moocherx

I was reading through some comments about TG on Qatar Airways' PR website "Skytrax". A LOT mention that TG always want the window shades down most of the time, even on daytime flights, and I've noticed this too.

10 years back, I remember many a daytime flight on other airlines (no TG back in those days), where a nice sunny cabin was filled with people chatting, reading books in natural daylight, cabin crew regularly coming around with drinks etc.

But I must admit... thinking about it more carefully... every time I take the midday flight BKK-KWI it's "shutters down" at the earliest opportunity. And since I take a centre row seat in C, I'm not in a position to argue.

Can anyone explain this trend, and is my perception of it as a way to reduce "being bothered by passengers" wrong? Is it just TG or are other airlines doing the same? (past 12 years on long-haul with other carriers, I'm usually overnighting, so can't think of examples).

Interested on your thoughts...

Mylene

Me too. I feel embarrassed with window shade closed during day flight. They said the heat of the sun was very strong up in the sky.

A_Lee

Sunlight shining into the cabin can be extremely annoying for me, especially when the sun is low in the sky and is practically blinding if you look in that direction. I for one am grateful for airlines such as TG than ask all window shades be pulled down. On mid or long haul flights I want to sleep or at least rest regardless of if it's day or night as I have a very hectic work/travel schedule and really appreciated a at least somewhat darkened cabin.

moocherx

I'd agree to a certain extent, except that TG crew IME use it as a cue to disappear and stop all cabin services. Which I wouldn't mind if they did what BA do and hand out as many individual wine bottles as you care to ask for This is one reason I fly LHR-BKK on the lower deck as they tend to leave the bottles out by the FC curtain.

Sam Drucker

I too find this practice of requesting all window shades be closed to be very annoying. If questioned on why, they tend to make up BS that "passengers want to sleep". But nobody seems to have requested that all window shades be closed! I (like most anyone) have no problem closing a shade when the sun is low and shining directly into the cabin; that is typically a relatively breif condition, and not what this thread is about. My problem is flying in a dark tube for 17 hours (JFK>BKK or BKK>JFK) with no sunlight.

Most people are compliant, and the problem with this request is that almost everybody leaves the shades down until the end of the flight.

In the days of projected movies in a cabin, the request had legitimacy for viewing a movie, and at the end of the film people opend their shades. Now with individual seatback videos, there would seem to be no need to do this, yet it has actually gotten worse because there is no common event (like the end of the movie on the main screen) for people to open up the shades for.

I am particularly baffled at this request in the Business Class section, where eye shades are a part of each amenity kit. Certainly, they are an answer to the problem for anybody flying, and by using eyeshades, people would not need to impose on others ("I want it dark so I can sleep").

I have talked to TG Pursers, and they claim this request is not policy, and have stated "you can leave your shade up if you want to, no problem." But they don't seem to grasp the social stigma they create . . . if I want to leave my shade opened, I'm usually about the only one willing to not comply with the request. It then makes the light more blinding coming in from my window. I don't want to make problems for others, but TG cabin staff are creating this situation.

If they would just leave everything be, the people that want to close their shades would do so when they want, open them when when they want, and there would be reduced levels of daylight in the cabin all the time.

moocherx

I'm wondering whether the cabin crew shrivel up, dracula-style, with the window shades up and over-exposure to sunlight? To be honest, that would explain some of the ancient TG crew on my BKK-KWI flights... I was told the youngsters are put down amongst the cheap seats, where it possibly may be lighter but I'm to scared to go look :P

Cameron38

Darkness equals less activity among passengers... simple as that. Less demands for food, drink, service etc. They want you to sleep for certain periods of a long flight.

dsquared37

Had a similar time on a BKK-NRT segment a few years ago on UA upstairs in C cabin (a 7AM takeoff). FA's went as far as leaning over me, while reading, to close the shade. Of course, I opened it up while still looking at them. Next time they waited until I was in the bathroom to close it again.

It won't be a problem on my next TG flight to BKK as we leave LAX at 11PM and arrive in BKK at 6:40. Blah, 17 hour of night.

A_Lee

I'm completely opposite of you in my opinion. If anything the C cabin is much more important to have the window shades down. Have you ever tried to watch a movie on your screen when the person next to you has the window shade up and it totally washes out the screen even with the brightness turned all the way up? I have and it is absolutely maddening. That was on an SQ flight where the FA's didn't request the window shades be pulled down. If I want to watch a movie or if I want to sleep, then the TG method is definitely the only way to go for me. If I want to read or look out the window, then it's not so good. I guess it just depends on what you like to do during the flight.

