QTFLYER

I'm currently on NZ289, currently 8hr into a 11hr flight. At the current position it's coming up to 6am local time so I was keen to have a look out the window...

Looked thru it to see nothing.... Just blackness... Tried to lighten it up a bit alas nothing happens.... They have centrally locked the blooming windows....

To me, this is terrible, a feature of the 787 was to allow the windows to be dimmed yet able to look out of. While I know it's annoying when someone opens up the window shade on the middle of a flight, I think people should be allowed to be treated like adults and use the window controls accordingly, as designed.....!!!!!!!

Thoughts??

deeruck

It is annoying. It can be release seat by seat if you ask and the FA is amenable.

cavemanzk

Sometimes I do wonder why they even installed windows in the 787s, the amount of crew that lock them. Windows could of been a optional extra…

NZ could at least install an external camera accessible via the IFE. If they are going to allow the crew to fully lock the windows.

I could understand them locking them to a certain percentage overnight. But locking them 100% defeats the purpose of dimmable windows.

Rebound

It’s a great feature and stops people filling the cabin with light on a night flight

Speargrass Flat

Yes this has been an ongoing issue with Airnz on the long hauls - the cabin crew tend to be very conservative about when windows are undimmed, often waiting until the approach. I understand it's to do with allowing any remaining BP sleepers who have elected the "sleep-in breakfast" option to continue to rest, which doesn't help Y or PE pax who have been up for hours by this point. Like others have mentioned, ask the most senior FA in your cabin class nicely if they can individually unlock your window. Tell them you are feeling quite motion sick and being able to see the horizon would alleviate this and hopefully mean that you aren't calling them over to your seat to hand them a filled brown paper bag. I'd also make sure to provide feedback on the passenger survey.

American Airlines discontinued the practice a couple of years back

https://simpleflying.com/american-dreamliner-windows/

sbiddle

Depends what plane you're on as well. The earlier 789s windows don't even really get that dark.

nzkarit

Something something isn't that what eyemasks are for? Get a nice allbirds one or similar which has a filling to make a good seal.

Thinking about eye masks they brought out the new amenity kits for the first JFK flight, any word on them be rolled out for reals? AS they included the All Birds mask again if I recall correctly.

LyingFlat

I would make a complaint.

Unless things have changed, the crew service guidelines state that the windows should not be locked.

Speargrass Flat

It's a weird one for Airnz - I've noticed the mandatory full dimming (completely black) with the newer 789's on a number of NA west coast - AKL flights over the last year. I can kind of see why you might need to do this on the outbound (AKL-YVR etc) as especially in the northern summer it will get light relatively early into the flight, but for inbound toward AKL there really doesn't seem much point as even right in the middle of the southern hemisphere summer these flights are in full darkness until quite close to AKL, about the time when you want everyone awake and seat belts on etc. For the majority of the year it's still well dark upon touchdown.

WLGNZ

There is a hack to get around this. But you have to be quick.
If you see the windows all being dimmed by the crew, manually adjust you window to a setting you want at the same time. This leaves this specific window unlocked and you can set it where you wish.
I have done this on a bunch of flights on different airlines.

DLATL777

On my last AKL-ORD flight in J, I had to ask 2 separate times to unlock it. They unlocked it each time but the fact it get relocked but another FA seemed unnesscary.

jdavido

After take off, windows should be between setting 2-5. During the night, many crew will leave level 4-5 available to offer a little more light without waking up everyone. When the wake up lights are starting (15 min cycle) going to level 3 is a nice way to slowly wake up the passengers. Feel free to have a chat with the ISM, they are quite open to feedback

codyc1515

Do they lock the overhead light as well? Not sure what the point would be.

jdavido

I have never heard about lighting. The cabin will go to the sleep setting (dark) and usually the galleys are dimmed.