Flying comes with a bunch of rules, right? One of them being, you gotta pop open that window shade when the plane’s taking off or landing. And you betcha, the flight attendants are always checking to make sure all those shades are up.
Now, why’s that? Well, turns out there’s a safety reason behind it. That’s why most airlines are sticklers about having those shades up during these critical times.
“Opening up the window shades during takeoff and landing helps us flight attendants see what’s happening outside, like fires or stuff flying around, which could get in the way if we need to get everyone out in a hurry,” explained pilot Patrick Smith from AskThePilot.com to Travel + Leisure.
It helps the crew figure out which side of the plane is safer in case of an emergency landing. And trust me, that’s super important because we’ve gotta get everyone off this bird in 90 minutes tops.
Plus, having those shades up lets you see what’s going on if there’s a sudden bump or jolt. Makes sense, right? If something’s up during takeoff or landing, you wanna know what’s causing it pronto so you can react fast.
According to reports from Airbus, this rule’s a big deal during takeoff, landing, and when we’re getting close to the ground. ‘Cause accidents tend to happen during these nail-biting moments.
And hey, when you’re sitting in that exit row, you gotta keep an extra sharp eye out. Those sitting there gotta make sure it’s all clear outside before they pop that door open, explained Sue Fogwell, a former United Airlines flight attendant, to T+L.
So, aside from helping us cabin crew keep an eye on things inside, keeping those shades up also lets the emergency crews outside see what’s happening in here.