Airplane etiquette: Who has ownership of the window shade?

One passenger attempts to throw shade onto another.
One passenger attempts to throw shade onto another. Photo credit: Instagram.com/PassengerShaming

In an ideal world, every seat on an aircraft would have a window that is exactly where it should be. Right next to you, with no need to reach forwards or backwards.

But as airlines look to fit more and more people onto aircraft, the 1:1 seat to window ratio, well, it goes out the window.

A video posted on the Instagram account Passengershaming shows an ongoing battle between two passengers, each vying for the ownership of a window that's in between them.

One passenger wants the window shade closed, the other wants it open.

World champion surfer, Kelly Slater weighed into the debate, saying the window belongs to the person in the back seat.

"I'd wrist lock him next time he did that," he posted in a comment.

Another Instagram user named FlightAttendantBarbie says the behaviour is typical of privileged male travellers.

"Grown men are the worst travellers. Don't let them have "airline status", they're even worse then!!!"

Poll: Who do you think has the rights to open or close this window shade?

The person in the rear seat with the window in front of them, or the person in the front seat with the window slightly behind them.