Curious -- when is it permissible to keep your window shade open. I'm a big aviation buff, rarely watch the IFE and am not a big sleeper on domestic flights. Generally, I take the first flight out in the morning (except when in BOS, when I always take UA 179 back to SFO at 600p.) and work or read for the entire flight. I'm in F or C 80% of the time.

On international flights (a bunch coming up at the end of the month,) I generally keep the shade open for takeoff and landing. Otherwise, I pretty much follow the crowd. Usually, the shades go down in F and C fairly quickly on international flights (especially westbound day flights) and I follow suit.

I try to sit on the side of the plane where I can expect the least amount of direct sunlight. Going eastbound in the winter I sit on the left and switch to the right in the summer months. If the sun is shining directly through my window (usually at sunrise and sunset,) I lower my shade. I don't want anyone to go blind.

On domestic flights, I keep my shade at least halfway open the entire time. I think one of the enjoyments of flying is looking out the window watching the world go by -- especially when there is no cloud cover.

So here is what happened last week. I was on a short hop between LAX and SFO. It was Saturday and the flight departed at 8:20 a.m. I was in 6A on a 757, so the direct sunlight was coming from the other side of the plane. About 10 minutes into the flight, the woman sitting next to me demands (doesn't ask, doesn't say please) that I lower the window shade. I was very happy reading my book and looking out the window at the California coast. I replied, "I prefer not to." She said that the sun was bothering her and she wanted to "rest" for the balance of the 50 minute flight. She then proceeds to reach over me and slam the window shade shut. After I recovered from the initial shock, I opened the window shade and told her that if she wanted it closed, then she could reimburse me for my seat. I then suggested she move up to 3B, as the person in 3A had his shade shut. She apparently liked my advice because she moved, but not after calling me an A-hole.

To be honest, had she asked nicely, I would have at least shut the shade part way.

Notwithstanding her rudeness, is there a hard and fast rule about the window shades?