Window shades

[amp-qld]

^ If you don’t choose, you still get to sit together unless you’re the last to check in to a full ‘plane I guess ... what happens if you only pay to choose your wife’s seat, and make sure you check in early?

For a return flight to Europe on Emirates, the seat fees for the six sectors were extortionate and we tried to check in both of us early but had lots of problems. Haven't dared trying the book one seat option due to the risk of them putting someone else next to my wife. We do have a short QF flight (AKL-BNE) early next year where I could try that.

 

[Forg]

Yeah, to be honest I was thinking as I typed it that I wouldn’t take the risk.

 

[lonewolf]

Why don't you 'buy' the glare reasons? There are posts above which clearly show how glare affects the cabin - either on screens or faces.



I don't think anyone is suggesting window shades be closed for approach such as over London/Hong Kong or any of the other amazing views (including Sydney!).

But shades open in the middle of the Pacific with cloud cover?

I meant that i dont think its that bad, i have had glare at times on my screen but i just somewhat change the angle and if its a day flight i figure the window seat occupant also has the right to look out the window or use it.

 

[Matt_01]

Over Coober Pedy, SA LAST WEEK. View attachment 181138 last week. OK not 30K but shades open and FABULOUS!!!

As I posted up thread just 'red dirt'

 

[suze2000]

Departing from SFO on 747 and LAX on A380, the FAs in economy ask people to close their shades shortly after take-off.... Don't recall anyone trying to open shades returning from US.

That is exactly the flight I had the argument with the FA about the shades. It's rubbish that there is nothing to see out the window over the ocean at night. There's stars and islands and clouds and rarely ships. Her "reason" was that the sun will rise and wake people up. On a flight which would arrive at MEL in the winter, that's not a concern. The plane took off in the dark and the sun was not going to rise until close to landing time and they wake you up hours before that in Y. Not to mention that I'm such a light sleeper there's no way the sun would even come close to arriving without waking me up. AND I was on the west side of the plane, so it wouldn't have been on my side of the plane anyway! No way, it's sheer stupidity and I'm not doing it. I told FA that I guaranteed the shade would be down if the sun came up and she left me alone.

I'm starting to think we need to make a list of "forced shade closure" airlines for people to avoid!

 

[amp-qld]

As I posted up thread just 'red dirt'

That's a pretty sad outlook on nature.

 

[VPS]

That's a pretty sad outlook on nature.

Note the smiley face after the comment. I think he had his tongue firmly planted in his cheek

 

[Matt_01]

If a pax has paid for the privilege of a window seat, all benefits of that seat should be retained by the pax, otherwise why have a payment?

Are there airline that charge for the "privilege of a window seat", I am aware that some airlines charge for selecting a seat but are there differing rates for windows, aisle, and discount for the middle. Sorry just stirring the pot as it this is an issue I have not come across.

 

[1022]

I'm starting to think we need to make a list of "forced shade closure" airlines for people to avoid!

I fear that's a list that would include almost every airline these days :-(

Data points for me over the past few years flying to Asia from Australia where blinds have been forcibly shut:

QF, TG, KE, CX, JL, JQ, MH...

I find it ironic that QF's instagram feed often features photos of beautiful outback scenery from 30,000 feet. Yet they're among the ranks of airlines that insist on darkness during day flights. Having said that, they are far less bolshie on domestic flights. I wonder why the difference in policy...

 

[bfm]

I'm also a shades up flyer. Love to see where I'm going.

For that reason, I try not to fly Dreamliner.

I've read several reasons offered for 'forced' shade closure, but I'd like to learn the 'official' reason from a responsible airline exec.

 

[lonewolf]

Are there airline that charge for the "privilege of a window seat", I am aware that some airlines charge for selecting a seat but are there differing rates for windows, aisle, and discount for the middle. Sorry just stirring the pot as it this is an issue I have not come across.

Pretty much most airlines these days seem to charge for seats sadly, Used to be only the budget airlines. Aisle and Window seats go first, some airlines also have different charges depending on how many seats in the row, so a window seat in a 2 seat row is pricier than a 3 seat row. So its about people paying to book seats early and then choose the seat they want for the reasons they want. Aisle means generally more leg room and easier access to get up and go walking / bathroom etc. Window seats may be a bit more cramped but you get less disturbance and you get windows for views and also if you suffer from claustrophobia.

 

[Berlin]

For that reason, I try not to fly Dreamliner.

Same which is a real shame. I remember that, when they first came out, everyone found this window dimming effect "Really cool". I said back then already that this will be disaster in the making as crew can override your shade choice but no one believed that this could ever happen.

