Dimming QF11 Boeing 787 electronic window shades

16 replies

VNAV

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 07 Feb 2016

Total posts 13

Do the cabin crew on QF11 the daylight flight from LAX to JFK set the electronic window shades to full black out mode for the cruise portion of the flight

Stephen D

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 12 Nov 2017

Total posts 42

They can all be set remotely by cabin crew, thus turned on upon take off and landing, and turned off at night. I have only flown during the day in SQ and they did not adjust them during the flight, however I would expect that they would darken them at night.

StuParr

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 01 Mar 2012

Total posts 204

The crew will tend to darken them for night time flights. Staff do that on flights where they are flying during the day however for the aircraft it is night time. They lock them until a certain time when the passengers can again adjust the window shading.

Last editedby StuParr at May 03, 2019, 08:36 AM.

Ryan K

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 30 May 2013

Total posts 161

Whilst not related to this particular QF flight in question, I recently flew Thai Airways in their 787 from Bangkok to Taipei. The flight was a daytime flight - 8:30am - 2pm and the crew darkened the windows for about 90% of the flight. I found it really annoying. Give me the A350 any day.

aggie57

QF

Member since 04 Apr 2014

Total posts 136

Whilst not related to this particular QF flight in question, I recently flew Thai Airways in their 787 from Bangkok to Taipei. The flight was a daytime flight - 8:30am - 2pm and the crew darkened the windows for about 90% of the flight. I found it really annoying. Give me the A350 any day.

Agreed! These fancy windows on 787’s are overkill and tech for tech sake. They don’t fully black out, even the latest ones, and they reflect. If it’s dark inside but someone has a light on you can see the reflection on your window even if you’re on the other side of the cabin.

AJW

Member since 16 Nov 2011

Total posts 55

Whilst not related to this particular QF flight in question, I recently flew Thai Airways in their 787 from Bangkok to Taipei. The flight was a daytime flight - 8:30am - 2pm and the crew darkened the windows for about 90% of the flight. I found it really annoying. Give me the A350 any day.

Vietnam airlines did that on the SGN-HAN flight I took with them. However they weren’t locked so could be “opened”


That said if you are in the window seat with them dimmed you can still see out fairly reasonably.

anonymous

Member since 24 Dec 2013

Total posts 159

I thought that they dimmed the windows on all long haul flights regardless of whether the sun is out to encourage people to sleep and thus require less service from the cabin crew.

PCHammond

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 24 Aug 2017

Total posts 22

I just got off QF11 from LAX to JFK


The crew initially set it to the 50% setting then soon after to full darkness. Not sure if it was locked because I slept most of the flight.

VNAV

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 07 Feb 2016

Total posts 13

I just got off QF11 from LAX to JFK

The crew initially set it to the 50% setting then soon after to full darkness. Not sure if it was locked because I slept most of the flight.

In good weather it is a very interesting trip flying over Las Vegas, Salt Lake City Utah then across Colorado Nebraska and Iowa to Chicago and Detroit on the Great Lakes before descending into JFK. A most memorable flight enjoyed from the upper deck seat 15A on a 747

patrickk

Qantas

Member since 19 Apr 2012

Total posts 737

The other great flight for views is Tokyo to London across Siberia I hope JAL don’t dim them on that one.

aussiflyer

Member since 27 Jan 2016

Total posts 41

The other great flight for views is Tokyo to London across Siberia I hope JAL don’t dim them on that one.

I did Tokyo to helsinki on JAL and they did. All day flight and they were controlled by the crew from about 90 minutes after departure. Very annoying

Red Cee

Member since 15 Feb 2018

Total posts 151

I elieve they do dim them, and for this reason I won’t fly the 787. From all accounts, a good plane, however, I believe this is wrong, as people like to look out the window.

elchriss0

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 13 Jan 2015

Total posts 80

The other great flight for views is Tokyo to London across Siberia I hope JAL don’t dim them on that one.

Luckily JAL also offer a 77W on the LHR route to avoid the issue

Flyman

QFP

Member since 22 Jan 2013

Total posts 93

On the 787 the crew can set intervidual windows to any setting. So if they “close” all the windows, a quick push of the call button and a friendly request should give you control of your window again. I agree will comments here that the standard closing of windows on day flights is wrong and makes jet lag worst.

charlie18

Member since 01 Aug 2018

Total posts 4

Sorry for the long post (not quite off topic, as the same applies on older aircraft with manual shades), but...

This can be a bit of a contentious issue - and I expect several will have a whinge about what im about to say...

I can see this from both the perspective of crew and passenger, as well as from the POV as a bit of an avgeek - (given that at times, ive been all three!).

As a passenger, I prefer a darker cabin, although during a day-time flight (say AU-Asia)
, I'm usually happy enough if its just the cabin lights off on a North-South flight - you can dim your own shade, and others can enjoy the view. On anything East-West - make it as dark as possible, even if daytime - It is far more easy to stay awake in a dark cabin, than it is to sleep in a bright cabin (watch a movie/work on your laptop - maybe even have a short kip too, so you arrive refreshed). That said, if 80%-90% of pax close their shades on a north south daytime flight like this, its only polite to do the same. No one (crew or pax) likes those one or two hold outs who brighten the cabin because they're too stubborn to be polite. (Worse is the one who closes the shade, then opens it randomly in a dark cabin).


From a crew perspective, the same holds true too, but I would unapologetically try my hardest to get everyone to lower their shades on an overnight flight. I would even go down the aisle and carefully lean over to lower any open shades, and also switch off glaring IFE screen (only when pax in those seats were sleeping). This not only meant those passengers could get a good rest, but also ensured our crew got a proper break (on what is a long day at work!).

Most long haul flights, the cabin crew are divided in half after the first service, and using the time remaining until 2-3 hours prior to landing, half would rest while the others worked. This is to ensure the final meal service is completed with all crew on deck, but so that all crew also get a rest (so that they are alert should they have to get you out of a burning wreck at the other end - which is important). Back on the QF 767 to HKG, this would mean only 2 crew on duty in economy, and only 1 or 2 up in Business.
At altitude, the sun seems to rise a lot earlier - so 220 passengers waking to an unnatural sunrise, could render those few crew on duty running off their feet, and not delivering the service expected.

From an av-geek perspective - the windows in the aircraft doors (the doors in a galley area, and not like doors 3 on an A330 which for the most part are in the cabin), the shutters remain open - so always a good chance to go have a look outside and stretch your legs.

The counter argument often seems to be "I paid for my seat, I can do what I like". It's not about depriving you of your liberty - its about trying to manage a cabin to keep the majority comfortable and happy.

Last editedby charlie18 at May 14, 2019, 02:50 PM.

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