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WINDOW BLIND ETIQUETTE ➜ SUPERCHRIS

I travelled this week on the BA overnight from Dubai to London (0130-0600) in premium economy. I’m a light sleeper and don’t like wearing eyeshades. With a quiet cabin and a bit of luck, I can get three to four hours on this flight. An hour into the flight I noticed that 50 per cent of the window blinds were up (pitch black outside), with all passengers pretty much asleep. At no stage did the crew attempt to close the blinds. A couple of hours later and it was bright in the cabin, which affected my ability to sleep.

At breakfast, I pointed out to a young crew member that I felt it was unusual. She told me that she couldn’t stop passengers who wanted to look out of the window (nonsense as they were all asleep). Is it reasonable to expect the crew to have attempted to get passengers to put down their blinds after take-off? I’m looking forward to the A350 on this route, where, presumably, the windows would automatically be dimmed?

➜ GIVINGUPBA

In my opinion, it is reasonable to expect the crew to attempt to get passengers to put down their blinds after take-off. I prefer those airlines where crew are proactive and ask everyone to lower their blinds on night flights, or lower them for passengers if they are asleep.

➜ MARTYNSINCLAIR

I have no issue with cabin crew closing my blinds when I am asleep, as long as crew have no issue with me raising the

blinds when I wake up. Most of my long-haul flights are overnighters to Asia. My strategy for combating jet lag is to change to local time at my destination as soon as possible: seeing light in day time, seeing darkness at night time. I generally do not suffer jet lag and frequently go into meetings within an hour of arrival.

I feel extremely uncomfortable being forced to remain in darkness on a day flight, but accept blinds do need to be semi-closed for the IFE to be enjoyed. Also on a day flight, I love to see the world from high up – it makes me appreciate even more how lucky I am to live the fabulous life I lead. Apologies if this makes me unpopular, but this is why I sit by the window. I detest the electronically controlled blind.

➜ CWOODWARD

Being forced to close the window blind impinges on my personal choice for which I paid, and if this is repeatedly attempted I will complain to the cabin manager. I select a window seat because I enjoy looking out of the window, even at night. I find spotting villages enjoyable and sunrises and sunsets are a joy.

I always open the blind the minimum amount in the morning after waking but on a daytime flight I will never close the blind, my view being that good-quality eyeshades are provided for those wanting to sleep. Overnight flights are usually available to those requiring a darkened cabin.

➜ STEVESCOOTS

I always book a window seat, and no matter what time, close the blind once cruising, so that I sleep or because of the glare on the IFE screen. If I open the blinds during the flight, I tend to have a scan around the cabin and if others are open, then I open mine. If not I won’t.

➜ SIMONS1

Like most things in life, this is solved by common sense and self-awareness. Of course travellers expect people sitting by the window to want to look out – I do it myself. However, the original post was highlighting a situation where the blind was open but the person in the window seat fast asleep – clearly they weren’t enjoying the view at that point.

➜ TRAMOR01

If I’m coming back on a morning flight from Asia, I keep the blind at least half open (to accommodate the IFE screens) and, if approached to close them, I say, “Anyone looking to sleep now on a daytime flight east to west will pay the price when they arrive and try to sleep that night!” If a fellow passenger moans at me, saying I’m selfish (or worse), I respond by saying: “That’s what the eye masks are for – use those if you want to sleep on a daytime flight, and let those of us who want to enjoy the view do so.” OK, it may make me seem like a grumpy old git – but sorry, closed blinds on a daytime flight is a bugbear of mine.

➜ LUGANOPIRATE

I enjoy looking out of the window, even at night. Sunrises and sunsets are a joy

I always book a seat on the port side, so flying south the rising sun is never a problem. I also like the blind up to see the stars, other aircraft or lightning at night and the ground during the day. I find it rather pointless for the crew to turn on all the lights at breakfast, while everyone leaves the blinds down.