LONDON- Passengers aboard a British Airways (BA) Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner endured 14 hours of relentless sunshine during their journey from Tokyo (HND) to London (LHR) after the aircraft’s electronic window dimming system failed along one side of the cabin.
The malfunction, which affected British Airways (BA) flight BA6, left travellers on the affected side of the aircraft struggling with bright daylight throughout most of the ultra-long-haul journey.
Boeing 787 Window Dimming Failure
The flight crew was aware of the issue before takeoff from Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND). Engineers were called to examine the problem, but despite their efforts, they couldn’t restore functionality to the dimming system.
Faced with the prospect of operating a lengthy flight with malfunctioning window controls, the maintenance team improvised a solution.
They repurposed paper tray liners as makeshift window shades, attaching them to the windows with adhesive tape.
The passenger reported that these improvised covers proved insufficient, forcing her to supplement the covering with her safety information card in a desperate attempt to block more light and get some rest during the journey.
“The automatic window dimmers on our side of the cabin were not functioning correctly, leaving us exposed to bright daylight for much of the flight.”
Passenger in a Facebook post on a page dedicated to British Airways (BA) complaints
Daylight Exposure
British Airways (BA) flight BA6 typically departs Tokyo (HND) at approximately 1 PM daily. The eastbound route takes the aircraft across the Pacific Ocean, over Canada, and across the Atlantic before reaching London (LHR).
This routing means the aircraft flies predominantly in daylight conditions throughout the 14-hour journey, with darkness never fully setting in outside the plane, making functional window dimmers particularly important for passenger comfort.
Passenger Disappointment
Summing up the experience succinctly in their social media post, the affected passenger wrote: “Just didn’t feel very premium at all,” before inquiring about potential compensation for the inconvenience.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of modern aircraft systems and the impact technical failures can have on passenger comfort during long-haul journeys, particularly when alternative solutions cannot fully replicate the functionality of sophisticated onboard technology.
Dreamliner Window Technology
Boeing 787 Dreamliners feature an innovative window design that replaces traditional manual window shades with an electronic dimming system. Developed by Gentex, this technology has received mixed reactions from airline passengers since its introduction.
The system employs electrochromic technology that passes an electric current through a specialised transparent gel sandwiched between two window panels. By adjusting the voltage running through this gel, the windows can transition from completely clear to significantly darkened.
Passengers can select from 5 darkness settings, ranging from level 1 (fully transparent) to level 5 (maximum dimming). However, even when functioning correctly, a common complaint is that the darkest setting still permits some light penetration during bright daylight conditions.
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