View of planes through an open airplane window. There are two reasons I like to pull my shade down as soon as I settle into my window seat after boarding a plane. For starters, the cabin is usually ...

Those orders from flight attendants to open the window shades aren't about getting the mood lighting just right—they actually serve an important purpose Raise them, lower them, raise ’em again. A ...

We asked aviation experts—here’s what they said. Flight attendants may require window shades to be up during takeoff and landing for passenger safety. Open windows let passengers and crew quickly see ...