Why do you have to put the window shutters up when taking-off and landing on an airplane?

Question

The captain and airhostes insist on all window shutters to be up.

Answer 1

I like the explanation a SouthWest flight attendant gave us on my last flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, please leave your window shutters up while we land. We certainly want the other airlines to see how full our planes are."

Answer 2

Cut/Pasted from the website (answered by a pilot):

"The reason why windows shutters must be opened before landing is simple. This is mainly for safety reasons. Imagine if there is a crash landing and there is a fire on your right side. You are not going to evacuate to the right side because you can see that there is smoke or fire and will immediately head for the emergency exits on the left. If the window shutters are closed, and if you survive a crash landing, you will have not much time to find out which emergency exit is safe to evacuate.

Similarly, the reason why the cabin lights are dimmed before night take-off or landing is also because of the same explanation. You can see better outside with a dimmed light inside than if it was very brightly lighted"

Answer 3

This is an international safety requirement.

In the event of an accident it allows passengers to see what is happening as the aircraft hits and comes to a stop. This immediately gives them some survival information. i.e. if they are on land, water, bog, mountain runway etc. It will also show if there is fire or other dangers in a particular direction. So there is a lot the passengers in a danger situation can gather through an open window.

Whilst what passengers see may be harrowing it may also in some circumstances have a calming effect. If say the aircraft comes down on water, passengers will panic and want to exit quickly. If they can see that the aircraft is not going down fast it may help them to control their panic and move in a more orderly and safe manner to the exits.

The crash rescue also need the shutters up in order to see into the aircraft. This allows them to see if there is fire and where it is so they can use their fire fighting resources quickly and efficiently. It can also give an indication of the damage to internal structure and how and where people may be trapped. If they cannot gain access through normal doors it will also allow them to see where it would be safest to start cutting an access into the cabin.

Answer 4

For my two cents worth it's to let authorities recognize that the plane is under manage of the crew. There have been instances where the hijackers have made the hostages shut the window blinds in order that any assault drive could no longer get a seem within before launching the assault. If it was for emergency they would make the windows at the exits with none blinds OR the cabin crew would make the passengers scale down simply the exit home windows. And fairly statistically speaking the survival cost for crashes now a days is particularly low. As for adjusting to nearby time i have been on flights within the same time zone where they've long past via and made the passengers scale down the blinds.

Answer 5

Shutters Up

Answer 6

It's stupid, but it's a safety reason, in case an engine ignites or smth else goes wrong (the flight crew can see it better and report to the captain).there's the most stress on the engines when the plane takes off...also, you've probably seen on clips or tv how horribly some planes landed, if you can call it landing:)

Answer 7

They want the window shutters to be up (open) so that they can see outside the aircraft if an evacuation is needed.

Answer 8

I always have heard it is so the stewards can see if the wings are ok. Or some other crud like that:)

I like the answer at the bottom....
So all the other flights can see how full the plane is :)

Answer 9

ive allways had the shutters open .....dont care wot they say ,i want to see where im landing

Answer 10

To see which way your up