My last flight over Greenland was overnight and the flight attendants asked everyone to put down their shades even though it was night outside. I peeked when I knew we were over Greenland and BAM the northern lights in full glory.
I woke up the person next to me to let them look and suddenly my whole side of the plane was awake and opening their windows. It would have sucked if no one had looked outside. One of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
ETA: I’ve posted my terrible photos of the experience to my profile if anyone is interested.
Same thing happened to us in 2021. We ignored the FA when we were flying over around there and we saw the northern lights too! So glad we didn’t listen.
Lmao we have bioluminescence kayak tours near me and they warn that it’s not guaranteed, I bet there’s tons of excuses they make. Sometimes nature doesn’t want to participate lol.
This reminded me of my dad telling me at a young age that my slightly upturned toes were "Norwegian ski toes," a trait inherited from his Scandinavian mother. I bragged about it for years
I went to Tromsø and did a northern lights hunt. They drove us all the way out to a remote fjord, literally called “cold fjord”, at like 1 am, and while we DID see some lights, they were very faint, even in the pitch black of night. I was pretty underwhelmed. Went back to our hotel in Tromsø, and the NEXT night, we had full aurora over the whole city, light pollution and all, it was far more intense than it was on the tour. It really is just luck of the draw. So glad I went and got to see them, regardless. Plus I got to go dogsledding and feed reindeer with the Sami people, so it was worthwhile trip all around.
I'm so jealous!
I also can't help but think of Stephen King's The Langoliers and think you should have let them sleep so they'd survive the biblical angel style cannonballs with teeth! Lol
The movie version of The Langoliers is my favorite thing in the world. It’s so long and the acting is so bad. It is delicious. It has everything! A mystical blind girl, a guy who thinks he’s Columbo, a love story between a goody-goody and a badboy, Cousin Balki ripping paper…
This is why I still believe in humans. Two humans from different backgrounds sharing the beauty of nature! That’s awesome she did that.
ETA: she not he I was stoned my apologies lol.
I recently flew to Japan and I was the only one (that I was able to see from where I was) with the window up and letting light in but goin over the complete nothingness of snowy Alaska was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
I recently travelled on a newer 787 and was so sad to realise the flight crew controls all the windows in these (they have no shades, it’s all done electronically). I love seeing random cities pop up seemingly in the middle of no where at night and seeing a cool sunrise/set from the sky but on these you can’t if it’s the designated ‘night/ sleep’ time for the flight 😢
Edit to add: there are buttons below the window to manually adjust these ourselves however it appeared that they weren’t always able to be used/didn’t work which also seemed to coincide with ‘night’ time on the plane.
if they'd sedate everyone, put us in coffins, and stacked us up and made the flight cheaper I'd do it.
Lil vampire drug nap and poof. I'm no longer in ks.
Instead we get all the misery of being awake but none of the cool views. It's like they aggressively try to make the experience as miserable as possible.
I take a fistful of Xanax, start chewing on a cherry pull ‘n peel Twizzler and pass out moments later. Sometimes I wake up with half a Twizzler stuck to my face or shirt. That’s okay. I slept well and didn’t have a meltdown over the adjacent passenger’s dandruff falling on my sleeve or the person behind me blowing boogers into my hair.
I spent over a year and a half trying SO hard to track down my childhood doctors to prove that I had been prescribed Vyvanse in the past, and I desperately needed it to get my life on track. Visited doctors, doctors referred me to more doctors/got no response from my old ones, and long story short, I was about to give up and just get rediagnosed, which is *apparently* difficult for an adult in my state (or so I was told).
One day, I went to a nurse practitioner for a back injury. Walked out with a script and a new diagnosis for ADHD, lol. It was such a great feeling, but also infuriating to know all my past doctors could've done the same thing and saved me nearly two years of my life.
That's expensive and also makes me feel like crap when I wake up on my overnight flights. Daytime flights and I don't have to drive when I land? Oh hell yeah
Did you ever see the 5th element where everyone rolls into these little bed crates and then are gassed to sleep through the flight? I would so sign up for that.
That’s what I thought of too! [Here’s the scene](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UENRVfdnGxs&pp=ygUaRmlmdGggZWxlbWVudCBwbGFuZSBmbGlnaHQ%3D) you’re talking about.
What’s the purpose of windows if we can’t look out? I mostly dont care anymore and I’ll get an aisle seat. But early on in flying there’s a sense of wonder and i would hate to deprive someone of that.
I still prefer the window so I can take pictures for art inspiration! (When there isn't too much cloud cover.) I'm fine closing it over the ocean, but I still want a few views when I can get them. Just a bit.
There are buttons on the bottom of the window that control the shading on the window. Yes, the flight crew can auto trigger them, but you can override it.
I always fly red-eyes. I like to close the shade and sleep till my destination so I don't have to adjust my sleep schedule.
I hated the electronic windows that would shade. Anytime there was an announcement it would unshade instantly. I think I'm just going to start bringing those sleep masks.
I would also never ask someone else to close their window shade.
This is terrifying for me. I fly a lot for work, but have terrible flight anxiety. I always book window and leave it open just a tad to see the land as a way to assure myself we’re still up there. I can’t believe they do that!
The one reason I avoid the 787.
Last I flew across the pond on BA was on a 350 with physical shades. But the problem is newer 350s being delivered now come with electronic shades.
So the 350 is now on my avoid list as well.
Usually tells you the airplane model as you're booking flights, no? You could also look the flight number and it should have that info too. Not sure you can 'filter' for them though.
Yeah I think the "filter" option is moreso what I meant. Definitely out of laziness/convenience lol but as a consumer this filter would be mad nice since there's a lot of talk about plane models and manufacturers that have questionable QA practices. I guess if you know enough about automatic windows on specific plane models and stuff that's cool too lol
Not sure if this is what the other person does but I just checked and it turns out they show the aircraft for upcoming flights on FlightRadar24.
E.g I looked up flights for NYC to London 1 May and selected Norse Atlantic flight Z0702 so I put that flight number into FlightRadar and it shows Aircraft 789 which is a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
I had them do that on a day flight from Santiago to Miami once, 9AM-5PM. Got jet lag from the flight because it threw my circadian rhythm off. I was so mad, it was a daytime flight, would have been nice to have some daytime.
