Some airlines have their flight attendants ask you and your fellow passengers to

raise your window shades during take-off and landing. This isn t about waking pas
sengers up at the end of a red-eye or having all the shades up or down for the n
ext flight, it s about safety.
The crew asks you to open your window shade because it helps them see outside be
tter if they have to evacuate the airplane, and since most accidents happen duri
ng take-off and landing, that s the time it makes the most sense to have the shade
s up. Besides giving flight attendants visibility into conditions outside so the
y can guide passengers to safety, having the shades up when it s bright out also m
akes sure passengers eyes are adjusted to daylight if they do need to get off the
aircraft quickly. Raising window shades during take-off and landing isn t the pol
icy on every airline, but if you re asked to do so, you know it s for a good reason.