I'm taking you at your word when you say you want "honest opinions."
My opinion relates primarily to sleeper suite flights, which I don't believe AA operates on NRT-ORD.
I used to shuttle between HKG & NYC in F class at least once every couple of months. The standard protocol on every flight (CX, SQ, BA and QF) was to lower all the window shades in the F cabin to create a tranquil and calming atmosphere.
As to the suggestions about some sort of "compromise," this doesn't really work-- it's kind of like trying to accomodate a single smoker in the cabin- everyone is inconvenienced to accomodate the preferences of a small minority.
The stuff about circadian rhythms may be true, but I'm not sure how applicable it is to the majority of F class passenger who are making short trips and returning within a week-- not taking an extended vacation. The body doesn't have time to adjust-- you just know you'll be out of sorts and that's what makes the rest period on the plane all the more critical.
I only recall one flight in 2 years where a window shade left open. A single passenger was insistent on keeping his window shade up and it really annoyed everyone else in F class (resulting in attempted intervention by the in-flight Purser). I recall the flight as being uniquely unpleasant due to my inability to sleep (like many people I have difficulty sleeping with rubber bands wrapped around my head).
Again, this may only be the norm on planes with sleeper seats. Typically, everyone gets on board, changes into pajamas, and sleeps or lounges most of the way with virtually no conversation or disruption (conversation with the FAs typically takes place in hushed tones in the galley). Those who want to "have a look" (including myself, at times), take a walk back to the galley, J or Y class, where sunlight floods the cabin.
The few times I've flown int'l AA int'l F class have led be to believe their standards are a little different however. Flying F on AA between JFK and GIG, the FA actually grumbled at me when I went into the galley to look outside w/o disturbing other passengers (she told me to go back to my seat-- although it was hard to understand her as she was engrossed in a movie on a personal video player and didn't bother to look up at me or speak in complete sentences). A lot of AA (and other American) FA's don't "do" normal conversing with the pax on long-haul flights.
When the seats aren't conducive to sleeping (i.e. most AA F class configurations), having the shades up doesn't bother me, but you will alienate everyone in the cabin if you do this on many foreign carriers with sleeper suites.
[This message has been edited by HKG_Flyer1 (edited 10-25-2001).]