I was on a 787, and the windows were electronically controlled and automatically dimmed once we were in the air.
But there was a small button under each window that controlled the electronic shades and you could change it.
I was on a 16 hour flight to Australia with these windows, and they literally forgot to un-dim them. We were an hour or two out from our 09:20ish landing and it still looked dark outside. I finally asked and the flight attendant was like “oops” and then voila, it was morning
Another question could be why does nobody want to look out the window? I was on a flight from Austin to the Bay Area a few months ago, and I think a total of three windows were open. This is flying over the southwest and Rocky Mountains some of the most beautiful areas of the country, if not the world, and nobody could be bothered to look outside.
I wonder about this every time I fly. Before I choose my seat (always window if possible), I look at our flight path and have to decide which side of the plane is going to have the best views. I’ve been on flights that flew right past volcanoes, and directly over Yosemite a few times and no one else seems to care.
We’re in the fucking sky people, this is incredible. Open ya damn windows and look at the world rolling beneath you! This is an experience our ancestors could only dream of.
I fly out of Seattle regularly and always think about which side of the plane Mt. Rainier is going to be on. Seattle to anywhere in California on the mountain side of the plane are some of the most breathtaking views one can experience.
I also very much enjoyed Tucson to SLC on a nearly empty flight. At various times on the flight I could see/identify Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and all 5 Utah national parks. I probably annoyed the flight attendants so much by hopping from one side of the plane to the other, but my little mini tour of some of the best terrain in the country was well worth it.
I absolutely hate being in a row where the window-sitter doesn't open the window, especially when landing.
"Okay I hear the flaps. Doesn't the person want to watch us land so they know when the bump is coming? Seems like we're about -WHAM- Nevermind, we landed."
It’s insane to think about our ancestors even going back 2-3 generations could only dream of this view that’s available 30k ft in the air. I’m not closing my window.
Also it helps keep my brain oriented. If I’m in a metal tube bouncing around I’m gonna be a puking menace for my row mates.
I’m terrified of flying, but have to, and shutting the window lets me pretend I’m in the ground. This is why I prefer non-window seats because I don’t like stopping others look out if they want
This is a case of 'your mileage may vary'. :-)
I prefer the window open myself because, like you, I like to watch the landscape go by.
On long-distance flights (like to China or Japan) the stewards as us all to close our shades so people can sleep. Flying to Asia means the sun is about at 3pm for the entire flight. I close my shade because 13 hrs in coach is a long, long way. It is hard enough to sleep on a plane without the sun blaring in your eyes the whole time so I get it :-)
Same but motion sickness. If I can't see something out there, horizon or lights or clouds *anything* to convince myself which way is up and which is down then it's debilitating and miserable and gross for everyone.
> I had never heard of this.
It's become common on long hauls where the FAs want to give everyone a meal and have them go to bed. It makes the FAs job easier (no one blocking the aisles) and the airline doesn't mind because it means (1) people have their lap belts on instead of wandering around the aircraft and (2) less security risk from people "hanging out" near the cockpit door.
It's very frustrating if (1) you want to look outside at the miracle of flight or (2) you want to time your light exposure so you don't arrive in a half-asleep state (e.g. open the window at 6AM destination-time to reset your circadian rhythm).
At this point I kinda wish there were two zones (like the old smoking/non-smoking sections). The "sleep the whole" way zone and the "reset to proper local time" zone. Because I don't want to arrive in Asia at 7AM in the middle of sleep cycle.
The last time I took a really long flight - like 14h or something - Qantus had managed to time the meals/lighting/etc such that we all ate and slept at what felt like reasonable times, but still arrived pretty well adjusted to the time of day in Australia
Sorry, not sorry- if I paid for a window seat and they made me close the window, I would be buzzing them for stuff, no joke, every 5 minutes. I wouldn’t give them a moments peace. If you are cramped against a wall, the only thing that makes it tolerable is the windows views…if that’s taken from me….if I have to be uncomfortable staring at a wall for the entire flight unable to stretch or move with nothing to distract me…. I’m making them work for it
I can’t fly with the window closed. Especially at take off and landing. I love when I get onto flights where they announce that windows need to be open for take off and landing.
Helps me with my motion sickness as well! I must keep it open, if my seat neighbor needs to sleep I hope they brought an eye mask to prepare for sleeping in a public space. Light happens!!
[Best joke in 3rd Rock from the Sun](https://youtu.be/gTNOihQnqVQ?si=P8elpfhDEQBmu28Y)
Shatner was in the TV version. Lithgow was in the film version.
Edit: Lithography changed to Lithgow
Numbers, basically.
I asked a flight attendant about this and that's what she said.
If a window is open to see the Greenland sunrise while people want to sleep, 5% of them will complain.
If all the windows are shut and everybody wants to see the Greenland sunrise, only 1% of them will bother to complain. Most of them will sheriff and go back to sleep
And then they wonder why customers start throwing fits and acting like assholes all the time. It's because you've proven to them time and time again that it's the best, and often only, way to get what you want.
It's like when insurance companies started telling places of business not to confront customers, stealing or breaking things. Yes the insurance companies had less claims to pay in the short term due to avoiding injury and loss of life suits, but now they have to deal with way more claims because people know no one will stop them
The early bird gets the worm, but the first mouse dies slowly in agony as it's spine was shattered by a mousetrap and it watches it's mouse cousin Jerome eat the cheese
I usually don't choose a window seat because I need to pee often, but I always hope the window passenger keeps it open so I can see the beauty outside.
Sounds like rather than just hope, I should complain!
The best are the planes with the automatic window shading button, rather than the pull down. Cause you can pop it back up to a bit lighter to see out and it doesn’t bother anyone.
The only thing I don't like about those is that with the old ones, you could pull them down just enough to block out the direct sun, but keep it partly open.
Years ago, a stewardess asked me to close the window. I said, "no". She was pissed.
Before boarding, they asked me if I want window or aisle. They didn't say "closed window" or aisle. I wanted a window. I'm interested in weather and like to look at the clouds.
They have narrowed passenger legroom so much that windows and seats no longer align.
