KAL keeps it like nighttime in their cabin, for some reason. From nose to tail, it was dark on that flight, even though it was daylight the entire flight.

Interesting concept, but I missed out looking down on the North Pole and all that neat stuff.

RD