This Is the Important Reason Why Planes Dim the Cabin Lights During Takeoff and Landing

"According to Agnes Chantre, chief pilot at Air Tahiti Nui, dimming the cabin lights is important because it allows passengers' eyes to adapt to darkness. "When you want to see the stars at night, your eyes need time to adapt after being inside with a bright, clear light," Chantre explains to Travel + Leisure. "This procedure is to reduce the time.""

"Paula S. Adams, a flight attendant who used to work for Etihad Airways before going private, tells T+L that dimming the cabin lights is done first and foremost for passenger safety, not passenger comfort. "Takeoff and landing are the most critical phases of flight where the majority of incidents occur," says Adams. "If an emergency (crash, aborted takeoff, evacuation) happens, passengers and crew need to be able to see outside and adjust quickly.""

Dimming cabin lights during takeoff and landing allows passengers' eyes to adapt to darkness more quickly. Faster eye adaptation helps passengers and crew see outside immediately in the event of power loss or an emergency, improving evacuation readiness. The procedure prioritizes passenger safety over comfort and reduces the time needed for vision adjustment. Statistical aviation data show that more than half of airplane accidents occur during landing, with takeoff, approach, and initial climb also posing elevated risk; cruising accounts for only 4.6 percent of accidents. Dimming supports rapid situational awareness during the most critical flight phases.

Read at Travel + Leisure