Looking out the window is the best part of flying (besides actually going someplace), which is why I always book a window seat. I hate it when the windows are slightly misaligned and the person ahead of me closes the only window that I can actually see out of.

Nothing wrong with that, but the rule on board is to do what the majority wants. On board at TATL, TPAC or any other long haul service, most people want to sleep or watch a movie. Both are better done with the shades down.

BTW, while I have glued my face on the windows on short haul flights, I don't see the reason why you would want to look out over the middle of nothing (which is the case for the large parts of the flight).

What I absolutely HATE are shades that are closed during the whole flight. In early October, I was booked in a aisle BA CW seat in the middle block on the upper deck. The other passengers had closed every single shape as soon as they got it and they stayed closed until we deboarded in Heathrow. I never felt that uneasy while take off or landing as I had no reference how high and fast the aircraft or if it was currently turning...

You'd just love flying on a C-17 then!

I'm of the opinion that the window shade belongs to the person sitting at the window. I'm usually in an aisle seat...I'm sometimes a little bummed if they close it, but I respect that as their call.

If I want to sleep, I just sleep. If the light bothered me, I'd use eyeshades.

Well the C-17 isn't as quiet as a A380.

I also feel a bit uneasy when I have no indication on what the aircraft is doing (broken IFE and not near a window).

Maybe I have been lucky to be with people who like sun/scenery, but on all my AA, BA, and LAN flights, I have seen at least every 2nd-3rd window open, no matter the time of day/night. Trying to sleep on EWR-BOM with the window shades up/open is an entirely different story...

Once, I have seen a person wear sunglasses because of the glare, so that works

I also love looking out the window; since my first flight I've enjoyed the experience partly for the view. I also flew from the USA to Tokyo recently and was astonished by some of the scenery; the Dreamliner was nice as I could brighten my view a little once everything went dark. (And I could even both watch a movie and enjoy the view! Imagine that! I'd pause the movie for a few moments if something caught my eye outside.)

On non-Dreamliners, I've never had a problem opening a shade for a few minutes, or even keeping it partly open, even after a no-views mandate has been effected. I hate closed shades -- they make it feel like the plane is being quarantined.

And it's pretty at night, too. Sometimes the moon is pretty or reflects nicely off the clouds. Sometimes it's nice to see the lights of a city or town below.

Seth

That sounds like bad CC: I'm pretty sure all European airlines must open the blinds for takeoff and landing. To be fair, maybe the CAA doesn't have that rule?

On my journeys from NZ to the UK, I do a lot of long haul flights.
Usually, even if it's daylight and the window screens are open, there isn't much to see, except for clouds.

Because of that, I try to time my flights so that the majority of flying is done at night time. A meal is served and then the lights are dimmed and most people sleep.
No one is forced to sleep, but the cabin is quiet for those who wish to do so. You can turn on the reading light if you want to read or do other activities.

About 2 hours before arrival at the next airport, the lights are turned up again, people open their shades, and a meal is served. You can often see land as the plane starts its descent.

On one daytime transatlantic flight (AMS to JFK) may people slept, but no one was forced to close the shades. It was a beautiful day and I had a wonderful view of Greenland as we flew over. It was so good that the Captain actually announced it, so people would not miss this spectacular view.

I have also flown over SE Asia and had a great view of Vietnam's Mekong delta.

However, in most of my flights, either the plane is too high up or the cloud cover is too thick for anyone to have a great view.

I have yet to take a flight where it was permitted to keep the window shades closed during landing and takeoff.

Making sure that the shades are open has always been part of the routine prior to landing.

It's a lovely set of scenery - I loved seeing the terrain of Siberia through the window on my way to Tokyo a couple of years ago, it was stunning. They dimmed all the windows after the meal service (in other words, during the daytime of our departure destination) but I was able to undim mine a bit to look outside. No one said anything, or indicated any sort of unhappiness, I suspect, in part, because I was on the right hand side (the non sunny side) of the plane, so glare wasn't an issue.

North American airlines don't seem to care, I can't recall the last time they asked us to open or close shades for landing (but all the European ones do I think). Some of them do dim the cabin lights for night landings.

forgive me, but i haven't seen anyone indicate short/long haul or Y/Premium cabin.

Keeping the shades down for the sake of others is basically fruitless in economy.

In F/J, even on day flights, I enjoy a dark cabin. Maintains an air of ambience to only have overhead lights on narrow-body planes. There is nothing worse than that ONE passenger who insists on looking at glaring white clouds for three hours.

Well, I'd imagine it's the same scenery irrespective of which cabin I'm in, so I'd want the shades open regardless. Never seen all the shades go down on a short-haul, but I'll soften if the sun is directly in someone's eyes (no matter the "-haul").

I'd say glaring white clouds are more interesting than a dull beige of vinyl!

Private jet time?