Aussienarelle

A change most of us applaud. Now you know what happens when there is a change we like at the beginning of the week...

fumje

It is? I thought in terms of policy all outlets are to be disconnected during takeoff/landing. It's only enforcement that is liberal, or lax.

jsloan

I hope that the first person who trips on a power cord during an evacuation isn't seriously hurt.

I'd be fine with this for any passengers who could be trusted to keep their charging devices in their seat, rather than in the seatback pocket. Based on my admittedly unscientific observation, I suspect that this is about 5% of all passengers.

(Honestly, if you can't go ten minutes without having your device plugged in, I don't know what to tell you).

This probably also spells the official end of UA flight attendants even trying to enforce Airplane Mode. On my last flight, I watched my seat mate browse the web until his signal died as we were halfway into our takeoff climb. (I didn't bother telling him that it would probably reacquire a signal once we moved into the next cell).

HoyaSFOIAD

I wrote about this very thing on Friday and it was unfortunately moved to the old thread because nobody (myself included!) knew it was policy yet. A great policy at that!

riphamilton

UA made a policy change before DL? that’s unpossible!

various foreign carriers also ask that shoes (except heels) are kept on for taxi, takeoff and landing. i would welcome that being added to the announcement as well.

Daze

Getting some relief from every UA flight (especially the F cabin) being a black pit.
Even if it’s just takeoff and landing.

Pat89339

On my domestic flight last week it was the old drill. The FA even went further and stated over the PA to unplug everything from the outlets and they can tell if something is plugged in so don’t try to leave it in the plug. Passengers were looking over their shoulders.

On the return flight this week it was the new rule. Announcement made over the PA that you can leave things plugged in except in the exit row. The FAs came around before landing to open the window shades.

My international flight today, no announcements regarding either.

VegasGambler

I have heard people opine that window shades being open is a safety thing, but, if it is, why doesn't the FAA just mandate it?

Also, I thought that the outlet thing was an FAA regulation.. is it not? Or did they change the regulation?

FlyingNone

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I almost get the feeling that when people are boarding and see the shades down in their row, they are somehow robotically afraid ?? to open them (I see this all the time) - like someone is going to reprimand them for doing so. I will never understand how people can sit in this enclosed tube with shades down (day or night), moving at hundreds of miles per hour and then upon descending not having any curiosity or sense about how close they are to landing - or if it's bad wind and weather,.... I kind of want to know if the landing is going to be hard and fast so I can prepare my nerve endings. Sitting there blindly is like waiting to hit a wall.
Speaking for myself, I don't live in a cave -- I open drapes, blinds and windows at home to get air and daylight.

narvik

FA's won't like this new rule: it means more work for them!

IIRC all window shades are oftentimes closed during hot, sunny weather to reduce the plane's interior heating up, as the plane just sits there on the ground.
Now the FAs not only have to make the announcement to open the shades, but also have to go down the aisles and open (or shut) them themselves, if there's no one sitting in a row.

I already foresee them demanding a service or service item be cut, to avoid them from getting overworked.

SFO_Runner

Is there actually power going to the outlets during takeoff, taxi, and landing for this to matter with regards to charging? My experience is that things cut out before each.

ContinentalFan

I’ve wondered why they don’t insist on having the central divider in the Polaris cabin down during take-off and landing. That one seems like a no-brainer to me.

uastarflyer

The thread title says it will be allowed to stay plugged in. Good news.

ContinentalFan

It rarely happens. On most flights I’ve been on recently, the power is active during take-off and landing. On some aircraft, there’s a light on the aisle seat that lets the FAs know that something is plugged into the outlet—it’s routinely ignored.

LAXOGG

As for me, this is a great safety enhancement, but we need an addendum to the 10,000 foot announcement to "now close your window shades".