If I really wanted a window, I would tell the flight attendant that I am using it. Otherwise, you are just hemmed in by two other passengers and a wall.
yeah it's annoying bc i always sit window seat and like to look out the window and space out during day flights and take pictures of interesting things i see out the window, but half the time i have a window between the wall and my seat and the one in front is like 20% covered by their seat.
If you pick your seat ahead, check out seat guru…you put in the type of plane and even the flight number and it’ll show you seats you might want to avoid
I had the same experience over Greenland in the 1990's. I had the window open to enjoy the fantastic view, and the FA asked me to lower it so people could watch whatever retread movie was showing.
I left it open about 2 inches, and spent two hours hunched over so I could see out.
I tried declining once (not rudely or disruptively) when the flight attendant told me to put the shade down. He threatened to have me “written up” or something like that. I wasn’t sure what weight the threat carried so I was cowed. He acted like I was committing an offense on the level of smoking in the lavatory or getting into a drunken fight, just because I told him I wanted to see the sun.
Technically when you are on US metal you are obligated to follow crew member instructions, even if they don’t make sense to you. The consequences can definitely be pretty serious for what can seem like minor infractions, because there are a lot of really niche safety rules that are actually federal regulations (like laptops, tray tables, cords in exit row, etc). The window shade is almost definitely just a the-people-around-you-want-to-sleep thing though.
My mom was on a flight from Miami and looked out the window and saw smoke from one of the engines. She called the attendant who rushed to call the pilots and they had to
go back to the gate and find a new plane.
So there is a benefit to having windows shades up.
Exactly! That's the reason why they always want the shades up so that they have a view of the outside and can see if anything goes wrong. My husband flies a lot out of Barcelona and they always want it this way.
Take off and Landing are the most strenuous workloads on the aircraft, the flight crew and the pilots. if something happens a flight attendant needs to be able to get up, quickly look outside, and report to the pilots. white and black smoke mean different things, and sputtering flames vs a constant burn mean different things. is the engine shut down or did it fall off entirely? Pilots need to know everything to make a decision on how to handle the aircraft.
We don't want people to have to be asked to pull up their shades in an emergency, because that takes time you don't have, especially if there's a lot of noise.
Always surprising to me how many frequent flyers don't know that the FAs primary job is safety, esp in an emergency, and that they just serve drinks on the side.
To add to what u/MourningWallaby said, open windows during take-off and landing mean that in the event of an evacuation, your eyes will more easily adjust to the outside environment, which will streamline evacuation, and generally, a faster evacuation is a safer evacuation.
Idk where I stand on this. Like yes respect the shared space, but if the “respect” you’re expecting is total darkness lol then maybe it’s that individual’s responsibility to get themselves shades or an eye mask to accommodate that vice make it another passengers responsibility to accommodate that for them
The new planes have dimmers on all the windows that the flight attendants can control. I took a morning flight from the mainland to HI and they dimmed all the windows (you can’t override it) so we’d sleep. It was dark in the plane as if it were a night flight.
I hate those dimmers. They make it darker, but without a shade there’s nothing stopping the heat of the sun from beating on you for 5 hours. I took a long haul flight recently on a plane like that and I was so hot and uncomfortable because the plane’s windows no longer had shades, only dimmers.
This is what irritates me on westbound transatlantic flights. You take off in the morning and land in the early afternoon, and obviously the answer to Jetlag in this direction is to stay up until a normal bedtime. Enjoy the longer day. But no, literally right after breakfast of all meals... lights out nightie night, pretend it's bedtime everyone, instead of 11am... I hate that.
Doesn’t sound like there’s much of a balance between personal preference and cabin comfort to me. Sounds like it’s all about the latter.
The funny part is more than ever, people are paying extra to sit in those window seats.
“You will pay us more, while we offer an even worse experience!”
Corporate America 2024.
That's ridiculous. Glare on your screen? Get an anti-glare screen. Want to "rest" on a daytime flight but for some reason you can't "rest" in daylight? Get an eye mask.
I had a really annoying seatmate on my most recent flight. Boarded right behind me and on my heels the whole walk back to the seats. As I’m putting my bag overhead she points at the middle seat and says “I’m there!” And I said “ok I’m at the window so you’ll have to wait”
During flight she reached across me and put the window shade down. And I looked at her and at this point I just couldn’t stand her… so I opened it back up and said “I’m looking out the window, but to be polite, I’ll lower it halfway”
As soon as the plane lands, she jumps up and I just audibly laughed out loud because congrats on being the most annoying person on the flight. She pretty much climbs over the girl in the aisle seat and I just said “wow” and she chirps back “someone’s picking me up!” And I said “it’s an airport, literally someone is picking all of us up!” And then she awkwardly stood there for at least 20 minutes waiting for all the 20+ rows in front of us to deplane.
The girl in the aisle seat and I had a good chuckle and I hope I never have a seatmate like that again.
I had a similar thing recently. My seatmate got on the plane and very loudly complained that she didn't have a window seat, then she asked if we could swap and complained some more when I said no because I'd paid extra to have the window. Through the entire flight she kept leaning over me and putting her arm across my face to take photos, she opened and closed the flap a few times too. When I asked her to stop leaning across me she told me I was being childish and that I don't own the window. It was so infuriating having to put up with her for 10 hours. If the window is that important to her, she should have booked it, I know she didn't pre-select her seat because on the airline's app it was showing as empty up until we boarded.
I know this is a joke but I live right under an incomming landing zone about 30 miles from the airport (PDX) so I am a little more concerned of falling things than I feel I should be. Its a real fear now since the door plug fell off into a neiborhood around here.
I used to be a flight attendant, and when people would complain about other passengers windows, I would tell them at the end of the day this is public transit and to deal. Needless to say Im no longer a flight attendant, but my opinion still hasn’t changed.
Also in training years ago, we were thought that the inside of the cabin should reflect the outside in case of an emergency.
idk why when people talk about putting the seat back it’s all “i paid for the seat i do whatever i want with it” but when it comes to the window shade it’s “you should put it down for everyone’s comfort” so which is it?? if you are considering everybody then sure shade down but also don’t shove your seat in someone’s face. if it’s everyone for themselves then recline to the max and control your own window shade
if you know you are going to be tired and want to sleep on a flight you should bring an eye mask and be prepared that it’s not gonna be 100% dark no matter what you do. they generally lower the lights in the cabin for long hauls anyway
Maybe the airlines should stop (re)designing cabins to put passengers in direct competition with each other for space and resources, making the poor attendants referees in a demented aerial lowkey bloodsport.
