Window shades MUST be open for takeoff and landing?
Jul 3, 2012, 9:48 pm
#1
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Window shades MUST be open for takeoff and landing?
I've flown 180 segments in the last two years on mainline and regional aircraft and had a first yesterday.
Express Jet FA insisted that all shades be open during takeoff and landing.
Never heard this rule before, what gives?
Express Jet FA insisted that all shades be open during takeoff and landing.
Never heard this rule before, what gives?
Last edited by lsugolfer; Jul 3, 2012 at 9:57 pm
Jul 3, 2012, 10:03 pm
#4
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Hawaiian Airlines enforces this pretty strictly. The logic is that the FA's (and pax) need to be able to see out the window in case of emergency on takeoff and landing, to make sure they don't open a window exit right onto a burning wing.
Never seen it enforced on DL or DL connection, though, including ASA.
Never seen it enforced on DL or DL connection, though, including ASA.
Jul 3, 2012, 10:08 pm
#5
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I've heard this on mainline DL several times before (though not regularly), mostly on nighttime flights. I asked the FA once just out of curiosity, and he said that it was so cabin lights coming out the windows would make the fuselage more visible in the dark.
No idea if that has any shred of truth to it, but I suppose it could make sense. If nothing else, it's a handy response for FAs to have in their back pocket.
No idea if that has any shred of truth to it, but I suppose it could make sense. If nothing else, it's a handy response for FAs to have in their back pocket.
Jul 3, 2012, 10:08 pm
#6
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Hawaiian Airlines enforces this pretty strictly. The logic is that the FA's (and pax) need to be able to see out the window in case of emergency on takeoff and landing, to make sure they don't open a window exit right onto a burning wing.
Never seen it enforced on DL or DL connection, though, including ASA.
Never seen it enforced on DL or DL connection, though, including ASA.
Jul 3, 2012, 10:12 pm
#7
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Jul 3, 2012, 10:12 pm
#8
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Seen it on plenty of intl airlines, not on DL though but the reason for it is so that the FA's have better visibility in the case of an emergency.
Makes sense to me.
I once was on an SQ a year and a half ago where the FA's were walking through the aisle asking those that didn't have their window shades up to put them up when one passenger said she didn't want to put them up...another FA joined her and asked the passenger to please put the window shade up this is for safety reasons. The lady reluctantly put it up.
Makes sense to me.
I once was on an SQ a year and a half ago where the FA's were walking through the aisle asking those that didn't have their window shades up to put them up when one passenger said she didn't want to put them up...another FA joined her and asked the passenger to please put the window shade up this is for safety reasons. The lady reluctantly put it up.
Jul 3, 2012, 10:19 pm
#10
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Funny, I fly almost exclusively domestic and have never NOT seen the FAs require this. I am often irritated when either they forget or do not ensure that pax have complied, as I like to see out the window on takeoff and landing, but must sit in the aisle due to my height.
Jul 3, 2012, 10:20 pm
#11
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It's not always required but to me it's common sense in that for a daytime crash, the light from outside would help people to exit faster and in a night crash, I want rescuers to be able to put flashlights up to the window and see who needs assistance. This is in addition to some windows being needed to assess emergency exit conditions. In DL Road Warrior Training, we were taught to always look before opening an emergency exit. You don't want to allow lots of smoke into the cabin if no one can exit that way anyway.
Jul 3, 2012, 10:23 pm
#12
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As this is not Delta-specific, I am moving the thread to the TravelBuzz Forum.
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator
I don't care what Qantas, Hawaiian, United, etc say about this rule.
Jul 3, 2012, 10:29 pm
#13
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I remember when I used to CX with Asia Pacific they would always enforce this rule, but when I fly AC transatlantic they are more relaxed about this. I've been so accustom to it, it makes me nervous when I see people keeping their window shades closed for landing.
I used to think it was so that lights from inside the plane would it make visible outside
I used to think it was so that lights from inside the plane would it make visible outside
Jul 3, 2012, 10:54 pm
#14
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I flew zrh-jfk on aa just after the "Christmas" underwear bomber incident in 2010; about 30 minutes before landing, the pilot announced that for "obvious reasons" all shades had to be CLOSED. [A bomber on the plane would not know where we were.] I guess what was "obvious" in 2010 is not so obvious in 2012.
Last edited by nrr; Jul 4, 2012 at 5:24 am
Jul 4, 2012, 6:19 am
#15
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Window shades MUST be open for takeoff and landing?
I fly on CRJ's a lot and they ask a lot for the first row to open them. One of the FA's told me it is because she has no other way to see out the plane if there was an emergency. The maiin cabin door does not have a window.