Forced closing on window shades in J SIN-SYD day flight

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Yesterday I did SIN-SYD in J on the A380. This is a day flight. It leaves SIN in the morning and arrives SYD at night, yet I was 'not allowed' to leave my window shade open during the flight as it would 'disturb other passengers':evil:. I had one window shade open of the four adjacent to my skybed, which I was 'forced' to close.

In my experience, the only way to survive jetlag is to work on the destination time zone, therefore one should sleep on LHR-SIN and try to stay awake SIN-SYD. Opening the window in order to stimulate the brain into thinking it is day time - which it was - is a good technique for this. The seat lights simply aren't bright enough to do the job.

I would like to know other's opinions on 'forced shade closures'. I realise I will probably get flamed by those who just want to sleep on every flight... I must reiterate I am talking about J here - not whY. Perhaps I'm the only one with this gripe...?:shock:

 

[notzac]

In my experience, the only way to survive jetlag is to work on the destination time zone, therefore one should sleep on LHR-SIN and try to stay awake SIN-SYD. Opening the window in order to stimulate the brain into thinking it is day time - which it was - is a good technique for this. The seat lights simply aren't bright enough to do the job.

I absolutely agree with you here -- if other pax don't want to be disturbed, perhaps they should employ the eye shades handed out in the amenity kit :?:

 

[dajop]

A bit like the recline/not recline debate in whY.

I tend to agree, best to try and adjust time zones then go to bed as soon as you hit Australia.

Having said that my experiences on day flight have largely been ex-SIN, after a good nights sleep, and therefore I have no problems trying to stay awake so having blinds down doesn't bother me. And if watching IFE or looking at laptop it is much better without the sun reflecting on the screens.

 

[blu]

We were asked to open the shade when landing at OOL (*class). Is that to let centre aisle pax see the touchdown?

 

[notzac]

We were asked to open the shade when landing at OOL (*class). Is that to let centre aisle pax see the touchdown?

IIRC it's a safety requirement - it's so that if anything goes wrong with wings/engine, pax can see it and report it.

Fairly succinct answer here: WikiAnswers - Why you put up window shades on airplanes during takeoff and landing

 

[munitalP]

@ Notzac, nah mate, you are wrong, it's so the control tower and other untreated spectators can see the look of horror on your face during rough landings

Mr!

 

[davidj-bell]

While I agree that it's good habit to adjust to the new timezone as soon as possible, the problem with such flights is that they originate in London (or Australia for the return), so you get a mix of people who have been on the flight since London (and probably didn't get much sleep, even in J), vs people who have just boarded at SIN. On My last flight to LHR, I broke my rule and slept/napped on the second leg (I also broke another rule, and stayed up and watched the TV, when I should have gone to sleep out of MEL).

 

[simongr]

I personally prefer the window shade down - less reflection on the laptop/IFE/iPhone etc. Also if very sunny the heat of the light warms the white wine too much.

I personally employ different techniques to beat jetlag - working isnt one of them...

 

[chrisb]

It's not just people sleeping - it makes the IFE easier to see and the environment more relaxing if it's not overly bright.

If you don't want to sleep, turn on your reading lights and watch a movie or 3.

 

[Reggie]

I have been on many a flight where 1 pax has there window shade open and the rest of the cabin is shut. I would have preferred the pax to shut theirs as well, but hey its his seat. He was not forces at anytime to shut his window shade.

 

[pauly7]

I would like to know other's opinions on 'forced shade closures'. I realise I will probably get flamed by those who just want to sleep on every flight... I must reiterate I am talking about J here - not whY. Perhaps I'm the only one with this gripe...?:shock:

Not flamed but general disagreement

Everyone can turn on a light as an option, but if 1 pax across a row of seats opens the window shade it means multpile people are the result of your action.

I think the fairest solution is for a shut policy.

 

[serfty]

The thing is that others on the SIN-SYD 388 are coming though from London and my need to sleep.

Also, CC generally like to keep things nice and quiet to ease the discomfort of recovering from their Singapore sojourn ...

 

[djfuzz]

Firmly in the shut window shades on long haul flights category.

