This shades-down business really annoys me. If you are on an overnight long-haul flight where it is likely to be bright before you've finished sleeping, that's one thing, but on a mid-afternoon, westbound transatlantic flight, it really is not ok. It is daytime at your departure point, it is daytime at your destination point, so sleeping is not the natural default mode. If you do want to sleep, fine, get yourself some eyeshades, but don't force those of us who like sunlight or enjoy the view to close our shades.
I will share some anecdotes:
- On an AC flight from LHR to YYZ some years ago in J class, I was seated by the window on the 'A' side. About thirty minutes into the flight the FA comes around to ask me to close my shade as "we will shortly begin the in-flight movie presentation." I told her I had reports to read and preferred to do this by daylight. My three shades stayed open.
- On a UA flight from BKK to NRT about 10 years ago my wife and I were in the upper deck of a 747, first row, left side. Not 10 minutes after take-off, the woman behind me stuck her arm through the gap between the seat and the side of the plane and closed two of my shades! I (rather loudly) told her to keep her hands to herself and opened the shades again. She went red.
- On a SQ flight from HKG to SIN the FA came over to ask me to close my shade. I asked her why. She said that it would protect her and the other passengers from radiation poisoning (yes, this is true!) I told her that this was nonsense and that I would not be closing my shade.