Night time on all flights

[Peter H.]

As I am talking Qantas at present what gives with this all window blinds down just after take-off ( maybe a little later) on QF International especially. Why have windows.

If they want dark all the time why have windows at all.Interesting that one selling point on the A380 is the large windows.Who b.... cares if you can't look out.

ON a recent flight to LA (QF 93) the steward asked to put blinds down. I said no thanks I want to see Fiji as we pass over. He said why do that when I am here. I'm Fijian.

Thanks Qantas

[Bernie P]

I had this as well on SK between NRT and CPH... Left NRT around 10.30am (from memory) after overnighting on QF21. Not that I "argued the point" with those 'lovely' Danish stewardesses (:confused:), but I wanted to see what was underneath as well!! We ended up coming to an agreement, that I can have it opened for little segments here and there, and whilst the meal service was happening...

And, on the SK flight between CPH and MAN, I was in the back of the mad-dog where there was no windowm and fel asleep before even getting to the end of the departure taxi!

[Ken Kirkby]

Its as though someone has told them that sleeping passengers put less demand on the air conditioning (fuel saving) or eat less food. Its not so bad on oceanic flights, but stupid on overland daylight flights, particularly where the flight arrives in the late afternoon local time.
It annoyed me greatly on a Singapore Frankfurt/Singapore flight, and I spent a lot of time looking out from half a blind up by the toilet area.. while cabin staff tried to have it closed. It was high noon and I was keeping an out for them for missiles upbound from the Taliban.. :rolleyes:

[Chris Tully]

You will find that a primary reason for the closure of blinds is to allow:


Opportunity for customers to sleep
Ability to better view the IFE

Specifically IFE viewing would drive this thinking. I have been in situations where I have had bright sunlight directed directly into my eyes sitting in a middle row from a passenger window.

I had to manipulate my body into an uncomfortable position to avoid the sharp light and view the IFE at the same time.

Darker environment, brighter/clearer IFE.

Especially when the entertainment is via main screens.

[Philip Argy]

Why have windows if we have to keep the blinds up? And don't tell me to put the blind down when the sun is in my face and we're still 100 nm from touchdown!!

I can accept the safety issues which require blinds to be down close to final approach or if there is some inflight emergency, but the whole reason I request a window seat is to look out the window - that is my IFE!! :mad:

[Nigel C]

Philip, there's no safety in having the blinds down during final approach.

If the plane crashes, I want to be able to see in an instant if there's danger on the side of the aircraft I'm planning on exiting from, and not waste valuable seconds having to lift blinds to check!

[Philip Argy]

I should have made clear that the blinds I was talking about are ones that lift to close and lower to open, in case anyone misinterpreted my comments! :D

[Erik H. Bakke]

Easy, give the passengers who want to sleep during daylight hours a facemask...

Granted, they are uncomfortable to wear, but better than getting the sun in your eyes when you want to sleep.

Should be a good idea for the airlines, they'd no doubt be charging for the privilege of sleeping. Nice extra cashflow, that... ;)

On the other hand, they'd probably charge extra for looking out the window, too...

[Malcolm Parker]

i can't wait for the 787's to come online they will not have blinds but self dimming windows that can be adjusted by the individual I am told

[Lukas M]

http://www.boeing.com/randy/images/mockup_seats_787_window_lg.jpg
Yes Malcom, here are those windows. Nice and Big!

[David Ramsay]

TCAS alert ... traffic at 300 metres, your 3 o'clock. :p

[D Chan]

http://www.boeing.com/randy/images/mockup_seats_787_window_lg.jpg
Yes Malcom, here are those windows. Nice and Big!

Dont forget the 787 doesn't have the 'blinds' - the windows are electronically dimmed so you can still see through it but not let as much light in.

about the policy of having blinds down - it's not only Qantas that does it - I've flown on Cathay and they asked if i could have blinds down around 30 minutes after takeoff from SYD to HKG. I then slid the blind 3/4 of the way down.
As mentioned before it is for better viewing of the IFE and for the sake of other passengers who may be sleeping. And also for those in the front of the cabin with mood lighting I think letting a lot of light in will spoil that.

In fact all airlines should request you to have blinds up during landing for safety reasons. Because you need to know what's happening outside - e.g. if there's some sort of emergency situation having blinds up means the pax are fully aware of what's happening outside.

