Why are window shades upside down in the exit row?
October 26, 2025
If you’ve ever sat in the exit row on a flight, you might have noticed something odd: the window shade doesn’t open and close like the others. Instead of pulling it down to close it, you pull it up.
It’s a seemingly minor detail, but it can be a little confusing. However, it’s not a mistake or a manufacturing quirk – there’s a specific and practical reason why exit row window shades are “upside down.”
Safety in design
The primary purpose of aircraft design is safety, and every detail inside a plane is carefully engineered to meet that goal. How the window shades are set up is no exception.
Cabin crew will usually ask passengers to fully open their window shades during takeoff and landing. It’s not something that’s written into aviation regulations, but there are good reasons for it. Having the windows open helps your eyes adjust to the light – or darkness – outside. It also gives rescue teams a clear view inside if anything goes wrong.
In the event of an emergency evacuation, cabin crew and passengers in the exit row must quickly assess the situation outside the aircraft before opening the emergency exit. If there’s fire, debris or other hazards outside, it’s essential to know before deploying the slide or opening the door.
By having the window shade open at the top rather than the bottom, cabin crew can check what’s going on outside without fully lowering the shade. Even if the lower half is closed – perhaps to block sunlight during flight – the upper part remains open and visible. This means that, during takeoff and landing (or other phases of flight when shades must be open), crew members can easily confirm the exit area is clear.
“Upside down” window shades avoid exit row equipment
There’s also a practical ergonomics aspect to this.
A common feature on modern over-wing emergency exits is a handle positioned at the top of the panel. Pulling this handle detaches the exit from the fuselage so it can be swung open. There’s also a matching handle on the exterior of the aircraft, which enables rescue teams to operate the door from the outside if needed. The “upside down” window shade is therefore out of the way of the emergency door mechanism.
Additionally, when seated passengers or crew need to look at outside conditions, having the shade slide upward keeps it from interfering with things like placards that explain how to operate the exit.
Pulling the shade down would therefore be an unnecessary risk when seconds matter.
Better visibility
From a design standpoint, the reversed shade design also helps maintain consistency in what cabin crew can see from the aisle. Because window shades must be open during critical phases of flight, having the top section of the exit row window always visible gives the crew a quick visual confirmation that visibility to the outside is maintained.
The fact is, while it may seem like a small or even slightly strange detail, the upside down window shade in the exit row is a deliberate safety feature. It allows for faster situational awareness, prevents interference with exit mechanisms and ensures visibility for the crew during crucial moments.
So next time you’re seated in the exit row, look closer at that reversed window shade – it’s a small detail with a big role in ensuring accessibility, visibility and safety when it really matters.
Featured image: Adobe Stock
