The line about controlling the shade made me laugh. I recently flew 15.5 and 14 hours on Asiana, NY to Seoul, then to London. Beyond the first hour and the final descent, despite almost exclusively flying thru daylight, flight attendants demanded all the shades be drawn. As in, I opened the little shade at the exit door and was scolded to immediately shut it.
This happens all the time on lengthy flights. Morning at departure, daytime at landing and yet the shades are drawn. It makes zero sense. I don’t care if passengers are trying to watch their screens. I’m trying to enjoy the view, of course, but also stay awake and minimize my Jet lag. Flying in complete darkness makes it difficult.
I’ve come to dread the inevitable butting of heads with flight attendants.
Why is it so many people prefer the window seat so that they can control the shade. As far as I have observed in biz and FC on intercontintal flights, the FA controls it either electronically or the old fashioned way by pulling it down, always accompanied by saying people are trying to sleep.
Another aisle negative is that the ventailation system tends to blow down on the aisle passenger. So if have aisle I always wear a light jacket.
Team window. I don’t have to use the restroom a lot and usually if the aisle seat person gets up I will too, once. My last flight was London to Boston and I was on the aisle. Seatmate was nice, …I don’t usually chat, but in this case we did and the flight went very quickly!
I thought 1900 would have an opinion, or 2, on this hot topic.
Window seat in economy day time no problem. Whenever either seatmate in the middle or aisle seat go to the lavatory I’ll piggyback and get up as well. Congregate near the galley or near the seat stretching until the seatmate returns that way the remaining passenger still only needs to get up once for both of us.
I run a tight ship with the window shades. Up for takeoff taxiing and landing. More specific once above 7,000 ft for takeoff and when the landing gear goes down for landing.
Just wait until you start humming "When I'm 64" and realize that was awhile ago. You might change your mind.
Just the thought of being trapped in a window seat gives me extreme anxiety.
Emotionally I prefer window seat. Like Ben, I never tire at watching the miracle of flight. And earth is beautiful.
I am respectful, to a degree, with the shades. If it's direct sun or certain overseas routes I will close but not the entirety of the flight. Those coffin queens who keep them closed from pushback to gate arrival are weird... there, I said it! Ha ha. And my first order of business upon boarding is to open the shades even if I am sitting in aisle and I am first to board in my row. I observe that most people are unaware of there surroundings and will just accept whatever is put in front of them.
Practically, I choose aisle often these days. With age, the lav issue is real. Even a 3 hour flight and I am up once an hour at minimum. So if not in premium or J I will choose aisle or exit row, preferably 11F on an A321 since no seat in front of you... you can easily avoid the crawling over.
Agree with the respect comment. Being blinded by the sun is not the perogotive of the person "in control" of the window shade.
In economy, I hate aisle seats. Too many experiences where I've been dozing off, only to be woken by someone walking down the aisle. Sometimes, I've even felt the seat bouncing when someone walks nearby, although I think that may just be an ULCC thing.
Of the other two, I don't mind middle seats - being closer to the aisle has some appeal.
I also prefer window seats. The views never get old. It is also a reason I avoid the 787 whenever possible as flight attendants often dim the windows on the 787 for most of the flight these days it seams.