Hello travelers! I just got back from a 5-hour plane trip, and while I was in the air, a question popped into my head, one that I’m sure many people have wondered about.
How come, if the flight is overnight, the cabin lights are turned off during takeoff and landing?
It’s actually a very interesting thing to explain and learn. A friend of mine joked one day saying, “they do it to create a bit of atmosphere.” Well it’s not really like that, there is a very specific reason that is much more serious.
The Real Reason
Maybe some of you have already guessed this. It’s, in fact, a security measure that could potentially save many lives in case of an emergency.
To make it very simple, there are two critical phases of any flight where the risk of an emergency is much higher: take off and landing.
If something goes wrong during these phases and passengers need to evacuate, their eyes need to be already adjusted to the dark.
Imagine the cabin is brightly lit, and suddenly, you have to exit into a dark or smoke-filled environment. Your eyes would take precious seconds to adjust, a delay you can’t afford in a serious emergency.
By dimming the lights, airlines help passengers’ eyes get used to lower light levels, so in case of an evacuation, everyone can react quickly without being temporarily blinded.
If Dim Lights Are Safer Why Do They Turn Back On?
Well, once the plane reaches cruising altitude, the risks are significantly lower.
That’s when the cabin lights come back on, and the mood shifts from “stay alert” to “sit back and enjoy the ride.” At that point, the seat belt sign also goes off, and passengers can get out of their seats (if they want to).
Airlines want passengers to feel comfortable and relaxed during the flight, and serving food, snacks, and drinks is exactly part of the comfort of travel that they don’t want to give up (especially if they also make money from sales).
Also, consider that the biggest and most frequent risk at cruising altitude is turbulence, but thanks to modern systems, it’s almost always possible to predict it far enough in advance.
Although turbulence is generally not dangerous, some passengers may panic. If you want to avoid it, you can consult the list of routes with the most turbulence in the U.S.
Other Important Safety Measures
Talking about safety measures, surely you have noticed other things on the plane that you might have considered strange.
For example, a few months ago, I told you about the rule of window shades.
Window shades should be up during takeoff and landing to allow passengers to view the outside.
What should I look at? I’m not the one flying the plane, someone might say.
Well, in the event of an engine failure or a bird strike, a passenger with a clear side view could actually be the first to notice and alert the flight attendants.
Other Things to Know
I hope this article has answered your questions and maybe even helped you feel more at ease when flying.
Once again, remember that everything that happens on a plane is carefully monitored and always done with passenger safety as the top priority.
If you’re interested in this topic, be sure to check out these articles as well:
