Why Planes Turn Lights Off For Takeoff And Landing

In the 1920s, the pre-flight routines we now know by heart were practically non-existent. Airline passengers today, however, are subject to a number of rules. While many of them - like wearing seat belts, for example - make a lot of sense, others can seem rather unnecessary until you find out the reasoning behind them. One such rule is the dimming of cabin lights during takeoff and landing. A video by Cheddar explains how this rule came about and why it is important.

Airlines are today required to turn off plane lights during takeoff and landing. The reason this is done is because of the time it takes for our eyes to adjust to the dark.

It can take our eyes between 10 to 30 minutes to adjust to darkness. These few minutes can make all the difference when it comes to safely evacuating an airplane during an emergency.

"Dimming the lights allows your eyes to pre-adjust to darkness, so that you're not suddenly blinded if something happens and the power goes out, and you're dashing for the doors in darkness or smoke," explains Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential, to The Telegraph.

He adds that the emergency path-lighting and signs are also more clearly visible when airplane lights are dimmed or turned off.

There's another reason why lights are turned off specifically at takeoff and landing - that is when most plane accidents occur. Therefore, airlines today turn off lights during takeoff and landing.