LondonElite

Yes, not sure if it is a EU requirement, or which airlines enforce it, but continent-wide it's pretty standard.

kevflyer

That. Same reason for red light on subs.

ExplorerWannabe

Deleted

kale73

Which might make some sense if the cabin lights were dimmed ONLY when it's dark outside. I don't know about you, but I have experienced the "cabin lights dimmed for takeoff" under the blazing summer sun in Phoenix more than once. Hopefully the FAs will be handing out polarized sunglasses at the bottom of the emergency slide.

So the crew can better adjust their eyes when jumping off the sub in a nighttime emergency?

kevflyer

Night watch / periscope

chavala

This is also enforced everywhere I’ve ever flown throughout Asia, Africa and SA, but I’ve never had a FA even mention it on a US airline.

If UA and the other north American want to make this policy, I’m fine with it. I understand why it could be safer.
However, I’m pretty sick of hearing about FAs making up rules to please themselves.
There was a post last year about an FA forcing everyone to keep their feet flat on the floor during take off.

I would actually report this.

JimInOhio

I've seen FAs ask people in exit rows to open the shades for takeoff and landing... many times.

I also remember the thread about the feet flat. Wasn't it ferreted out that the FA was suggesting this, not demanding it?

chavala

“No crossed feet for takeoff or landing”

I didn’t read the entire thread again but I only remember most FTers defending the FA and giving reasons it IS safer to have your feet on the floor.
If that’s the case, make it policy instead of leaving it up to the whim of a power-tripping FA.

iapetus

Obviously, lighting situations vary and can render this useless. But the reason that I would think that dimming the cabin lights would be helpful is that you reduce the glare of the reflected light from inside the plane, allowing one to see out more easily. But, yes, when there is bright sunlight streaming into the cabin from outside, it will overwhelm any glare from the relatively meager cabin lighting.

ContinentalFan

I’m on UA653 (SFO/LAX) right now; we’re getting ready to land. The FA asked us to open the window shades for departure and again for landing. I do it anyway. It looks as if it’s part of a script, as she was reading it from her phone. In fairness though, she also read a statement about recycling aluminium [sic], so maybe her phone was hacked.

EDIT

hmmm, I now am getting more convinced her phone has been hacked. The latest statement, read from the phone, focused on passengers with tight connections (we landed about 30 minutes early) with a request for everyone else to remain seated. She asked everyone with a connection to raise their hands. So great, that statement primes infrequent flyers to panic. We’re now pulling into the gate: we’re 32 minutes early. Now for the rugby scrum!

WineCountryUA

hacked?

I have heard the recycling announcement many. many times
One reason they use two trash bags to bring up trash during the flight.

I believe in respect to UA's Eco-Skies program

Exleftseat

Same experience here. In Europe all the time and last month on QR into LAX as well. But never on UA and I have always wondered why not. Sometimes I dozed off during approach and got woken by wheels bouncing on the runway, completely unaware of the landing with all shades closed.

econ

Sleeping until the wheels hit the ground sounds pretty ideal to me.

Anyways, just came off a couple of flights earlier, and it appears that it is now part of the standard take-off & landing script from the FAs (which is now even longer and takes up more time). Is this some new FAA requirement that became effective in the new year?

ContinentalFan

She read aluminium not aluminum.

WineCountryUA

Not understanding your point
alternative acceptable spelling?
or one of the multiple (mis-)pronunciations of the word?

How does hacking fit into this?? and window shades?