TCAS alert ... traffic at 300 metres, your 3 o'clock. :p

Dont forget the 787 doesn't have the 'blinds' - the windows are electronically dimmed so you can still see through it but not let as much light in.

about the policy of having blinds down - it's not only Qantas that does it - I've flown on Cathay and they asked if i could have blinds down around 30 minutes after takeoff from SYD to HKG. I then slid the blind 3/4 of the way down.
As mentioned before it is for better viewing of the IFE and for the sake of other passengers who may be sleeping. And also for those in the front of the cabin with mood lighting I think letting a lot of light in will spoil that.

In fact all airlines should request you to have blinds up during landing for safety reasons. Because you need to know what's happening outside - e.g. if there's some sort of emergency situation having blinds up means the pax are fully aware of what's happening outside.

Does anyone know why airlines insist on the blinds being up/open for take off and landing?

It's for safety reasons - so that you are aware of what's going on outside the aircraft. IMO people who want the blinds down should be seat at a aisle seat not next to a window.

Slightly OT, but on a recent Virgin Blue Sydney to Albury and Albury to Sydney flight, an announcement was made to put down all arm rests for landing. I can't think of a safety reason for the armrests being down... nor is it to help the crew turn the plane around faster because when you board the plane, the armrests are actually all up.

So what's the reason for wanting all the armrests down?

perhaps to avoid them slamming down and hurting u in a crash? Help u to get up easier?

spculation...

Speculation correct Rhys!

Same goes for seat backs upright.... if they are back, then it may impede the exit for the passenger seated directly behind, in an emergency.

As for all items requiring stowage for landing, I'm fairly sure that the airlines and manufacturers wouldn't just say it because it sounded good. There'd be a valid safety reason!

As for the window blind down after takeoff... Bahh!!! get a centre seat allocation, sit down and shut up while you watch your IFE. The rest of us want a window so we can still marvel at the amazing science that is FLIGHT!

David.M.

Carry-on luggage being stowed well underneath the seat in front of you is not only so that it is secure for the takeoff or landing but also so that the legroom for that row of seats is not impeded should pax need to get out quickly in an evacuation. That's why the crew will insist on the bags being pushed right under that seat in front and out of the way.

As already stated by a few here, the window shades being completely raised for takeoff and landing is primarily for the cabin crew to be able to assess external conditions and identify any hazards outside the aircraft and communicate that immediately to the flight deck during an alert phase, which happens once the aircraft has come to complete stop during an emergency landing, and precedes the evacuation command or a precautionary disembarkation. Yes it is great if the pax can view what's going on outside in an emergency, but it is primarily for the crew to be able to look out and spot any fires or obstructions so that the appropriate exits can be blocked, rather than having pax evacuate into a raging fire.

As for the armrests; I think different airline have different policies in regards to the armrests. At Jetstar/Qantas all armrests must be down during takeoff and landing, and we ensure they are down prior to pax boarding. I'm not 100% on this one but I'm pretty sure it is just something for pax to grab a hold of if it gets turbulent. Of course if it's an emergency landing the brace position would be adopted and therefore I don't know what use the armrests would be. I think it just creates extra work if the armrests are all up prior to boarding and then a PA has to be made for pax to put them down for takeoff (ie. that Virgin Blue flight you mentioned Daniel).

Out of these 3 takeoff/landing safety requirements, the window shades one certainly takes the cake for the amount of passengers I have asking me "WHY?". Guaranteed I get at least one or more passengers per flight asking me why they need to be up. :p

Haha, and 2nd most popular question behind that would be "what's that barking noise?" I normally joke at first and say it's just the dogs barking down in the cargo compartment, and then tell them that it's really the hydraulics starting up, completely normal, nothing to worry about. Anyone who's flown the A320 and been seated around the overwing area would know what sound I'm talking about.

So thats what that was....kinda freaked me out a little:p

Ah yes the good old A320 whine from the dogs down below :D