[Adam T]

Does anyone know why airlines insist on the blinds being up/open for take off and landing?

[Michael Mak]

Does anyone know why airlines insist on the blinds being up/open for take off and landing?

It's for safety reasons - so that you are aware of what's going on outside the aircraft. IMO people who want the blinds down should be seat at a aisle seat not next to a window.

In fact all airlines should request you to have blinds up during landing for safety reasons. Because you need to know what's happening outside - e.g. if there's some sort of emergency situation having blinds up means the pax are fully aware of what's happening outside.

[Daniel F]

Slightly OT, but on a recent Virgin Blue Sydney to Albury and Albury to Sydney flight, an announcement was made to put down all arm rests for landing. I can't think of a safety reason for the armrests being down... nor is it to help the crew turn the plane around faster because when you board the plane, the armrests are actually all up.

So what's the reason for wanting all the armrests down?

[Rhys Xanthis]

perhaps to avoid them slamming down and hurting u in a crash? Help u to get up easier?

spculation...

[David M]

Speculation correct Rhys!

Same goes for seat backs upright.... if they are back, then it may impede the exit for the passenger seated directly behind, in an emergency.

As for all items requiring stowage for landing, I'm fairly sure that the airlines and manufacturers wouldn't just say it because it sounded good. There'd be a valid safety reason!

As for the window blind down after takeoff... Bahh!!! get a centre seat allocation, sit down and shut up while you watch your IFE. The rest of us want a window so we can still marvel at the amazing science that is FLIGHT!

David.M.

[Brendan Lawrence]

Carry-on luggage being stowed well underneath the seat in front of you is not only so that it is secure for the takeoff or landing but also so that the legroom for that row of seats is not impeded should pax need to get out quickly in an evacuation. That's why the crew will insist on the bags being pushed right under that seat in front and out of the way.

As already stated by a few here, the window shades being completely raised for takeoff and landing is primarily for the cabin crew to be able to assess external conditions and identify any hazards outside the aircraft and communicate that immediately to the flight deck during an alert phase, which happens once the aircraft has come to complete stop during an emergency landing, and precedes the evacuation command or a precautionary disembarkation. Yes it is great if the pax can view what's going on outside in an emergency, but it is primarily for the crew to be able to look out and spot any fires or obstructions so that the appropriate exits can be blocked, rather than having pax evacuate into a raging fire.

As for the armrests; I think different airline have different policies in regards to the armrests. At Jetstar/Qantas all armrests must be down during takeoff and landing, and we ensure they are down prior to pax boarding. I'm not 100% on this one but I'm pretty sure it is just something for pax to grab a hold of if it gets turbulent. Of course if it's an emergency landing the brace position would be adopted and therefore I don't know what use the armrests would be. I think it just creates extra work if the armrests are all up prior to boarding and then a PA has to be made for pax to put them down for takeoff (ie. that Virgin Blue flight you mentioned Daniel).

Out of these 3 takeoff/landing safety requirements, the window shades one certainly takes the cake for the amount of passengers I have asking me "WHY?". Guaranteed I get at least one or more passengers per flight asking me why they need to be up. :p

Haha, and 2nd most popular question behind that would be "what's that barking noise?" I normally joke at first and say it's just the dogs barking down in the cargo compartment, and then tell them that it's really the hydraulics starting up, completely normal, nothing to worry about. Anyone who's flown the A320 and been seated around the overwing area would know what sound I'm talking about.

[Rhys Xanthis]

Anyone who's flown the A320 and been seated around the overwing area would know what sound I'm talking about.

So thats what that was....kinda freaked me out a little:p

[Andrew M]

Haha, and 2nd most popular question behind that would be "what's that barking noise?" I normally joke at first and say it's just the dogs barking down in the cargo compartment, and then tell them that it's really the hydraulics starting up, completely normal, nothing to worry about. Anyone who's flown the A320 and been seated around the overwing area would know what sound I'm talking about.

Ah yes the good old A320 whine from the dogs down below :D

[Andrew M]

i can't wait for the 787's to come online they will not have blinds but self dimming windows that can be adjusted by the individual I am told

Which will be no different from now, because the window dimming can still be controlled by the Flight Attendants.

It will be worse than having a manual blind to open/close, because when the FA's want the windows dimmed you have no way to override it and sneak a peak out the window