New Policy: Lights on for takeoff and landing?
Dec 8, 2010, 9:29 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Agree. A pilot once noted that they do this because in the event of an emergency evacuation, it's important for the passengers to be able to see and adjust to time of day. If it's a day flight, but all window shades are down, and you have to evacuate, you lost seconds having your eyes adjust to the sunlight upon evacuation.
Dec 8, 2010, 9:35 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The opinion expessed here are not necessarly those of United Airlines or any affiliates or subsidiaries of UAL Corp..
Posts: 768
Per our last update Dec 3:
Cabin lighting requirements are in place for your safety and that of our customers. Please be sure to adhere to the following standards for cabin lighting outlined in the Flight Attendant Operations Manual (2.50.3). At points in the flight when cabin lights are dimmed for customer comfort, remember to use your flashlight to help you safely navigate the airplane.
Boarding
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Takeoff
Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night departures or when weather conditions are dark.
Inflight Provide low-level lighting from at least one source (e.g., cove, sidewall, or ceiling) at all times for customer safety. When possible, dim galley lights to avoid disturbing customers but ensure there is sufficient light for customer and crew safety.
Pre-Arrival/Second Service
In UF and UB, keep lights dim to allow customers to sleep. In UE, additional lighting may be used if lighting is not sufficient for the service.
Landing/Taxi Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night arrivals or when weather conditions are dark.
Gate Arrival
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Our FAOM's does say that there should be a lights on in the cabin during night flights. Some FA's will leave the side wall lights on per the book for the flight and others will turn them off after the service.
Cabin lighting requirements are in place for your safety and that of our customers. Please be sure to adhere to the following standards for cabin lighting outlined in the Flight Attendant Operations Manual (2.50.3). At points in the flight when cabin lights are dimmed for customer comfort, remember to use your flashlight to help you safely navigate the airplane.
Boarding
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Takeoff
Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night departures or when weather conditions are dark.
Inflight Provide low-level lighting from at least one source (e.g., cove, sidewall, or ceiling) at all times for customer safety. When possible, dim galley lights to avoid disturbing customers but ensure there is sufficient light for customer and crew safety.
Pre-Arrival/Second Service
In UF and UB, keep lights dim to allow customers to sleep. In UE, additional lighting may be used if lighting is not sufficient for the service.
Landing/Taxi Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night arrivals or when weather conditions are dark.
Gate Arrival
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Our FAOM's does say that there should be a lights on in the cabin during night flights. Some FA's will leave the side wall lights on per the book for the flight and others will turn them off after the service.
Dec 8, 2010, 10:04 am
#18
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Per our last update Dec 3:
Cabin lighting requirements are in place for your safety and that of our customers. Please be sure to adhere to the following standards for cabin lighting outlined in the Flight Attendant Operations Manual (2.50.3). At points in the flight when cabin lights are dimmed for customer comfort, remember to use your flashlight to help you safely navigate the airplane.
Boarding
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Takeoff
Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night departures or when weather conditions are dark.
Inflight Provide low-level lighting from at least one source (e.g., cove, sidewall, or ceiling) at all times for customer safety. When possible, dim galley lights to avoid disturbing customers but ensure there is sufficient light for customer and crew safety.
Pre-Arrival/Second Service
In UF and UB, keep lights dim to allow customers to sleep. In UE, additional lighting may be used if lighting is not sufficient for the service.
Landing/Taxi Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night arrivals or when weather conditions are dark.
Gate Arrival
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Our FAOM's does say that there should be a lights on in the cabin during night flights. Some FA's will leave the side wall lights on per the book for the flight and others will turn them off after the service.
Cabin lighting requirements are in place for your safety and that of our customers. Please be sure to adhere to the following standards for cabin lighting outlined in the Flight Attendant Operations Manual (2.50.3). At points in the flight when cabin lights are dimmed for customer comfort, remember to use your flashlight to help you safely navigate the airplane.
Boarding
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Takeoff
Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night departures or when weather conditions are dark.
Inflight Provide low-level lighting from at least one source (e.g., cove, sidewall, or ceiling) at all times for customer safety. When possible, dim galley lights to avoid disturbing customers but ensure there is sufficient light for customer and crew safety.
Pre-Arrival/Second Service
In UF and UB, keep lights dim to allow customers to sleep. In UE, additional lighting may be used if lighting is not sufficient for the service.
Landing/Taxi Dim cabin lighting and turn off entry/threshold lights for night arrivals or when weather conditions are dark.
Gate Arrival
Turn on aisle, galley, and entry/threshold lights.
Our FAOM's does say that there should be a lights on in the cabin during night flights. Some FA's will leave the side wall lights on per the book for the flight and others will turn them off after the service.
Dec 8, 2010, 10:23 am
#19
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 887
Actually such a policy while you may find it annoying makes sense. Since take off and landing are the most critical phases of the flight, having the window shades open provide for a better view to the outside of the plane should an evacuation be necessary. Gives the QUICK and unobstructed ability to view the conditions outside of the plane.
When you're landing at 530 AM and the sun's coming up, that last 30 minutes of sleep during descent and taxing is much needed.
Dec 8, 2010, 11:03 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,663
have you ever flown and had the FA's instruct you to open the window shades on takeoff and landing? Now THAT is annoying when you're on a red-eye flight. just happened to me going from ORD / MEX / CUN on Aeromexico. How dumb and ridiculously bothersome when you're trying to sleep until you're at the gate (Departure out of Ohare was @ 1AM).
