For those of us that have flown at night, we know that the dimming of cabin lights during taxi signifies that our departure is imminent. The process is repeated at the flight’s conclusion, with the second dimming of cabin lights indicating that touchdown is not far away. But what are the reasons for dimming the cabin lights during takeoff and landing procedures?
Safety reasons
In all aspects of commercial aviation, the safety of passengers and staff is paramount. As such, it is perhaps not surprising that safety is the primary reason that cabin lights are dimmed shortly before takeoff and landing procedures.
The lighting is dimmed for the same reason that crew members ask passengers to raise their window shades – safety in case of an emergency. In the event of an emergency, good visibility can make a crucial difference to one’s safety. Keeping window shades open can also help keep passengers orientated in critical situations as it allows them to be more aware of their surroundings.
It can take the human eye between 10 and 30 minutes to fully adjust to a newly-dark setting. However, by dimming cabin lights, passengers and crew are given crucial extra time to adjust to the lower-light conditions. This can be a critical aspect if an aircraft must be evacuated at night. Indeed, the period of time that it can take human eyes to calibrate to low-light conditions could theoretically make a crucial difference to one’s chances in an emergency.
Stay informed: Sign up for our daily aviation news digest.
Extra preparation
Another reason for dimming cabin lights is that the darker the cabin is, the more visible the emergency lighting and illuminated pathways will become. As such, everyone onboard the aircraft will be better equipped to promptly and safely evacuate the aircraft in the event of an emergency.
Lifting the window shades are also raises passengers’ awareness of their surroundings. Meanwhile, flight attendants also benefit from a view outside of the aircraft, as this enables them to detect any equipment abnormalities or hazards in the aircraft’s vicinity.
A view out of the window can also be beneficial for more nervous passengers that are uncertain about the process of flying. Indeed, they may feel reassured by seeing outside of the aircraft and gaining an impression of their orientation to the ground.
Window shades
Dimming the lights is also allied with raising the window shades on an aircraft. In the day, the latter measure ensures that the interior is flooded with natural light. Subsequently, passengers and crew have increased visibility in the cabin. This gives everyone onboard better chances of a prompt and safe evacuation should an emergency arise.
Of course, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the situations for which these precautions are designed do not arise. However, as with most processes that occur on airliners, there is a rational reason for taking them anyhow. At the end of the day, passenger and crew safety always has to come first.
Do you prefer to fly in the day or at night? How do you find the process of dimming cabin lights before takeoff and landing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
