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Is it OK to keep your window shade open during a day flight - even if people are sleeping?
Recently I was on a long-haul flight for work and I noticed something that ended up sparking an etiquette question.
Is it OK to keep your window shade open on a flight during the day if people are sleeping?
I had been happily typing away on my laptop, getting some work done, when I looked up and noticed that a huge portion of the cabin had been completely 'blacked out'.
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My window shade remained open but the front and right side of the cabin were in darkness. Nine/Supplied
Soon after take-off, flight attendants had gone along and closed almost all of the window blinds.
They didn't do them all and never asked about mine, which remained open, along with those of two or three other guests on my side of the cabin.
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As I looked around, I noticed that more and more blinds had been closed, and a large portion of the passengers had gotten comfortable and were attempting to sleep.
I had the thought of closing my blinds so it wasn't too bright, but then decided I personally wanted the daylight to keep me going, and on the right time zone.
You see, this wasn't an 'overnight' flight. We took off around 9:30am, and were due to arrive at our destination in the afternoon. So I was saving my sleep for nighttime.
Some people may choose to sleep during the 'daytime' and that's fine. Getty
I completely agree and understand that if it were the reverse, where you take off in the evening and arrive in your destination in the morning, the window shades should be closed. Even if it is daytime outside.
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I questioned my actions even more after I later discovered a travelling companion was actually shushed by a passenger who was trying to sleep while she was having a low conversation with someone else.
So I wonder if that same shushing passenger would have had something to say to me if he had ended up seated next to me and my wide-open window blind.
But it was basically 10 in the morning. I'm completely entitled to having my blind open.
Is it rude of me to do this?
If sleep isn't crucial (despite some people clearly wanting it), does it matter if the blinds stay open?
I know I could simply close them and use the light above me, but that's not the same as actual daylight.
Of course, all the blinds needed to be opened again for landing - as they are during takeoff.
There are several reasons why flight attendants are so insistent on keeping your window shades open during these specific times.
Not only does it help flight crew keep an eye on conditions outside – particularly important if planning an evacuation – but flooding the aircraft with light improves visibility for all passengers.
Should the lights go out unexpectedly, your eyes will adjust to the environment far quicker than if you're sitting in window-shaded darkness. When it comes to mid-flight emergencies, every second counts.
