787 - Dimmed Windows Override
May 22, 2018, 11:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 78
787 - Dimmed Windows Override
This is out of interest as I have never flown on the 787: When the Crew dim the windows on night flights that fly through the daytime (due to an early sunrise travelling east), are window seat passengers able to override their window?
At full opacity how much can you see out?
I am always thoughtful of fellow travellers so I wouldn't let tonnes of light in, I'm just interested in how this works.
At full opacity how much can you see out?
I am always thoughtful of fellow travellers so I wouldn't let tonnes of light in, I'm just interested in how this works.
May 22, 2018, 11:51 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
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I've never not been able to fully control my window during any portion of the flight.
at fully dim they pretty much block all light coming through. Unless you literally stick your face against the window and stare at the sun, in which case it's like a welders mask.
at fully dim they pretty much block all light coming through. Unless you literally stick your face against the window and stare at the sun, in which case it's like a welders mask.
May 22, 2018, 12:18 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: Mucci des Hommes Magiques et Magnifiques
Posts: 19,107
The window blinds should never be locked to dark, if they are speak to the crew.
The great thing about the blinds is that we can set the range, 1 being fully open and 5 being fully darkened, on a day flight I would set the windows at 2 to 5 meaning the brightest you could select is 2, on an overnight flight with the sun rising before breakfast I would set them 3 to 5 until we serve the meal before landing when I set them to 1 to 5 giving the full choice.
The great thing about the blinds is that we can set the range, 1 being fully open and 5 being fully darkened, on a day flight I would set the windows at 2 to 5 meaning the brightest you could select is 2, on an overnight flight with the sun rising before breakfast I would set them 3 to 5 until we serve the meal before landing when I set them to 1 to 5 giving the full choice.
May 21, 2019, 1:25 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 78
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.
May 21, 2019, 4:26 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 540
May 21, 2019, 4:42 am
#8
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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It's my experience that on night flights they do switch the windows to darkness, particularly going to Asia when typically it will be dark anyway when passengers fall asleep - and of course that night time may only last a few hours so there is a danger of a premature dawn if this wasn't done. But either the windows are left unlocked after that operation, or a quick word with a cabin crew member will re-enable the windows. On day flights the windows tend to be left unlocked centrally.
May 21, 2019, 4:52 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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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.
May 21, 2019, 5:43 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 540
Did you ask them to unlock the windows? Were these day or night flights?
It's my experience that on night flights they do switch the windows to darkness, particularly going to Asia when typically it will be dark anyway when passengers fall asleep - and of course that night time may only last a few hours so there is a danger of a premature dawn if this wasn't done. But either the windows are left unlocked after that operation, or a quick word with a cabin crew member will re-enable the windows. On day flights the windows tend to be left unlocked centrally.
It's my experience that on night flights they do switch the windows to darkness, particularly going to Asia when typically it will be dark anyway when passengers fall asleep - and of course that night time may only last a few hours so there is a danger of a premature dawn if this wasn't done. But either the windows are left unlocked after that operation, or a quick word with a cabin crew member will re-enable the windows. On day flights the windows tend to be left unlocked centrally.
May 21, 2019, 5:57 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
They were also not locked at any point that I could see on the return trip which got light about 90 minutes before landing (I had set my windows to 4 overnight and then lightened them at 50 minutes to run)
Edit: for comparison, Qantas had locked the windows to a 5 for the entire flight from PER-LHR when I flew that late last year, despite it being dark outside from about 1hr after departure until landing, which I didn't like.
May 21, 2019, 6:44 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Lausanne Switzerland
Programs: BA Gold; Swiss Blue
Posts: 1,244
I may have the ultimate way to stop this for you...
Flying on 787 to YUL later in the year with my mother.
If she can not see the horizon they will be clearing sick up for most of the flight
She gets very travel sick.
A little bit of light or the VomBox, your choice.
Flying on 787 to YUL later in the year with my mother.
If she can not see the horizon they will be clearing sick up for most of the flight
She gets very travel sick.
A little bit of light or the VomBox, your choice.
May 21, 2019, 8:27 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LCY
Programs: Mucci des Ancients Matelots
Posts: 769
Flew in from Rio last week, locked to dark all flight. I didn't mind for the majority as i was sleeping but i did ask for them to be unlocked for breakfast so i could try and wake up fully 90 mins before landing. I had to ask several times and it appears they were having a problem with the unlock so I had to wait for the whole thing to be brightened for the decent into LHR. Not the biggest problem ever for me but i can see it would be for some.