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.

attendants to open the airplane window shades before takeoff and landing, and while this might seem like a simple or even trivial request, it actually serves several important safety and operational ...

You might find keeping the window shades up inconvenient, but it is actually a vital safety measure for air passengers.

Like so many other airplane procedures, dimming the cabin lights during takeoff and landing is primarily done for safety reasons, which a pilot and a flight attendant outline below. If you think you ...