Moreover, with the shades closed you won't notice when the clouds open up and you are able to see some scenery. (Plus clouds can be interesting sometimes, or the northern lights - although that's more a nighttime thing.)

KLM ATL-AMS 2 days ago: FA sent message via IFE to all pax to please close their shades after meal. Came by after the meal in person to pax who hadn't done it yet. Since the late departure from the US an understandable policy.

Well, that was my first time. I'm used to cabin crews demanding that all shades have to be raised for take-off and landing. But they simply ignored the lowered shades.

The only rule is that there is no rule, despite what people say here about "majority rule." Actually, there is one rule: the window seat controls the shade. Period.

I know. It's almost laughable. I'm not conducting a poll across the cabin before I open the shade adjacent to my seat. I'll be (my version of) respectable and sensible, but ultimately it's my choice.

Yes, there is. If the cabin crew tells you to close it, you close it.

Nobody asks you to do a poll. But if all shades are either closed or opened, I expect you to adapt to this. If you decide to open/closed it anyway, I won't care though.

Just another thread of "I want what I want" vs "let's be considerate of others", not going to be consensus.
Yes and crews vary, too.

ah, but this is FT ... few if any care about consensus

Yes, there is a rule. The rule is that you have to obey the FA's instructions.

The law about the majority is simply the "Law of Common Courtesy".

And, no, sitting in the window seat does not give you independent control of the shade.

Not if someone's journey was continuing onwards to a time zone they wanted to get acccustomed to as early as possible. Lots of connections east from AMS.

Some yes, some no.


Debateable, going by the threads on FT.


Want, not need. They're on a bus with wings, and most have paid as little as they can to be there. It doesn't come with rights to sit in the dark and force others to do likewise.
They don't need to watch a movie, and eyeshades solve it for sleep, if indeed some light prevents people from sleeping.

People seem to have no issues ignoring FA instructions in other cases - and this very clearly isn't a safety issues hence they don't really have jurisdiction (they're only here for our safety after all :P). And I'm sure an FA who diverts because of blinds will have great future career prospects.

I have on more than one occasion raised the blind after a FA leaned across me to close it. I have also told them that I prefer it open to read or look out after being told that it is a requirement to have them closed. On that occasion I asked where this requirement was documented. That was the end of that discussion.

@moderator: When you have a chance, please fold this thread into one of the (many) others on the same topic. The debate hasn't changed at all during the course of the past 15 years.