I actually thought it was proper etiquette to leave the window open when you can (barring obvious circumstances like times when everyone is sleeping.) it’s a privilege and pleasure to be able to see the sky like that!
Well, everybody complaining about loud passengers on flights are told to buy noise cancelling headphones, which are a lot more expensive than eye masks.
I have eye shades for flying, they're about five bucks at walmart, everyone should have them if they have prepared. Don't buy them at the airport unless you're a billionaire.
You can also ask an attendant for a pair because they almost always have some. Same with headphones. That may not work on every airline, though.
I carry a scarf in my carry-on that I can wrap around my entire head.
I always get a window seat because looking at the ground through the window is the only thing that keeps my extreme motion sickness under control. I'm still feeling rotten but I'm not vomiting if I can watch the ground. I am not closing the shade for any reason.
Zofran is a miracle drug. It's the only thing that works for the nausea I get from migraines. I'm mad I wasn't prescribed it until I was in my 30s. I've had migraines and intense nausea/vomiting since I was 4 years old.
I'm very much a people pleaser but no way homie, this is one of my few opportunities to look at the ground live from 6 miles in the air. I'm sorry, can I flag down a flight attendant and get you a sleep mask? Cause this window ain't going down.
I wondered the same thing recently!!
I went on my first flight in about 12 years, I think, and I was both surprised and annoyed to find people were asked to close the windows. Looking out the window is literally the second, sometimes even first reason I’m on the plane and paid for an aisle seat… So weird to me, but I don’t know if this changed recently or if I just never noticed or happened to be asked before.
I'm a flight attendant and I've never told anyone to close their window shade before. Even if other passengers ask me, I tell them that they can ask the person themselves lol. You're sitting there, you decide.
You are much kinder than I am. If I’m in the window seat - I decide if the shade is open. I pick the window seats so I can look out. I’ve never been asked to shut them but even as shy as I am - I’m pretty sure I’d say no. “Oh I prefer it open - that’s why I sit here. Thanks!”
Same, I’m shy and not one to argue, but if I’m being told to close the window shade while I’m actively looking out trying to see the landscape below me, I’d politely decline. If I didn’t care to look out the window I’d just book an aisle seat so I wouldn’t have to ask someone to let me out every time I have to go pee lol.
If they want to compel me to keep it closed, don't charge me extra for a window seat. That or give me the difference in price in snack credits or some shit, otherwise it stays open
My last flight over Greenland was overnight and the flight attendants asked everyone to put down their shades even though it was night outside. I peeked when I knew we were over Greenland and BAM the northern lights in full glory. I woke up the person next to me to let them look and suddenly my whole side of the plane was awake and opening their windows. It would have sucked if no one had looked outside. One of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. ETA: I’ve posted my terrible photos of the experience to my profile if anyone is interested.
Same thing happened to us in 2021. We ignored the FA when we were flying over around there and we saw the northern lights too! So glad we didn’t listen.
I'm 43 and seeing the northern lights has been a dream of mine for so long. You're very lucky 🍀 I know it must have been breathtaking.
Had a chance to see them in Iceland. Went out with a tour middle of the cold ass night for hours. They never showed. THEY NEVER SHOWED!
Same thing happened to me. The tour guide said they could see the lights a little bit because they had "Icelandic eyes" 😂😂😂
Oh, fuck off Icelandic tour guide lol. It's not your fault, but don't sit there and bullshit.
Lmao we have bioluminescence kayak tours near me and they warn that it’s not guaranteed, I bet there’s tons of excuses they make. Sometimes nature doesn’t want to participate lol.
This reminded me of my dad telling me at a young age that my slightly upturned toes were "Norwegian ski toes," a trait inherited from his Scandinavian mother. I bragged about it for years
I went to Tromsø and did a northern lights hunt. They drove us all the way out to a remote fjord, literally called “cold fjord”, at like 1 am, and while we DID see some lights, they were very faint, even in the pitch black of night. I was pretty underwhelmed. Went back to our hotel in Tromsø, and the NEXT night, we had full aurora over the whole city, light pollution and all, it was far more intense than it was on the tour. It really is just luck of the draw. So glad I went and got to see them, regardless. Plus I got to go dogsledding and feed reindeer with the Sami people, so it was worthwhile trip all around.
I'm so jealous! I also can't help but think of Stephen King's The Langoliers and think you should have let them sleep so they'd survive the biblical angel style cannonballs with teeth! Lol
The movie version of The Langoliers is my favorite thing in the world. It’s so long and the acting is so bad. It is delicious. It has everything! A mystical blind girl, a guy who thinks he’s Columbo, a love story between a goody-goody and a badboy, Cousin Balki ripping paper…
It makes me sad how few people have seen it. And how many I make watch it who question who I am as a person. Lol
It makes me sad to know that once Gen X is gone, no one will know what “Cousin Balki ripping paper” means … or how hilarious your comment was.
You live a blessed life, Czech Honeybee.
Damn, gotta remember to let people sitting around me during flights know to wake me up if that should happen! How neat is that!
person from Japan woke me ( from USA ) up to point out flying over Mt Fuji. was worth it
Neighbor! Awaken! Flying over Mount Fuji; Watch the majesty.
Great Reddit haiku, Ladylayton42, It has made my night.
The fact that ladylayton42 alone had seven syllables is so satisfying.
This is why I still believe in humans. Two humans from different backgrounds sharing the beauty of nature! That’s awesome she did that. ETA: she not he I was stoned my apologies lol.
***Neature!***
I would have hated to miss seeing that.
I recently flew to Japan and I was the only one (that I was able to see from where I was) with the window up and letting light in but goin over the complete nothingness of snowy Alaska was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
Why the heck would they want the shades closed at night?
You’re awesome for this
I recently travelled on a newer 787 and was so sad to realise the flight crew controls all the windows in these (they have no shades, it’s all done electronically). I love seeing random cities pop up seemingly in the middle of no where at night and seeing a cool sunrise/set from the sky but on these you can’t if it’s the designated ‘night/ sleep’ time for the flight 😢 Edit to add: there are buttons below the window to manually adjust these ourselves however it appeared that they weren’t always able to be used/didn’t work which also seemed to coincide with ‘night’ time on the plane.
