Turn on the Dark!
Feb 15, 2018, 12:16 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Leavenworth WA
Programs: MVPG
Posts: 78
Turn on the Dark!
On 2/11 I flew Ord to Sea, flight 21. We took off about 7:45 pm. After the meal service, I like to nap, but this time, the cabin lights seemed really bright. I wasn't the only one to notice, as the passenger next to me called the FA and asked her to turn down the lights. She replied that the lighting is computer controlled and was set on 'evening'. Is this something new? I know there must be a darker setting; when is it typically used?
Feb 15, 2018, 3:24 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
The worst are the early morning departures where it's dark and the FAs turn the lights on "extreme bright" after the 10k foot ding. It's one thing to make the cabin blue, but I've had them turn the lights to that bright white setting, or if it's a non BSI plane, they turn them all on. The ones that leave the plane mostly dark are my favorites.
And FWIW, they can control the brightness of the BSI lights as well as the color from both the front panel and rear panel.
And FWIW, they can control the brightness of the BSI lights as well as the color from both the front panel and rear panel.
Feb 15, 2018, 9:40 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fort Worth TX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 475
I have flown several red-eye flights in the last few weeks. On these flights and also with late evening transcons they have been leaving the blue mood lights on for the entire flight. I find it very annoying and miss a dark cabin.
Feb 16, 2018, 7:09 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
Not as bad as the dark red cabin on a VX daytime flight.
Feb 16, 2018, 11:01 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Leavenworth WA
Programs: MVPG
Posts: 78
So maybe my experience wasn’t an outlier. Guess I’ll have to find one of my old amenity kits and dig out the eye mask.
Feb 17, 2018, 4:16 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: CO - Onepass Gold Elite--> UA - MileagePlus Gold Premier--> Silver --> AS - MileagePlan MVPGOLD!
Posts: 735
In my experience, F/A cabin lighting choices are just as varied as the lighting preferences of passengers.
Some like it dark, some like it bright, depending on their own mood and body clock.
Imagine my horror this week when a Delta crew turned the cabin to FULL intensity, BLUE light!
My retinas have yet to recover!
I usually find the Alaska cabins to be pretty chill, but once in a while you find an F/A that wants to go Full Hospital Mode.
Some like it dark, some like it bright, depending on their own mood and body clock.
Imagine my horror this week when a Delta crew turned the cabin to FULL intensity, BLUE light!
My retinas have yet to recover!
I usually find the Alaska cabins to be pretty chill, but once in a while you find an F/A that wants to go Full Hospital Mode.
Feb 18, 2018, 1:17 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,441
I got them to turn the blue light special lights OFF on my last HNL-SEA red eye. I detest the new blue mood lighting - it’s awful
Last edited by lalala; Feb 18, 2018 at 2:21 pm
Feb 18, 2018, 10:23 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 406
Feb 18, 2018, 2:20 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,441
Feb 18, 2018, 2:22 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,441
Please also note on my TH's last SEA-BWI flight that left at 10 am, they left the blue lights on and asked the pax to lower the window shades so that pax could sleep. This flight leaves SEA at 10 am give or take a few.
Feb 18, 2018, 10:37 pm
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
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I've had mixed results on redeye/late night flights. SEA-AUS was a dark cabin last Monday however ^ still was annoyed I left my eye shade.
Another source of annoyance is the galley squawk. I did say something, and think it helped. Passed back out after that.
On a nice daytime flight I'd be leaving mine open to plane watch from above 
Another source of annoyance is the galley squawk. I did say something, and think it helped. Passed back out after that.