787 - Dimmed Windows Override
#16
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.K.
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 277
As CIHY has stated, this shouldn’t be happening and I’m sure I’ve seen that written down as a policy. Nothing like a bit on continuity. If I was aware of this happening on a flight I was operating, I’d be saying something...bit like cabin temperatures
#17
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 12
I’ve had this on a day flight to SJC, needed to escalate to CSM (or whatever the correct terminology is) to get my window enabled to be brighter than 3. Seems to be a thing with some crews to try and get the cabin off to sleep on westbound day flights, as I’ve had crew ask quite firmly to close blinds on 747 UD as well (politely refused as the views can be quite spectacular over the Arctic).
#19
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, AA Gold, A3 Gold, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 1,251
Sorry to reawaken this thread a year later, but when I was on a flight to Kuala Lumpur, the windows were completely locked to 5 from about 2 hours after takeoff and gradually lightened 90 minutes before landing (quite understandably as it was a night flight travelling in daytime). Though no range was set, I'm guessing it is crew/route dependant.
#20
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Lausanne Switzerland
Programs: BA Gold; Swiss Blue
Posts: 1,244
#21
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Home Counties, UK
Programs: BA bronze, Emirates blue
Posts: 526
DUR/LHR last Sunday, a day flight on the 788 and, even though half the cabin were sleeping I had full access to my window control which stayed fully open for the entire flight. The sleepers all had eye masks on which seems the way to go on a day flight. Had anyone approached me I would have compromised though.
#24
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 326
I try to avoid booking flights on a 787 due to the window locking issue.
Some of my best experiences on night flights have been watching the Aurora and spotting shooting stars outside - which of course would only be possible with a fully open window, or in the case of the 787 a window set to 1.
On day flights I want to watch the scenery and try to identify cities, mountains etc and take photos. The window really needs to be set to 1 to get a clear enough view. Plus I want to be exposed to daylight on a daytime flight!
Some of my best experiences on night flights have been watching the Aurora and spotting shooting stars outside - which of course would only be possible with a fully open window, or in the case of the 787 a window set to 1.
On day flights I want to watch the scenery and try to identify cities, mountains etc and take photos. The window really needs to be set to 1 to get a clear enough view. Plus I want to be exposed to daylight on a daytime flight!
#25
I will set all the windows to dark with is number 5 if it’s dark outside and most customers are asleep but not lock them out. What I also do on flights where it will get light while customers are still sleeping is set the system so that the window customer can only open the window to 3 which gives them a view outside but doesn’t cause too much brightness to enter the cabin.
#26
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,475
I try to avoid booking flights on a 787 due to the window locking issue.
Some of my best experiences on night flights have been watching the Aurora and spotting shooting stars outside - which of course would only be possible with a fully open window, or in the case of the 787 a window set to 1.
On day flights I want to watch the scenery and try to identify cities, mountains etc and take photos. The window really needs to be set to 1 to get a clear enough view. Plus I want to be exposed to daylight on a daytime flight!
Some of my best experiences on night flights have been watching the Aurora and spotting shooting stars outside - which of course would only be possible with a fully open window, or in the case of the 787 a window set to 1.
On day flights I want to watch the scenery and try to identify cities, mountains etc and take photos. The window really needs to be set to 1 to get a clear enough view. Plus I want to be exposed to daylight on a daytime flight!
I've taken, I guess, approx 40 x 787 flights so far this year on BA, maybe more. Probably half MF, half WW. None of the day time flights have been locked, and I think maybe 2 of the night flights were, but were unlocked on request. So my experience, for what it is worth, is that I would book 787s for precisely the same reasons that you would not. It's only been on Qatar (last year) that I had a mild and very polite run in with the cabin crew on the issue.
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,433
And that person is perfectly entitled to do so - if it is a night flight, then it doesn't matter - if it is a day flight, then why on earth has it been turned into a pseudo night flight
#29
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
#30
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 326
I'm the same about scenery and the aurora, and I also take plenty of photos of anything interesting I see. But this is where my experience seems to be the polar opposite to yours. Three big windows of the 787 make it a really good CW experience for those who like to look outside.
I've taken, I guess, approx 40 x 787 flights so far this year on BA, maybe more. Probably half MF, half WW. None of the day time flights have been locked, and I think maybe 2 of the night flights were, but were unlocked on request. So my experience, for what it is worth, is that I would book 787s for precisely the same reasons that you would not. It's only been on Qatar (last year) that I had a mild and very polite run in with the cabin crew on the issue.
I've taken, I guess, approx 40 x 787 flights so far this year on BA, maybe more. Probably half MF, half WW. None of the day time flights have been locked, and I think maybe 2 of the night flights were, but were unlocked on request. So my experience, for what it is worth, is that I would book 787s for precisely the same reasons that you would not. It's only been on Qatar (last year) that I had a mild and very polite run in with the cabin crew on the issue.
That's probably me, if it's a daytime flight. It's because I want natural light and to see the scenery etc, but then I feel bad at the thought of annoying the people around me so I close it again. It really kills me to sit in a dark box when there's so much awe-inspiring stuff to see out the window!