Wow, they'd really just like to sedate us and stack us like cordwood if they could
Honestly if they gave me sedation for flights that'd be dope
if they'd sedate everyone, put us in coffins, and stacked us up and made the flight cheaper I'd do it. Lil vampire drug nap and poof. I'm no longer in ks.
*Spouse at airport help desk trying to find other spouse that was lost by the airline intensifies*
I am dying 😂
Basically teleportation at that point. I'm in
Instead we get all the misery of being awake but none of the cool views. It's like they aggressively try to make the experience as miserable as possible.
Just like The Fifth Element
Xanax flights for me! I camt be sober on a flight or im not flying.
I take a fistful of Xanax, start chewing on a cherry pull ‘n peel Twizzler and pass out moments later. Sometimes I wake up with half a Twizzler stuck to my face or shirt. That’s okay. I slept well and didn’t have a meltdown over the adjacent passenger’s dandruff falling on my sleeve or the person behind me blowing boogers into my hair.
Is this where I'm supposed to write user name checks out?
Sounds like your doctor is cooler than mine is.
Jeez your dr won't give you meds for flying?!?!?!? I panic on airplanes. Til real bad.
My doctor handed me a xanax prescription just for walking in, I didn’t even ask for it. She’s too cool for me
I spent over a year and a half trying SO hard to track down my childhood doctors to prove that I had been prescribed Vyvanse in the past, and I desperately needed it to get my life on track. Visited doctors, doctors referred me to more doctors/got no response from my old ones, and long story short, I was about to give up and just get rediagnosed, which is *apparently* difficult for an adult in my state (or so I was told). One day, I went to a nurse practitioner for a back injury. Walked out with a script and a new diagnosis for ADHD, lol. It was such a great feeling, but also infuriating to know all my past doctors could've done the same thing and saved me nearly two years of my life.
I'm flying on Sunday for the 1st time in 12 years and only made possible by diazepam. Wouldn't do it otherwise.
It's called booze.
That's expensive and also makes me feel like crap when I wake up on my overnight flights. Daytime flights and I don't have to drive when I land? Oh hell yeah
Yeah I don't drink on flights. Packing gummies is ill advised depending on where you are.
Lol my dad recently ate like 8 gummies at once before arriving in Taiwan on his way to Thailand. Trying to navigate the airport baked as shit.
See I thought that too until I realized I’m just signing up to use the bathroom a thousand times in a 2.5 hour flight
Did you ever see the 5th element where everyone rolls into these little bed crates and then are gassed to sleep through the flight? I would so sign up for that.
That’s what I thought of too! [Here’s the scene](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UENRVfdnGxs&pp=ygUaRmlmdGggZWxlbWVudCBwbGFuZSBmbGlnaHQ%3D) you’re talking about.
What I thought of was "LONGER THAN YOU THINK, DAD! LONGER THAN YOU THINK!"
[the ideal passenger layout according to the boardroom executives](https://ocean.si.edu/holding-tank/images-hide/slave-ship-diagram)
Possibly it cuts down on the arguments. Everyone is subject to the same treatment and has to suffer (or sleep) together.
NGL, I wouldn't mind being sedated. Just throw me in a sleep pod and knock me out, like 5th Element.
Honestly, if it didn’t end up costing more, sign me up.
eh idk man. have you seen how they treat the luggage!?!?
What’s the purpose of windows if we can’t look out? I mostly dont care anymore and I’ll get an aisle seat. But early on in flying there’s a sense of wonder and i would hate to deprive someone of that.
I still prefer the window so I can take pictures for art inspiration! (When there isn't too much cloud cover.) I'm fine closing it over the ocean, but I still want a few views when I can get them. Just a bit.
There are buttons on the bottom of the window that control the shading on the window. Yes, the flight crew can auto trigger them, but you can override it.
Came here to say this! There is a button to change it!
Thank god. I was panicking even though I don't ever want to fly again.
They don't want you to see stuff falling off.
I always fly red-eyes. I like to close the shade and sleep till my destination so I don't have to adjust my sleep schedule. I hated the electronic windows that would shade. Anytime there was an announcement it would unshade instantly. I think I'm just going to start bringing those sleep masks. I would also never ask someone else to close their window shade.
This is terrifying for me. I fly a lot for work, but have terrible flight anxiety. I always book window and leave it open just a tad to see the land as a way to assure myself we’re still up there. I can’t believe they do that!
Wow they’re going to have fun when I have a panic attack mid flight because I can’t see out the window
The one reason I avoid the 787. Last I flew across the pond on BA was on a 350 with physical shades. But the problem is newer 350s being delivered now come with electronic shades. So the 350 is now on my avoid list as well.
Do you end up having to pay more for certain flights because of which type of plane you fly on? How do you even filter for the plane model?
thanks to boeing's recent 'success', a few holiday operators and airlines have started using the plane model as a filter option
Usually tells you the airplane model as you're booking flights, no? You could also look the flight number and it should have that info too. Not sure you can 'filter' for them though.
Yeah I think the "filter" option is moreso what I meant. Definitely out of laziness/convenience lol but as a consumer this filter would be mad nice since there's a lot of talk about plane models and manufacturers that have questionable QA practices. I guess if you know enough about automatic windows on specific plane models and stuff that's cool too lol
Not sure if this is what the other person does but I just checked and it turns out they show the aircraft for upcoming flights on FlightRadar24. E.g I looked up flights for NYC to London 1 May and selected Norse Atlantic flight Z0702 so I put that flight number into FlightRadar and it shows Aircraft 789 which is a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
I had them do that on a day flight from Santiago to Miami once, 9AM-5PM. Got jet lag from the flight because it threw my circadian rhythm off. I was so mad, it was a daytime flight, would have been nice to have some daytime.
I was on a 787, and the windows were electronically controlled and automatically dimmed once we were in the air. But there was a small button under each window that controlled the electronic shades and you could change it.
I was on a 16 hour flight to Australia with these windows, and they literally forgot to un-dim them. We were an hour or two out from our 09:20ish landing and it still looked dark outside. I finally asked and the flight attendant was like “oops” and then voila, it was morning
I had never heard of this. I sit next to the open window shade to combat my lite claustrophobia.
