They used to ask you to open the window shades for takeoff and landing, idea was to actually be aware of what is going on outside incase an evac is necessary.

Now they ask everyone only to close the window shades after landing to better control the temp, the APU a/c is often no match for direct sunlight. Then most people just leave them closed.

At least in Europe having the blinds open (and the lights dimmed at night) is an airline requirement.

https://news.schiphol.com/why-do-the-window-blinds-have-to-b...

They didn't have the magical rectangle when you were a kid. Might miss some celebrity vacation pics if you take your eyes off it.

And once upon a now long time ago, when I was a boy, the food was actually hot, quite tasty, prepared by actual chefs, and served on real china dishes with metal silverware. (Even in Coach - it was many years before I travelled enough to get a few upgrades to First Class!)

Modernity and MBAs have stolen the elegance and service that flying (or the train, to an earlier generation) used to have when America was great. I remember marveling that as expensive as such flying was, it was really not a bad deal to get a great meal served by pretty young women looking over such amazing vistas, with fast, smooth transportation thrown into the bargain!

I thought I was the only one who experienced this.

I race cars as a hobby but I suffer from motion sickness whenever I’m not driving or whenever I can’t see out. People will choose the window seat and keep it closed the whole time. WHY?! At least open it when we’re on the ground being shaken back and forth while backing out and taxiing so my mind doesn’t lose point of reference.