If you've flown on a plane, you may have been reminded to open the window shades during takeoff or landing. This seemingly unimportant routine plays a part in ensuring your safety during an emergency.

While it might seem like an annoying ask, keeping the window shades open can actually be a helpful tool in dangerous situations Getty Leaving the window shade open on a plane as a passenger during ...

Having a window seat means you can decide if you want to keep the shade open for the amazing views, or closed for a nap. However, when the plane is taking off or landing, you have to keep the window ...

The person closest to the window in every row gets to control the shade. On overnight flights, or very early morning ones, it’s just the right thing to do to keep your window shade closed so everyone ...

Love bagging the window seat on planes? It's exciting to watch the world below fade away as the aircraft takes off with the window blinds open. However, those blinds, or shades, do more than allow you ...

Maybe you know the answer to this one; nobody else seems to. As my flight into Portland was coming in for a landing, a recording told passengers to return tray tables to the upright position and open ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Open windows let passengers and crew quickly see hazards outside and help first responders assess conditions. Bright light also ...

It’s an airplane command that feels slightly mysterious: keep window shades up during takeoff and landing. While it might seem like an annoying chore for travelers trying to get some rest on an ...