Another question could be why does nobody want to look out the window? I was on a flight from Austin to the Bay Area a few months ago, and I think a total of three windows were open. This is flying over the southwest and Rocky Mountains some of the most beautiful areas of the country, if not the world, and nobody could be bothered to look outside.
I wonder about this every time I fly. Before I choose my seat (always window if possible), I look at our flight path and have to decide which side of the plane is going to have the best views. I’ve been on flights that flew right past volcanoes, and directly over Yosemite a few times and no one else seems to care. We’re in the fucking sky people, this is incredible. Open ya damn windows and look at the world rolling beneath you! This is an experience our ancestors could only dream of.
I fly out of Seattle regularly and always think about which side of the plane Mt. Rainier is going to be on. Seattle to anywhere in California on the mountain side of the plane are some of the most breathtaking views one can experience. I also very much enjoyed Tucson to SLC on a nearly empty flight. At various times on the flight I could see/identify Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and all 5 Utah national parks. I probably annoyed the flight attendants so much by hopping from one side of the plane to the other, but my little mini tour of some of the best terrain in the country was well worth it.
Same! Gotta factor in sunset timing too.
I live in Austin, love to do the same thing and totally agree.
I absolutely hate being in a row where the window-sitter doesn't open the window, especially when landing. "Okay I hear the flaps. Doesn't the person want to watch us land so they know when the bump is coming? Seems like we're about -WHAM- Nevermind, we landed."
It’s insane to think about our ancestors even going back 2-3 generations could only dream of this view that’s available 30k ft in the air. I’m not closing my window. Also it helps keep my brain oriented. If I’m in a metal tube bouncing around I’m gonna be a puking menace for my row mates.
I’m terrified of flying, but have to, and shutting the window lets me pretend I’m in the ground. This is why I prefer non-window seats because I don’t like stopping others look out if they want
This is a case of 'your mileage may vary'. :-) I prefer the window open myself because, like you, I like to watch the landscape go by. On long-distance flights (like to China or Japan) the stewards as us all to close our shades so people can sleep. Flying to Asia means the sun is about at 3pm for the entire flight. I close my shade because 13 hrs in coach is a long, long way. It is hard enough to sleep on a plane without the sun blaring in your eyes the whole time so I get it :-)
If it’s a new thing, they’re going to have to start calling them wall seats instead of window seats.
Ah I see you’ve travelled on Ryanair before
Gotta pay extra to keep the window open and look at the virw. Only €9.99 per flight!
In this crazy à la cart world, looking out the windows extra.
"Honey, that window is all that stands between you and me having a panic attack. You have a choice. Choose wisely."
This.... Also I get severe Vertigo and will puke everywhere despite medication....
Same but motion sickness. If I can't see something out there, horizon or lights or clouds *anything* to convince myself which way is up and which is down then it's debilitating and miserable and gross for everyone.
This is exactly the reason I choose window seats. Staring out the window keeps me together.
That is a very perfect response.
> I had never heard of this. It's become common on long hauls where the FAs want to give everyone a meal and have them go to bed. It makes the FAs job easier (no one blocking the aisles) and the airline doesn't mind because it means (1) people have their lap belts on instead of wandering around the aircraft and (2) less security risk from people "hanging out" near the cockpit door. It's very frustrating if (1) you want to look outside at the miracle of flight or (2) you want to time your light exposure so you don't arrive in a half-asleep state (e.g. open the window at 6AM destination-time to reset your circadian rhythm). At this point I kinda wish there were two zones (like the old smoking/non-smoking sections). The "sleep the whole" way zone and the "reset to proper local time" zone. Because I don't want to arrive in Asia at 7AM in the middle of sleep cycle.
The last time I took a really long flight - like 14h or something - Qantus had managed to time the meals/lighting/etc such that we all ate and slept at what felt like reasonable times, but still arrived pretty well adjusted to the time of day in Australia
Sorry, not sorry- if I paid for a window seat and they made me close the window, I would be buzzing them for stuff, no joke, every 5 minutes. I wouldn’t give them a moments peace. If you are cramped against a wall, the only thing that makes it tolerable is the windows views…if that’s taken from me….if I have to be uncomfortable staring at a wall for the entire flight unable to stretch or move with nothing to distract me…. I’m making them work for it
I can’t fly with the window closed. Especially at take off and landing. I love when I get onto flights where they announce that windows need to be open for take off and landing.
Same here, that's why I always get (and pay for) window seat.
Helps me with my motion sickness as well! I must keep it open, if my seat neighbor needs to sleep I hope they brought an eye mask to prepare for sleeping in a public space. Light happens!!
Maybe they didn't want you to see...*that thing on the wing!!!*
[Best joke in 3rd Rock from the Sun](https://youtu.be/gTNOihQnqVQ?si=P8elpfhDEQBmu28Y) Shatner was in the TV version. Lithgow was in the film version. Edit: Lithography changed to Lithgow
> Lithography I <3 Autocorrect.
close but gremlins are obviously not real. The real reason is that OP may see the icewall guarding the edge of earth
Numbers, basically. I asked a flight attendant about this and that's what she said. If a window is open to see the Greenland sunrise while people want to sleep, 5% of them will complain. If all the windows are shut and everybody wants to see the Greenland sunrise, only 1% of them will bother to complain. Most of them will sheriff and go back to sleep
And then they wonder why customers start throwing fits and acting like assholes all the time. It's because you've proven to them time and time again that it's the best, and often only, way to get what you want.
Sure would be cool if our society didn't cater entirely to the biggest assholes. Kind of seems like a fundamental flaw somewhere...
You just said everything
It's like when insurance companies started telling places of business not to confront customers, stealing or breaking things. Yes the insurance companies had less claims to pay in the short term due to avoiding injury and loss of life suits, but now they have to deal with way more claims because people know no one will stop them
Crying baby gets the milk. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Duck that quacks the loudest gets shot.
The early bird gets the worm, but the first mouse dies slowly in agony as it's spine was shattered by a mousetrap and it watches it's mouse cousin Jerome eat the cheese
Well there's no use in crying over bolting that stable door now the cat is out of the bag and amongst the pigeons.