I was on a non-UA redeye flight once and the FAs closed the ALL the window shades for the comfort of the passengers while they were turning around the aircraft!
Dec 8, 2010, 11:09 am
#21
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 325
Per safety standard at United, cabin lights should match the condition outside during take off and landing. If it is dark outside, cabin lights should be off. If it is day flight and it is sunny outside, cabin lights should be turned on full. It is for your eyes to adjust between the lights in the cabin and outside just incase of an evacuation and you need to look out the windows, you won't be shock.
About the window shades, only the exit doors are required to be openned during take off and landing. Each exit should have atleast one FA station there and that is our responsibility to ensure the shade are openned during take off and landing.
Ofcouse it is only on United. UX flight is operating by other airlines and they have their own rules. Window exits are not required to be openned during take off and landing. It is up to the pax to decide to have it open or close for their comfort.
About the window shades, only the exit doors are required to be openned during take off and landing. Each exit should have atleast one FA station there and that is our responsibility to ensure the shade are openned during take off and landing.
Ofcouse it is only on United. UX flight is operating by other airlines and they have their own rules. Window exits are not required to be openned during take off and landing. It is up to the pax to decide to have it open or close for their comfort.
Dec 8, 2010, 11:23 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: SPG, HH, AA, UA, BD, Hyatt, TYP
Posts: 1,404
i was on ORD-SFO last night as well and the announcement was made several times that it was a new UA policy for the lights to be on until the wheels were off the ground. The lights were turned off almost immediately upon wheels up.
Dec 8, 2010, 11:40 am
#23
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 325
I have never heard of that "new rule". I don't know where those FA got that from. They must have missread it somewhere.
As long as the cabin lights and the outside light are matching, we are all good to go.
As long as the cabin lights and the outside light are matching, we are all good to go.
Dec 8, 2010, 12:38 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Pasadena, Ca. USA
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Actually such a policy while you may find it annoying makes sense. Since take off and landing are the most critical phases of the flight, having the window shades open provide for a better view to the outside of the plane should an evacuation be necessary. Gives the QUICK and unobstructed ability to view the conditions outside of the plane.
I also remember reading somewhere that 1st responders are in favor of shades being open it allows them to be able to see into the aircraft if necessary. Open windows allow them to better judge the situation.
Dec 8, 2010, 2:16 pm
#25
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: UA 1K MM, Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA PLT
Posts: 1,082
Having the window shades open during take off and landing makes much more sense to me than keeping all the lights on. Everyone should be able to see outside during an emergency to determine which exit to use, and the first responders being able to see inside also makes a lot of sense. In this case, I think the USAir policy is a good one (requiring open window shades.)
Dec 8, 2010, 2:27 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Rockville, MD
Programs: Alaska-MVP100k; AA-Plat; HH-Diamond; Hertz Pres
Posts: 415
Yeah I've heard the explanation before in addition to that pilots cannot see the aircraft and thus rely on pax to notify the crew of any visible problems. but, nonetheless, its annoying.
When you're landing at 530 AM and the sun's coming up, that last 30 minutes of sleep during descent and taxing is much needed.
When you're landing at 530 AM and the sun's coming up, that last 30 minutes of sleep during descent and taxing is much needed.
Dec 8, 2010, 2:37 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: In thin air
Programs: UA
Posts: 293
[QUOTE=TiredOfTooMuchTravel;15405795]Actually such a policy while you may find it annoying makes sense. Since take off and landing are the most critical phases of the flight, having the window shades open provide for a better view to the outside of the plane should an evacuation be necessary. Gives the QUICK and unobstructed ability to view the conditions outside of the plane.
To restate it another way:
With an emergency exit, especially at night, the biggest risk to passengers is exiting into fire. Keeping the window shades up at takeoff and landing is a good practice - making it easy to evaluate the outside environment while moving down the aisle to the closest [safe] exit.
To restate it another way:
With an emergency exit, especially at night, the biggest risk to passengers is exiting into fire. Keeping the window shades up at takeoff and landing is a good practice - making it easy to evaluate the outside environment while moving down the aisle to the closest [safe] exit.
Dec 8, 2010, 2:56 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: LAX
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Posts: 162
I genuinely believe that FA's make up the rules as the go. I do UA red eye every week LAX-JFK and was told window down lights on and window up lights down!!! On a red eye it should be window down lights down and leave the poor saps to sleep in peace.
This concludes my first post to FT.
This concludes my first post to FT.
Dec 8, 2010, 2:59 pm
#29
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I genuinely believe that FA's make up the rules as the go. I do UA red eye every week LAX-JFK and was told window down lights on and window up lights down!!! On a red eye it should be window down lights down and leave the poor saps to sleep in peace.
This concludes my first post to FT.
This concludes my first post to FT.
Personally, I think that window shades must be up for take-off and landing. If it's a redeye, the window can stay closed until it's time to land. That still gives you a good amount of time to sleep, in the dark. On some flights, with the windows closed the entire journey, it's amazing how hard it can be for your eyes to adjust to the sun light. I'd hate to have to deal with that during an evac..
Dec 8, 2010, 3:12 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2010
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[QUOTE=FriendlySkies;15408945]Welcome to FlyerTalk! I hope you stick around here
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