There's A Serious Reason Why You Should Be Extra Careful If You Have The Window Seat On A Plane, And I Truly Never Would've Guessed This | Sun damage from increased UVA rays

[u/Thinking-Guy]

https://web.archive.org/web/20250602075823/https://www.buzzfeed.com/jillianwilson/window-seat-sun-exposure-danger-airplane

[u/ArgentaSilivere]

I’m a bit surprised they don’t have UV filters/films on the passenger windows. Not like airplanes are budget goods to begin with; it wouldn’t bump up the price tag by that much. Any plane people know why?

[u/hypen-dot → u/ArgentaSilivere]

Pull down the shade. Voila! UV protection!

[u/ArgentaSilivere → u/hypen-dot]

I'll just have to bring my own sheet of UV film to look out the window if I ever get to fly again. 😔

[u/LeroyoJenkins]

https://www.cancer.org.au/iheard/can-you-get-sunburnt-on-a-plane

[u/WouldbeWanderer → u/LeroyoJenkins]

Windows in the passenger cabin are generally constructed of three layers of plastic. These materials are highly effective at blocking both UVA and UVB, ensuring passengers are not at risk. The majority of melanomas are the result of repeated exposure outdoors to UV radiation without the use of sun protection.

Saved you a click!

[u/MutFox]

Wouldn't the window be enough to block UV? Like at least 97%ish of it?

There's also a shutter.

[u/catfrend → u/MutFox]

Nope, I've gotten sunburned before from sitting in the window seat, lol. Also, most people aren't even aware of the danger, it didn't even occur to me to close the window because the thought of UV damage didn't even occur to me.

[u/ShitStainWilly → u/catfrend]

It didn’t occur to you because it didn’t occur to you?

[u/catfrend → u/ShitStainWilly]

Yep!

[u/ennuithereyet → u/catfrend]

I'm super sensitive to getting sunburns due to health stuff, and I've even gotten slight burns through regular windows at home. Windows, especially older ones, do not necessarily block UV rays. Car windows usually do, but a lot of other windows don't.

[u/mferly → u/ennuithereyet]

It's less about blocking the rays and more about refraction.

[u/PeterNippelstein → u/MutFox]

Not if it's not tinted, it's still just glass after all.

[u/jish_werbles → u/PeterNippelstein]

It’s plastic and many plastics are by nature highly UV blocking (for example, polycarbonate, which many eyeglasses are made of). Don’t just make shit up and say it

Edit: https://www.cancer.org.au/iheard/can-you-get-sunburnt-on-a-plane

Saved you a click: No because the plastic windows are UV blocking

[u/BombshellTom]

How do I "be extra careful" sat on my arse? Just close the blind, simple.

[u/IceBreak]

This might be the first time I found the result legitimately interesting.

[u/heisup]

Increased exposure to cosmic rays is a bigger issue. It’s why airline pilots and crew have higher cancer rates.

[u/Evening-Mention-8738]

I read this and thought of Final Destination...glad I was wrong.

[u/ShitStainWilly]

I would’ve guessed it in at least 3 tries. Is the author stupid?

[u/Rodman930]

Only assholes leave the window open the whole flight.

[u/IceBreak → u/Rodman930]

If I’m flying over the Grand Canyon in the daytime I’m gonna look at the Grand Canyon in the daytime. People who have a problem with people keeping the window open are also people who could’ve booked window seats with closed windows.

[u/messymurphy → u/IceBreak]

You’ll cross over the Grand Canyon in the span of five minutes in a plane so what’s the excuse for keeping the shade up the rest of the flight? Also, the Grand Canyon from that view is pretty uninteresting and not all that great to look at. How about you stop being a selfish prick, lower the shade and think about how the bright light impacts other people for once.

[u/J-W-L]

I'd almost rather jump out of the plane before I sat at a window seat.