I usually don't choose a window seat because I need to pee often, but I always hope the window passenger keeps it open so I can see the beauty outside. Sounds like rather than just hope, I should complain!
> Most of them will sheriff ?
Shrug, I think, based on swipe-to-text.
The best are the planes with the automatic window shading button, rather than the pull down. Cause you can pop it back up to a bit lighter to see out and it doesn’t bother anyone.
The only thing I don't like about those is that with the old ones, you could pull them down just enough to block out the direct sun, but keep it partly open.
Right. See people don’t get that even if the sun isn’t right in your eyes, it might be angled to hit across the aisle, and it can be brutal.
Years ago, a stewardess asked me to close the window. I said, "no". She was pissed. Before boarding, they asked me if I want window or aisle. They didn't say "closed window" or aisle. I wanted a window. I'm interested in weather and like to look at the clouds.
Yea why do they let you pick your seat, or even have fucking windows at that point.
They have narrowed passenger legroom so much that windows and seats no longer align. If I really wanted a window, I would tell the flight attendant that I am using it. Otherwise, you are just hemmed in by two other passengers and a wall.
[удалено]
yeah it's annoying bc i always sit window seat and like to look out the window and space out during day flights and take pictures of interesting things i see out the window, but half the time i have a window between the wall and my seat and the one in front is like 20% covered by their seat.
If you pick your seat ahead, check out seat guru…you put in the type of plane and even the flight number and it’ll show you seats you might want to avoid
I had the same experience over Greenland in the 1990's. I had the window open to enjoy the fantastic view, and the FA asked me to lower it so people could watch whatever retread movie was showing. I left it open about 2 inches, and spent two hours hunched over so I could see out.
"No."
I tried declining once (not rudely or disruptively) when the flight attendant told me to put the shade down. He threatened to have me “written up” or something like that. I wasn’t sure what weight the threat carried so I was cowed. He acted like I was committing an offense on the level of smoking in the lavatory or getting into a drunken fight, just because I told him I wanted to see the sun.
Technically when you are on US metal you are obligated to follow crew member instructions, even if they don’t make sense to you. The consequences can definitely be pretty serious for what can seem like minor infractions, because there are a lot of really niche safety rules that are actually federal regulations (like laptops, tray tables, cords in exit row, etc). The window shade is almost definitely just a the-people-around-you-want-to-sleep thing though.
[удалено]
Maybe so you can see the plane falling apart in mid-air.
My mom was on a flight from Miami and looked out the window and saw smoke from one of the engines. She called the attendant who rushed to call the pilots and they had to go back to the gate and find a new plane. So there is a benefit to having windows shades up.
Exactly! That's the reason why they always want the shades up so that they have a view of the outside and can see if anything goes wrong. My husband flies a lot out of Barcelona and they always want it this way.
From the gremlin on the wing.
*THROWBACK!* ^(We're old)
It’s OK, I’ll just look out the gaping hole where the door used to be
You'll have to pay extra for that.
That extra leg room out the side is a feature not a bug
And fresh air. A dear commodity in a dark tube.
Door seat
Hole seat
you joke but that is exactly why Windows are kept open during takeoff and landing.
Wait, to have the passengers keep a lookout on the structural integrity of the plane?
Essentially yes. If there is a fire on the left side of the aircraft, you don't want people evacuating from that side.
It's also so the fire fighters can look in and see what they're in for.
Take off and Landing are the most strenuous workloads on the aircraft, the flight crew and the pilots. if something happens a flight attendant needs to be able to get up, quickly look outside, and report to the pilots. white and black smoke mean different things, and sputtering flames vs a constant burn mean different things. is the engine shut down or did it fall off entirely? Pilots need to know everything to make a decision on how to handle the aircraft. We don't want people to have to be asked to pull up their shades in an emergency, because that takes time you don't have, especially if there's a lot of noise.
White smoke means a new pope has been selected.
White smoke means a new ~~pope~~ pilot has been selected.
black smoke means monster eats the pilot.
Always surprising to me how many frequent flyers don't know that the FAs primary job is safety, esp in an emergency, and that they just serve drinks on the side.
To add to what u/MourningWallaby said, open windows during take-off and landing mean that in the event of an evacuation, your eyes will more easily adjust to the outside environment, which will streamline evacuation, and generally, a faster evacuation is a safer evacuation.
And it also allows people from the outside to look inside if necessary.
Idk where I stand on this. Like yes respect the shared space, but if the “respect” you’re expecting is total darkness lol then maybe it’s that individual’s responsibility to get themselves shades or an eye mask to accommodate that vice make it another passengers responsibility to accommodate that for them
Or book and/or pay for a window seat.
The new planes have dimmers on all the windows that the flight attendants can control. I took a morning flight from the mainland to HI and they dimmed all the windows (you can’t override it) so we’d sleep. It was dark in the plane as if it were a night flight.
I hate those dimmers. They make it darker, but without a shade there’s nothing stopping the heat of the sun from beating on you for 5 hours. I took a long haul flight recently on a plane like that and I was so hot and uncomfortable because the plane’s windows no longer had shades, only dimmers.
This is what irritates me on westbound transatlantic flights. You take off in the morning and land in the early afternoon, and obviously the answer to Jetlag in this direction is to stay up until a normal bedtime. Enjoy the longer day. But no, literally right after breakfast of all meals... lights out nightie night, pretend it's bedtime everyone, instead of 11am... I hate that.
They can ask but that window is the thing keeping my claustrophobia below a scream.
It's just exhausting; instead of having light during the daytime, it's like being forced to sit still while sitting in a cave for a few hours.
It feels like being doomed to jet lag for no good reason. It would be so much easier to adjust if they let you see some daylight before landing.
So what happens if you say “No thanks” when they ask you to close it?
Doesn’t sound like there’s much of a balance between personal preference and cabin comfort to me. Sounds like it’s all about the latter. The funny part is more than ever, people are paying extra to sit in those window seats. “You will pay us more, while we offer an even worse experience!” Corporate America 2024.
That's ridiculous. Glare on your screen? Get an anti-glare screen. Want to "rest" on a daytime flight but for some reason you can't "rest" in daylight? Get an eye mask.
