Every safety protocol in aviation exists because someone, somewhere, died to reveal its necessity.

BY ANTHONY OMOH

Have you ever settled into your window seat, enjoying the calming hum of the aircraft, when a flight attendant politely asks you to raise your window shade for takeoff or landing? This routine request, repeated thousands of times daily across global airlines, represents a crucial safety protocol forged through tragic experience rather than mere procedure.  Open shades save lives – this simple instruction you hear on every flight carries more weight than you might imagine.

The aviation industry operates on lessons written in blood, and the window shade rule stands as a prime example.

While passengers might view it as an inconvenience or wonder why they can’t sleep during these phases, the reality is that open shades save lives by providing critical visual information during the most dangerous moments of flight.  

The Science Behind the Safety Measure 

Aviation safety experts universally agree that maintaining visual awareness of external conditions proves vital during takeoff and landing – the phases when 61% of all accidents occur according to Boeing’s statistical summary of commercial jet airplane accidents. Open window shades serve multiple protective functions that collectively enhance survivability during emergencies.  

First, they allow for immediate assessment of outside conditions. Should an emergency evacuation become necessary, crew members can instantly determine which exits remain usable. A wing fire, water landing, or debris field might make certain exits hazardous, and visual confirmation beats guesswork in life-or-death situations.  

Second, natural light streaming through open shades helps passengers’ eyes maintain proper adjustment. In the event of electrical failure or smoke filling the cabin, passengers won’t experience the dangerous visual shock of moving from darkness to bright daylight during evacuation. The human eye requires precious seconds to adjust between light conditions – seconds that might not exist during an emergency.  

Third, open shades enable external responders to see inside the aircraft. Rescue personnel approaching a damaged plane can better assess interior conditions and passenger locations when shades remain open. This visibility helps prioritize evacuation efforts and medical response.  

Expert Testimony and Industry Standards

Retired Pan Am and United Airlines pilot Captain Tom Bunn, now a licensed therapist specializing in aviation psychology, emphasizes the cognitive benefits. “Having shades open during critical phases helps passengers maintain spatial orientation,” he explains. “In an emergency, that split-second advantage in situational awareness can mean the difference between orderly evacuation and deadly confusion.”  

While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO0) don’t mandate the practice through formal regulation, all major carriers have adopted it as standard operating procedure. Airlines in Nigeria from Ibom Air, ValueJet, Air Peace, and Xejet among others reference window shade policies in their crew training manuals as a critical safety enhancement.  

Modern aircraft designs continue honoring this principle. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner features electrochromic smart windows that can be dimmed but not fully blacked out during takeoff and landing. Even these advanced systems maintain the open shades save lives philosophy through controlled transparency.  

Tragedies That Shaped Today’s Protocols

Two catastrophic accidents in the 1980s cemented the window shade policy across global aviation. These events demonstrated with terrible clarity how closed shades could contribute to loss of life.  

Air Canada Flight 797 (June 2, 1983)

The McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 operating this flight from Dallas to Montreal via Toronto became the smoking gun that changed cabin safety forever. About 90 minutes after takeoff, passengers noticed smoke emanating from a rear lavatory. What began as a seemingly minor electrical issue rapidly escalated as toxic fumes filled the cabin.  

With the aircraft diverted to Cincinnati, conditions deteriorated horrifically. Closed window shades in many rows created a darkened environment where passengers couldn’t see the advancing smoke or locate exits. The final NTSB report noted that “the inability to see outside conditions through closed window shades delayed recognition of the fire’s severity.”  

Of the 46 souls aboard, 23 perished – most from smoke inhalation while struggling to find exits in the obscured cabin.

Survivors recounted terrifying moments of disorientation, unable to determine direction or distance to safety. This tragedy directly led to mandatory lavatory smoke detectors and reinforced the importance of visual access to exterior conditions.  

British Airtours Flight 28M (August 22, 1985)

The Boeing 737-200 preparing for takeoff from Manchester Airport never got airborne. An uncontained engine failure sparked a fire that penetrated the cabin within seconds. Many passengers, with window shades closed for the early morning departure, remained unaware of the spreading danger until flames became unavoidable.  

The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) determined that closed shades delayed passenger recognition of the emergency. Thick smoke quickly reduced visibility as confused travelers hesitated before evacuating. The final death toll reached 55, with most victims succumbing to smoke inhalation near blocked exits.  

These twin disasters created an aviation safety epiphany. The AAIB’s subsequent recommendations included mandatory shade opening during takeoff and landing – a policy now universally adopted. 

Today’s flight crews receive extensive training on explaining the importance of window shade policies. While most travelers comply willingly, occasional pushback does occur. Some frequent flyers view it as an inconvenience, while others simply forget after settling into their routines.  

A Call to Action for All Flyers

When that crew member steps up to you and tells you to open that blind, remember it is not for courtesy, it is for the overall safety of the flight. Do not argue, comply. This simple act of raising your window shade forms part of an intricate safety net developed through painful experience.  

Every safety protocol in aviation exists because someone, somewhere, died to reveal its necessity. The window shade rule represents one of the most visible (pun intended) examples of how the industry learns from tragedy to protect future passengers.  

So next time you fly, when asked to open your shade, do so promptly and completely. Your cooperation contributes to a safer travel environment for everyone onboard.