Well, fast forward and lazy crews do it all the time. And it REALLY kills the whole experience of being on an otherwise quite nice airplane. And once again, whatever silly "reasons" they will give you- it's simply laziness: No light, everyone sleeping or slumbering watching some boring movie, hardly anything to do for the crew that idle chit chat in the galley. Totally unacceptable in my eyes.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

To be fair to cabin crew, this usually has nothing to do with them being ‘lazy’. Most crew only work short(ish) shifts in between meal times and their mandated rest time. They would rather the time pass quickly than having it drag while they sit with nothing to do in the galley.

One person sitting by the window who decides to open the shades... and it usually is only one person... shouldn’t necessarily get to disrupt the experience for everyone else trying to watch a movie or snooze.

 

[Berlin]

To be fair to cabin crew, this usually has nothing to do with them being ‘lazy’. Most crew only work short(ish) shifts in between meal times and their mandated rest time. They would rather the time pass quickly than having it drag while they sit with nothing to do in the galley.

One person sitting by the window who decides to open the shades... and it usually is only one person... shouldn’t necessarily get to disrupt the experience for everyone else trying to watch a movie or snooze.

Couldn't disagree more on both your points but everyone is entitled to an opinion. In most of my experience with this, it was always the crews more on the slack side that keep insisting. And to your second point, well that's exactly the thing- get a window seat if you want to put the airplane into total darkness which is as selfish or not selfish to do as me insisting to enjoy the view out of the window. And as for sleeping- this is what eye shades are there for an most decent airline will even give you one for free.

 

[desafinado74]

Out of curiousity, do airlines only enforce this shades down policy in Y class ? I had flown J/F with both SQ and ANA and they never forced me to close the shades. I am thinking of flying QR in J. I wonder if QR has such strict policy, hmmmm,....

Personally i love looking out windows. I have seen some magnificient views, such as the Norwegian fjords when i flew Norwegian from Bergen to Stockholm, views of mainland Europe on the SQ flight between Singapore and London, and of course the Sydney Harbour on the ANA flight from Tokyo to Sydney. It would be a shame if every airline enforces the shades down policy in the future.

 

[Berlin]

Out of curiousity, do airlines only enforce this shades down policy in Y class ? I had flown J/F with both SQ and ANA and they never forced me to close the shades. I am thinking of flying QR in J. I wonder if QR has such strict policy, hmmmm,....

Personally i love looking out windows. I have seen some magnificient views, such as the Norwegian fjords when i flew Norwegian from Bergen to Stockholm, views of mainland Europe on the SQ flight between Singapore and London, and of course the Sydney Harbour on the ANA flight from Tokyo to Sydney. It would be a shame if every airline enforces the shades down policy in the future.

I hardly fly Y on routes over 3 hours so yes, it does happen in J as well. From memory, I can recall Qantas, Qatar and Emirates as well as Thai doing it. Or at least attempting to- if you protest, then they often give up if you're in Business class.

In the worst case, I just claim to suffer from extreme fear of flying unless I can see the ground outside. This usually works and is even true to a degree- I always start feeling uneasy in turbulence at night or when there's limited visibility inside the clouds or similar.It puts me massively at ease to know we're still at cruising altitude, even after decades of flying so regularly. For the same reason I absolutely hate if airlines don't provide a map (and data on altitude/speed etc.): Yes, it is also informative for an airplane nerd like me, as it is beautiful to look out of the window but there's more to it. For me it's also helping to calm the nerves.

 

[CPMaverick]

Definitely happens in J too, although I think you have a bit more weight when you push back in J.

 

[drron]

Out of curiousity, do airlines only enforce this shades down policy in Y class ? I had flown J/F with both SQ and ANA and they never forced me to close the shades. I am thinking of flying QR in J. I wonder if QR has such strict policy, hmmmm,....

Personally i love looking out windows. I have seen some magnificient views, such as the Norwegian fjords when i flew Norwegian from Bergen to Stockholm, views of mainland Europe on the SQ flight between Singapore and London, and of course the Sydney Harbour on the ANA flight from Tokyo to Sydney. It would be a shame if every airline enforces the shades down policy in the future.

On JAL,SQ and ANA they have closed the shades in F but don't object when you open one.

 

[bfm]

One person sitting by the window who decides to open the shades... and it usually is only one person... shouldn’t necessarily get to disrupt the experience for everyone else trying to watch a movie or snooze.

And, the reverse is true. Those seeking a dark plane to watch movies IMPOSES on those seeking to view the scenery.

Not a fan of AMERICAN cough movies (as offered on airlines), and find rear seat screens very draining.

 

[Pleb Status]

I wonder how many of the closed window shade brigade (with their think of others excuse) then proceed to recline their seat into the personal space of others (with their 'right to recline' excuse)....