The showdown at the window seat

Welcome to the latest airline passenger cabin conflict: Window shades up or down As more travellers bring screens onto planes and airlines offer more in-flight entertainment, throwing shade on open-window enthusiasts has become more common. Airlines and travellers say the proliferation of individual devices has led to more pressure to stay dark. More narrow-body planes have joined wide-body jets in offering individual entertainment system screens on the backs of seats. Many daytime flights cruise in cabin darkness to avoid glare and allow sleep. Some travellers say they have switched seating preference from aisle seats to window seats to control the shade—either up or down. On some daylight Boeing 787 trips, passengers report flight attendants routinely darken all windows electronically right after take-off. <br/>