BKKROP

Times have changed, the flight attendants used to be young and full of fun and wore short skirts which rode up when they put the luggage in the overhead bins and they were called hostesses. They would then rage all night in foreign lands with young businessmen who they chatted up on the plane, or was it the other way around. There was absolutely no limit to the amount of alcohol they could serve, in fact the more of those little bottles they dispensed the better, it was a contest. They were happy just being an air hostess, so the fact they had to leave their homes at 5am to get to the airport for the 6.30am brief and the 8am departure was a breeze and arrival in Singapore at nightime was an excuse to all meet on top of the Hilton for the happy hour.

What changed, they got older and couldn't hack the pace anymore and told their unions they wanted more breaks. The boys joined their ranks and they looked after their own and took over the prime csm jobs and the girls fought back. Then it became illegal to get anyone drunk, so they were told to drastically cut the booze, security and insurance told them they must restrict passenger movement in flight, the days of sitting on armrests drinking had to stop and movement of passengers between classes had to cease. Toilets were to be monitored every 30 minutes, and no more than two people were to be standing together at any one place. Then the awards started to dictate how many services each flight duration could do, in the end, it became too hard for the airlines, feed them twice, water them once, leave three juniors on duty then close it down. However if you learn how the system works, you can still get whatever you want, whenever you want.

Personally I have grown up with "them" and I am happy to read or sleep, a window seat is not on my list anymore as I prefer aisle. A full stomach, a glass of red, a not to strenuous movie and I am happy for the whole cabin to be dark and I am away with the pixies for 6 hours. regards and no disrespect meant to anyone, regards bkkrop

og

My compromise is to keep only one window shade open (when I want to look out). The other(s) can come down. I''ll even lower it when flying over cloud when the refelctive glare is way too bright.

I specifically select a window seat because I want to look out. I'll even select a seat to be away from the wing. But, when I know I want to look out (eg DEL-HKG in daytime and choosing a left side window seat), I'll try to sit towards the back of the cabin as an open window behind you is less annoying than one in front.

As for the window light washing out a video screen, I don't believe it. Eye shades are include din amenity kits (but then again, most are too hot and don't breath - too sweaty after a long time).

BTW, I can't understand the insistence that shades are lowered on long haul night flights - especially when the landing is at night time.

directorguy_

When I fly (daytime) and the aircraft is descending, flight attendants ask passengers seated next to the window to pull up the blind (to 'open' it) if it's not open. I suppose this is for passengers to enjoy the view during final approach. On one flight, I remember thinking that this was a security measure in case the aircraft was intercepted by a hostile air force. This happens to me on Emirates, Gulf Air and Egypt Air.
Regarding rude and persistent FAs, I hate it when the 'rule' the cabin, like us, revenue-generating pax are irresponsible pax (some of them are, esp. when they stand up for a stretch during final approach or taxi). I also hate how 'systemised' some of them are, saying nothing more than 'wlecome on board-no sir-yes sir-chicken or beef-duty free?-coffee or tea-fly with us again.
Whatever happened to spontaienty (sp?) and simply being nice. Get over yourselfs and quit being snobs!

TravelinWilly

No, it's not to insist on anyone enjoying the view during approach or to see if the flight is intercepted by a hostile air force. The shades are up for safety in case the plane makes an emergency landing (or an apparent regular landing) - if shades are down and there's a fire outside (or near) a door and the door is opened and the slide deploys...well, let's just say "ouch."

Will

Bitterroot

I agree with Willy: I asked the SQ folks about this, since they have the same policy ("fasten your seat-belts, and ensure that your window shades are up") on take-off and landing. Answer: so passengers won't be disoriented inside a dark cabin if there's an accident, emergency lighting or no. SQ learned the hard way in the typhoon crash at TPE.

They now also insist you keep your shoes on during take-off and landing. Same lesson.

But otherwise, SQ doesn't hassle you if you want your shade up during daylight hours.

see the world

...and that you not use your head sets - a lesson learnt from the BA crash.

The window shades must also be up because people are more likely to look out of the window and see an engine burning/something else wrong.