Yes, he was seated beside the window.

Closing the shade is NOT a security issue* therefore the CC cannot order it closed. Some may do so anyway, citing the 'interference' regulation but that only applies to safety and performance of duties - neither of which is affected by an open window shade. Still, it's a personal decision to make a big deal over it if it happens to you.

Frankly, I don't care if every other passenger on the plane thinks I'm a jerk. If I want to look out the window, I'm going to look out the window. Deal with it.

*Used to be some Middle Eastern countries mandated that shades be pulled down for landing. I think ICAO overruled them on safety grounds.

I find a lot of the interior lighting pretty lousy, and sometimes the lights are not adjustable.

I read a book during the entire trip. I have crummy eyesight. i find i like the shade partly open.

what are you doing that requires total darkness?

edit- reread and rethinking...

It all depends if the airline in question has a window shade policy. (The window shade being open or close for take off and/or landing is not an F.A.R. The NTSB made the suggestion however the FAA has not made this in to a rule.) However some airlines have made it in to a company policy while some have not. So if this happens to be company policy at this particular airline then the FA can enforce the rule, and if not followed, it would be a direct violation of F.A.R.121.580

I have gotten into serious arguments with other passengers and flight attendants (who are typically less agressive than other PAX) over my desire to keep my window shade partially open.

I always pick the window seat so I can look out it *and* enjoy the natural sunlight. I can sympathize with people who want a dark cabin, so when I'm flying in C and have 2+ windows, I'll often close one all the way and another part of the way. But I'll only close the window all the way when it doesn't suit me -- i.e. I want to sleep, I want to watch a movie -- but typically I like to read and work on long flights and this is much preferably done in daylight. I understand the communal approach, but if someone else is going to snore, have a conversation or type loudlyon their laptop, I use the earplugs -- thats why they're there -- so I hope passengers who want dark will use their eyeshades.

A few times when other PAX have asked me to close it, I'll close it half way and that still won't satisfy them. "I like looking out the window, which is why I booked this seat" is my typical reply. The best was the woman who said, "There is nothing to see, you are an ......." as we flew over Greenland.. she was so wrong, it was beautiful (and this was a daytime flight!) A few years ago flying F PHX-CUN on US/HP, a woman sitting across the aisle claimed that she was unable to watch the (terrible) inflight programming on the overhead screens because my window was open 1/3 of the way -- a compromise I'd worked out with the FA -- so she gave me dirty looks and made rude comments for the whole flight. The FA said it wasn't her job to intervene but she did stop serving them alcohol. I didn't care, but it was sort of annoying that I kept running to her the entire next week throughout the Yucatan.

The way I look at it is that I've paid to be in an AIRPLANE -- not a movie theatre, not a hotel.

On some of my transpacific flights on UA this year, I've had the FA come and close my window for me just after takeoff -- which I find rude. You can ask me to close it, but to do it for me isn't needed. One particularly agressive FA actually insisted it was UA "security" policy that they needed to be closed -- the argument was that "passengers sleep so we have fewer security incidents!". Good grief.

Bottom line, I think window passengers should be willing to compromise but to be forced by another passenger or FA to completely close any window is going over the line.

Just do something annoying back at him!

Heh, heh, heh...

9/11™ changed everything.

[/sarcasm]

Bull.

We've discussed this before and the general consensus is that the person who's seated at the window decides what happens to the shade.
Here's two links to a recent and not so recent discussion on this topic:

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=830896
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=689393

I too have had rude FAs lean across two other passengers and wordlessly slam my window shade down, even though I was wide awake at the time. The FAs like the shades down for the same reason they turn the heat up: a dark, warm cabin is less likely to ask them to do stuff.

Unless the sun is low in the sky and shining directly into the cabin, I like my shade open. I like to keep an eye out for UFOs. I'd be very disappointed if a UFO came by and I missed it because my shade was down.

If you read my post, my answer only deals with taxi take off and landing not during the actual flight. And I assure you there is no bull about it. But you are welcome to the the research.

OK, but that's NOT what is being discussed here. Try to keep up.

I fly domestic more than international, so the reason I'm usually requested to close the window is so that people can see the movie, not so that they can sleep. Eyemask and earplugs no good for that.

Right on.

Re: topic being discussed before-->Sometimes people need a reality check.

And we are waiting.

Not only is it a beautiful and different view, Boeing purposely sized larger windows in the new 787. Why? Planning research studies found that passengers wanted larger windows and larger views to the outside world. So having seen what the studies have found, if we are leaning toward larger windows, its well within our rights to use them.


Agreed. However, as stated above, its a commercial airliner, not the cineplex odeon.

I have a friend visiting from Europe. He flew in on United from FRA to IAD, and noticed that the C cabin is very bright because, apparently, quite a few people there wanted to read/work/catch the sight of an UFO... I assured him that it is not that we Americans are much less considerate of other passangers who might need to watch a movie or sleep, but that we appreciate the personal freedom that we are granted and want to use it to the full extent!