Window Covering

why must the cabin lights be off and the window shutters open when a plane lands at night?

Public Comments

1. the cabin lights should be off so the light wouldn't reflect inside the cabin in order to create the best visibility.The shutter should stay up,so the plane will be better seen from the distance.The more noticable it is the better chances are fot it not to hit anything or get hit by something
2. This is because the human eye takes several seconds to adjust from bright light to dark conditions to give any sort of night vision. In the event of an accident at night the cabin would be plunged into immediate darkness, already having the lights dim means peoples eyes will adjust to the dark conditions much more quickly - enabling them to make a more rapid escape from the aircraft, rather than having to wait valuable seconds until their eyes adjust. The main reason for take off / landing and the increase of risk is cross winds. Planes have the equivalent of "head-lights" so visibility from something else should not really be a problem.
3. In case of accident, you need to be able to see outside so you can find a safe exit. If there is a fire you wouldn't want to open a door on that side of the plane.
4. Two and three are your correct answers, the most correct being two.
5. Why must half the people in the world ask this question every day?