“In preparation for take-off, please make sure your seat belts are fastened, tray tables stowed, seats in upright position, and your window shades open.” These are the lines of flight attendants as the plane prepares for take-off. Actually, they say the same thing during landing, except they begin with “as we prepare to land…” So, let’s focus on one thing: the window shades. For most airlines around the world, keeping window shades open during take-off and landing is a requirement. However, in the United States, keeping window shades open during take-off and landing is merely optional, not a requirement.
Well, what is the rationale behind this? But before I begin, allow me to explain first that airline rules may vary per carrier and are not based on your citizenship. For example, just because you are a US citizen and your carriers do not mandate you to keep window shades open during take-off and landing, it does not mean that you can defy this rule when you ride other airlines that require you to keep them open. When I take Philippine-based carriers, I am allowed to take a video of the take-off and landing with my mobile device. But when I once took an AirAsia Malaysia flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, I was told to stow my mobile device, as these are not permitted during take-off and landing on board their carrier. While I could have argued that they were in the Philippines at that time, I also had to understand that the flight attendants were following the aviation laws of Malaysia, where the use of mobile devices during take-off and landing is not allowed.
So, if the window shades rule is applied by other carriers, you have to follow that, regardless of the airline’s point of origin and your citizenship. Now, let’s go to the topic of why most airlines require you to keep your window shades up during take-off and landing.
Window Shades Are Required to be Open for Safety Reasons
Takeoff and landing are critical phases of a flight, and they are also the times when accidents are most likely to occur. In the event of an emergency, it’s important for everyone on board to be acclimated to the outdoor lighting conditions, whether it’s bright sunlight or darkness.
Keeping our window shades open during take-off and landing allows our eyes to adjust to the natural lighting inside and outside the aircraft. Our irises and pupils adjust based on our exposure to light. In darker environments, our pupils widen to allow more light in, while in brighter settings, they contract to reduce light intake. This adjustment, however, isn’t instantaneous. It can take several minutes for our eyes to adapt to significant changes in lighting. For instance, after being in bright sunlight, it might take up to half an hour to fully adjust to dim indoor lighting.
In an emergency situation, particularly one that occurs on the runway, passengers and crew may need to evacuate the aircraft immediately. If their eyes haven’t adjusted to the outdoor light conditions, they might struggle to navigate their surroundings effectively. By keeping the window shades open during takeoff and landing, passengers’ eyes can adapt to the external environment, making it easier and safer to exit the plane if needed.
So You Can See What’s Going On Outside
Keeping your window shades open during take-off and landing allows you and the crew to see what’s going on outside. In the event of an emergency, this enables you to see if there is a fire outside before you open the emergency exit doors. It also allows the cabin crew to check which emergency exits are safest to use during emergencies that require immediate evacuation. Additionally, open window shades provide natural light into the cabin of the aircraft in case power goes out during an emergency.
Always remember that all these measures are taken for the safety of all passengers and crew on board. Safety is never negotiable and is always paramount. Airlines will never sacrifice safety for comfort. Hence, if airlines require you to open your window shades during take-off and landing, regardless of your nationality and point of origin, please comply. It is for your safety at the end of the day.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