For flights longer than six hours which involve a time difference of >2-3 hours and start or end at night, some people are going to want to sleep or watch IFE. Open window shades detract significantly from that for the people in the vicinity, and sometime in the entire cabin. It's not enough to say that people should use eyeshades, as that assumes that everyone is able to sleep with eyeshades on (let alone those who want to watch non-glared IFE).

On the other hand, if you want to adjust to jetlag, you are perfectly entitled to fire up your various lamps, do some reading, watch IFE, whatever. But opening the window shades forces your personal decision in everyone else.

I don't object to people taking a peek outside to enjoy the view from time to time, or keeping them open during meal services, but leaving them open for a sustained period of time is pretty selfish - then again, most frequent flyers are pretty selfish anyway, so it's something we all just have to deal with when the FAs don't enforce closure during designated sleep periods.

 

[NYCguy]

\
I don't object to people taking a peek outside to enjoy the view from time to time... But leaving them open for a sustained period of time is pretty selfish - then again, most frequent flyers are pretty selfish anyway...

A gross generalisation, but entirely true in my case. A $20K ticket entitles me to have the shade open whenever I want to.

WEAR. YOUR. BLOODY. EYE. MASK.

 

[djfuzz]

A gross generalisation, but entirely true in my case. A $20K ticket entitles me to have the shade open whenever I want to.

WEAR. YOUR. BLOODY. EYE. MASK.

Just as it entitles me to enjoy the bed I paid for without having to block the sun out of my eyes with a sweaty piece of plastic.

SHUT. YOUR. DAMN. WINDOW. SHADE.

You see the conundrum?

 

[Alanslegal]

But opening the window shades forces your personal decision in everyone else.

+1 This is comparable to say, some passengers who through their own personal decision decide to carry onboard excessive B.O :shock:

 

[JohnK]

Recline/No recline! Window shade open/Window shade closed! Similar debate.

Unless there is direct sunlight affecting someone then I see no problem with the window shade remaining open day or night. I want to be able to see out the window even if I am sitting in the aisle seat.

People should learn to sleep under all conditions. An open window shade does not cause anyone any harm. It is worse being stuck in economy behind a chronic recliner....

 

[Dave Noble]

Yesterday I did SIN-SYD in J on the A380. This is a day flight. It leaves SIN in the morning and arrives SYD at night, yet I was 'not allowed' to leave my window shade open during the flight as it would 'disturb other passengers':evil:. I had one window shade open of the four adjacent to my skybed, which I was 'forced' to close

Next time just get the customer service manager and speak to him/her about it. The window shade is not a safety issue and the crew members do not have the authority to require that the shade be closed

I deliberately pick daytime flights and when I am by a window will have the shade open. I have seen crew take an opportunity if I step up for a few mins to go and close it and should that happen have a word with the csm and ask them not to have it happen again

If it is a night flight where dawn is going to happen early in the flight ( e.g. Europe-Asia ) then I will close it to avoid waking people on the "night" flight

 

[drron]

Just as it entitles me to enjoy the bed I paid for without having to block the sun out of my eyes with a sweaty piece of plastic.

SHUT. YOUR. DAMN. WINDOW. SHADE.

You see the conundrum?

No because you could wear your mask but I can not see my view(ie across Arctic) with the shades down.

 

[jaffa]

If they are making you keep your chosen window shade closed during day flights and because of darkness at night renders seeing anything useless.

Why then do they put windows in planes in the first place.

What a waste in time and money the airlines are putting themselves through.
lets all just fly in an artificially lit blacked out cigar tube, with fixed seats that don't move for 14 hrs.

I love to fly, and a part of that is soaring through the sky and the clouds, enjoying their amazing forms, shapes and patterns. For a moment in time i'm on the top of the world looking down at the earth.
Iv'e seen Ayres Rock, Copacabanna Beach, The Nile, the Amazon River, the Eifel Tower, The mighty Missisipi river, The Great Wall of China, and the curveture of the earth just to name a few from the window of a plane.

To think l could have missed all these amazing life experiences beacause you wanted me to close the window shade.

Wear you eyeshades or take night flights.
Just because your over the joy of the experience does not mean we all are!...