“All of the required items are part of the pre-flight briefing, such as pointing out exits, floor lighting, oxygen masks and seat belts. Pretty much everything else is left to airline policy,” the spokesperson continued.
Captain John Cox, a retired airline pilot and safety expert and CEO of Safety Operating Systems, has an explanation of the difference between a federal regulation, an airline’s rule or policy, and an on-board safety instruction. “The FAA sets the minimum standard. Anything that an operator chooses to go above and beyond that, it is not only fine, it's encouraged,” he says. For example, “the FAA requirements for minimum fuel may be significantly lower than an airline is comfortable operating at, so the airline can and frequently does have a minimum-fuel requirement that is more restrictive than the FAA. The FAA is fine with that.”
When reached for comment, United confirmed that their window shade update is not a new rule, requirement, or mandate, but simply an addition to on-board announcements.
Airlines are constantly reassessing their safety rules, as technology and culture are changing all the time. Even a few years ago, you might not have immediately reached for a plane’s USB port to plug in your smartphone, for example, or required every extra minute of taxiing time to email your boss. And there are so many ways airlines discuss these changes, including safety conferences.
“In these conferences, the subject of why we just changed policy on window shades or why we just changed policy on lithium batteries or why we just changed policy on service animals—all of those sorts of things will be brought up and discussed,” Cox says. Then they’re “taken back to the operator and evaluated to see if they want to incorporate that within their own operation.”
There are even ways for normal passengers to weigh in. “[Airlines] put out a NPRM—Notice of Proposed Rulemaking—and people comment on it,” says Mike Boyd, an aviation analyst. “In the case of, say, making window shades down or up during takeoff, they'd probably put out an NPRM on that… Normally it's just airlines, but private citizens can weigh in. It's out to the public.” (The FAA’s current list of NPRMs, with the ability to comment, can be found here.)
Since safety is an airline’s top priority, though, why edit down the list of safety precautions at all? Why not share every possible best practice with passengers? Well, says, Boyd, they’re trying to share the most crucial information in the 30 seconds of attention you’ll give the safety demonstration.
“Nobody pays any attention to it,” he adds. “And that's where airlines are trying humor—humor is a big thing to try to get people to recognize and pay attention to these things.” Window shades get knocked down in priority because, he says, “there haven't been any, I think, accidents that've been made worse because window shades were down.”
So if you really want to be a good, conscientious, knowledgeable passenger, just watch the safety briefing video or demonstration, and listen to every announcement. Yes, even if you’ve flown a zillion times. Some new rule may be just taking off.
