Well actually no, I cannot read by only relying on the small reading light; unfortunately it gives me a headache because it's not enough light.

I have no problem watching TV at home at 2pm if the sun is not directly beaming at the TV. On previous flights, I have watched IFE with lots of ambient light without any problem.

The sun was not facing anybody's screen when my shades were open; so everybody could still watch their movie, and I could read.

I think the issue was more about this man wanting to sleep rather than light causing an issue with IFE to him or anybody else. So it came down to his sleep vs my reading. If he cannot sleep while wearing eye shades, then I am sorry he cannot. But I am not sure his sleep issues should necessarily have priority over my intent to read for more than half the flight. I did not want to cause him problems but the minute he became impolite then I stopped having much concern about weighing his needs vs mine.

If he knows he cannot sleep with eye shades, then he needs to find another solution that works for him. If he simply relies on every single window side passenger wanting their window shade down, then chances are he will be disappointed.

There's something amusing about dismissing reading from a reading light because it gives you a headache, then dismissing someone suggesting they can't sleep with an eyemask on...

The way I see it, you're both equally right/in the wrong, though you have overall control given it's "your" window shade. Though it's rich to say someone else should use a product to overcome their dislike of the cabin brightness when you don't seem willing to do so yourself! Granted you didn't have much choice then, but now you know it can be an issue you could easily bring a small LED reading light with you - you can probably find one in the dollar store that will be perfectly bright and weigh virtually nothing/take up almost no space.

My very old TV has the contrast/brightness of a typical economy IFE device, so I often do close the curtains!

How about this for a curveball:
Cabins with windows on an ocean liner usually cost more than cabins without windows. If you paid for a window cabin, would you be happy if you were told you must keep the curtain closed?

the fact that the outside cabin on a vessel is completely private -- i.e., the state of the curtains/blinds only impacts the occupants and no other passengers -- renders that moot
(full disclosure -- I've never been on a vessel large enough to have individual cabins)

Yeah, that comparison doesn't work at all. If you liked to be in the dark during the daytime, though, you'd presumably book yourself an interior cabin.

So you take your personal problem out on everyone around you on the plane?

His needs plus the needs of half the other people on the plane.

If you can't read with a reading light then maybe you should try to find another solution that works for you. In many flights the FA will insist you close the shades.

^^^
Really? So the light from your window cabin is somehow going to penetrate walls and doors and get into someone else's cabin? If that's the case then, yes, you must keep the curtain closed.

Remember with the shade issue on an airplane, if you open the shade and let light in then you are intruding on other people. Asking you not to intrude is not impolite. Intruding on other people and mocking them is.

Flight gets delayed, it's now at night. Do you not at all?

For what it's worth, looking outside the window at the scenery (such as exists) is my IFE.

People who insist on closing shades are intruding on my right to daylight and a view. How selfish.

Isn't this the bazillionth debate discussion on this topic? I'm pretty sure all points have been made, some rather eloquently.

That being said, this is a good reason to buy a 1-2-1 window seat! I love these "eye-aisle" seats.

I belong to the view of whoever has the window seat controls the shade. I like the window seat, I also like to look out the window. I purposely choose my Sept flights so that my window seat would be on the north side of the plane. So I could see out but would not have direct sunlight glaring in on me.

On the way to London my flight becomes an overnight due to time zones and us arriving at 9 am the 'next' morning. I will probably have my window open part of the time and closed part of the time.

If I was asked politely I would consider it, but I reserve the right to open it again if I want.

Are you referring to IFE, or sleep? I do not think it prevented anybody from watching IFE.

Regarding sleep, this was a day flight. So I should disrupt my internal body clock by travelling 12 hours in the dark on a day flight because he cannot sleep with eyeshades? And he's going to request any window side passenger who wants daylight to close their blinds because of it?

I wonder who is taking their personal problem on others.

If it’s a day flight (i.e. 9am - 4pm) and it’s not bothering anyone I don't care. But if the majority of the cabin has them closed I do think that you should close the shade because it’s what the majority want.

However it is a night flight or is in effect a night flight such as morning departures from Europe to Asia then yes you should absolutely close your shade once the first meal service is done. It only takes one person to open the shade to brighten up the whole cabin. Why should one person get to dictate whether 100 or so other people can or cannot sleep?

If I am seated in an aisle seat and I want to sleep on a night flight and you have your shade open I can assure you that you won't be going to the to the toilet for a very long time, I will put my eye mask on and I will also put in ear plugs and I won’t budge until the next meal service.

I had a flight about a month ago and after the meal service everyone except the person next to me had closed their shade. I asked him politely to close it and he came out with the BS argument of I paid for a window seat so it’s mine to control; I simply put on my eye mask and put in my ear plugs. About 4 hours later he was tapping my shoulder and I could hear him asking if he could get out but I ignored him and went back to sleep. He knew that I had deliberately ignored him. Another 3 hours had passed and I could smell food so I woke up for the next meal service and he was furious. I told him I bought an aisle seat so it was mine to do what I want with, without me saying another word he slammed the window shade down and asked if he could get out.

So you would have let him out for a pee if he had closed the shade and were sleeping? Or were you you invoking the (in your mind) 'two wrongs make a right' argument?

If he had closed it then absolutely, I choose an aisle seat because I like to get up whenever I want without bothering anyone but I understand that people have needs. I just get irritable when I'm tired.