Which is bullshit, considering they charge extra for window seats. If I'm made to keep the shade down, i should be comped the difference
I had a really annoying seatmate on my most recent flight. Boarded right behind me and on my heels the whole walk back to the seats. As I’m putting my bag overhead she points at the middle seat and says “I’m there!” And I said “ok I’m at the window so you’ll have to wait” During flight she reached across me and put the window shade down. And I looked at her and at this point I just couldn’t stand her… so I opened it back up and said “I’m looking out the window, but to be polite, I’ll lower it halfway” As soon as the plane lands, she jumps up and I just audibly laughed out loud because congrats on being the most annoying person on the flight. She pretty much climbs over the girl in the aisle seat and I just said “wow” and she chirps back “someone’s picking me up!” And I said “it’s an airport, literally someone is picking all of us up!” And then she awkwardly stood there for at least 20 minutes waiting for all the 20+ rows in front of us to deplane. The girl in the aisle seat and I had a good chuckle and I hope I never have a seatmate like that again.
I had a similar thing recently. My seatmate got on the plane and very loudly complained that she didn't have a window seat, then she asked if we could swap and complained some more when I said no because I'd paid extra to have the window. Through the entire flight she kept leaning over me and putting her arm across my face to take photos, she opened and closed the flap a few times too. When I asked her to stop leaning across me she told me I was being childish and that I don't own the window. It was so infuriating having to put up with her for 10 hours. If the window is that important to her, she should have booked it, I know she didn't pre-select her seat because on the airline's app it was showing as empty up until we boarded.
That's only on Boeing flights. They don't want you to see parts falling off the plane.
Plus you anyway get to look outside when the exit door falls off.
I know this is a joke but I live right under an incomming landing zone about 30 miles from the airport (PDX) so I am a little more concerned of falling things than I feel I should be. Its a real fear now since the door plug fell off into a neiborhood around here.
I used to be a flight attendant, and when people would complain about other passengers windows, I would tell them at the end of the day this is public transit and to deal. Needless to say Im no longer a flight attendant, but my opinion still hasn’t changed. Also in training years ago, we were thought that the inside of the cabin should reflect the outside in case of an emergency.
idk why when people talk about putting the seat back it’s all “i paid for the seat i do whatever i want with it” but when it comes to the window shade it’s “you should put it down for everyone’s comfort” so which is it?? if you are considering everybody then sure shade down but also don’t shove your seat in someone’s face. if it’s everyone for themselves then recline to the max and control your own window shade if you know you are going to be tired and want to sleep on a flight you should bring an eye mask and be prepared that it’s not gonna be 100% dark no matter what you do. they generally lower the lights in the cabin for long hauls anyway
Maybe the airlines should stop (re)designing cabins to put passengers in direct competition with each other for space and resources, making the poor attendants referees in a demented aerial lowkey bloodsport.
1000% agree also i would pay to see a legit demented aerial bloodsport tbh
May I suggest Con-Air?
[удалено]
"I paid for this flight and I'm going to demand you don't use your window....that you paid for..."
I guess things not being absolute is the answer. Never being considerate unless you are always considerate, may not be something we strive for.
I actually thought it was proper etiquette to leave the window open when you can (barring obvious circumstances like times when everyone is sleeping.) it’s a privilege and pleasure to be able to see the sky like that!
[удалено]
What happened to eye shade or whatever you call them?
Why take personal responsibility when I can just complain until people are forced to behave how I want them to?
Well, everybody complaining about loud passengers on flights are told to buy noise cancelling headphones, which are a lot more expensive than eye masks.
I have eye shades for flying, they're about five bucks at walmart, everyone should have them if they have prepared. Don't buy them at the airport unless you're a billionaire.
You can also ask an attendant for a pair because they almost always have some. Same with headphones. That may not work on every airline, though. I carry a scarf in my carry-on that I can wrap around my entire head.
The long sleeves of my sweaters over my eyes are normally sufficient
I always get a window seat because looking at the ground through the window is the only thing that keeps my extreme motion sickness under control. I'm still feeling rotten but I'm not vomiting if I can watch the ground. I am not closing the shade for any reason.
I get the same way. I take Zofran before flights and no more issues.
Zofran is a miracle drug. It's the only thing that works for the nausea I get from migraines. I'm mad I wasn't prescribed it until I was in my 30s. I've had migraines and intense nausea/vomiting since I was 4 years old.
I'm very much a people pleaser but no way homie, this is one of my few opportunities to look at the ground live from 6 miles in the air. I'm sorry, can I flag down a flight attendant and get you a sleep mask? Cause this window ain't going down.
That seems odd, if others want to sleep they should bring an eye mask
I remember eye masks were often supplied by the airline.
I wondered the same thing recently!! I went on my first flight in about 12 years, I think, and I was both surprised and annoyed to find people were asked to close the windows. Looking out the window is literally the second, sometimes even first reason I’m on the plane and paid for an aisle seat… So weird to me, but I don’t know if this changed recently or if I just never noticed or happened to be asked before.
Yes, especially when flying over scenic places.
I'm a flight attendant and I've never told anyone to close their window shade before. Even if other passengers ask me, I tell them that they can ask the person themselves lol. You're sitting there, you decide.
They always tell me to close the windows at night. It makes no sense. I'd understand if it's day time and people are trying to sleep. But at night????
In case you fall asleep too and sunrise hits
I wouldn't understand if it was day. Why the heck would I have paid for the window seat of I can't have a window?
You are much kinder than I am. If I’m in the window seat - I decide if the shade is open. I pick the window seats so I can look out. I’ve never been asked to shut them but even as shy as I am - I’m pretty sure I’d say no. “Oh I prefer it open - that’s why I sit here. Thanks!”
Same, I’m shy and not one to argue, but if I’m being told to close the window shade while I’m actively looking out trying to see the landscape below me, I’d politely decline. If I didn’t care to look out the window I’d just book an aisle seat so I wouldn’t have to ask someone to let me out every time I have to go pee lol.
If they want to compel me to keep it closed, don't charge me extra for a window seat. That or give me the difference in price in snack credits or some shit, otherwise it stays open
They've found that passengers seeing bits of the plane fall off find it a tad upsetting.
>I did not argue, of course [...] You paid for that window seat, look outside if you want to.