Effective 1 Feb 20: shades must be open and outlet use ok for taxi, takeoff & landing
 

Title says it all, and both are long overdue IMO. Not sure if this is just new to UA or everyone.

New policy enforced today on two UA flights, although I’m told it isn’t effective until Feb 1. Only exception on outlet use is in emergency exit rows where there is concern about clutter by the exit.

Agree that this is long overdue, for safety reasons. Noticed this on my two flights last week.

They made the window shades announcement on a flight I was on on Saturday. I always do it anyway for takeoff and landing. I wonder what’s driving it.

My guess is safety. Plus, it costs Kirby nothing.

Real question is how did they finally get religion? Window shades up during takeoffs and landings have always been a safety issue, and all foreign airlines I fly on enforce this rule.

Better late than never.

Seems obvious to me that in the case of an issue during takeoff or landing it's a lot better for people to be able to see out the window to help assess the situation if an evacuation is needed (e.g. the left side of the airplane is over water, but the right over land). In that situation waiting for the window pax to put their shades up while they're scrambling to get out seems like it won't happen.

As for the use of outlets, I can barely get my charger to stay in anyway - pretty sure anyone hitting the cord will yank it out of the outlet.:rolleyes:

Yup-long overdue

Yes (and yes ;))

All three flights yesterday had the same announcements and on at least one of those flights the FA was reading directly from their device. So the new announcements are already loaded into the system.

I can't imagine UA would make a change regarding window shades without it being directed by the FAA? Does this mean AA, DL, WN, etc. all are making the change as well?

-RM

This is a change I'll like because I hate it when the window seat person never opens the window shade when it's closed at boarding.

The question is why now? What’s driving it now?

Finally!
Glad they did this, and also wondering "why now"?

I recall a flight to EWR when every single shade (in the Polais cabin) was closed at a daytime landing. :rolleyes:

It'll be interesting to see how this plays at my home airport-VPS- a military airfield from which the local county leases X number of civilian sir slots per day and some land at the end fo the bigger runway for he civilian air terminal. There have been a few times over the years when we've actually been told to go shades down for takeoff or landing because the Air Force had something sitting out on the apron that, while not a Top Secret aircraft or other item, was something the DoD didn't want pictures of all over the internet of just yet.

Should also add keep shoes on for takeoff and landing. SQ does.

Glad outlet usage is more liberal.

I thought the basis for this was more about the first responders being able to see into the aircraft in the event of a crash, although I can see it being helpful both ways.

All of the airlines I've flown in recent years have had this requirement to open the shades.

Finally!!! ^
Has always been the case on the other airlines I fly most, wondered what was wrong with UA.