The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
"An Irredeemable Nuisance": Why This Journalist Believes All Airplanes Shouldn't Have Windows
Some believe that cabin windows are an "irredeemable nuisance" that render commercial flying heavier, more expensive, and less efficient. Instead of viewing the traditional oval window as an irreplaceable passenger perk, he posited that cutting roughly 100 holes into a pressurized metal or composite tube is much more of an engineering compromise the airline industry should abandon.
An Irredeemable Nuisance: Why This Journalist Believes All Airplanes Shouldn't Have Windows is presented as a critique of cabin windows in commercial aviation. The piece centers on a journalist who characterizes windows as an “irredeemable nuisance” tied to weight, cost, and inefficiency.
The argument frames traditional oval cabin windows as not essential passenger perks but as an engineering compromise within cabin design. It suggests that removing windows would address several perceived drawbacks inherent to current aircraft construction.
According to the piece, roughly 100 holes are cut into the pressurized fuselage to accommodate windows. The author views this as a flaw in the design that could be eliminated through alternative approaches to cabin architecture.
The article positions its perspective as a critique of contemporary aircraft design choices rather than a plan tied to any specific flight, airline, or operational scenario. It emphasizes theoretical implications for overall efficiency and cost rather than immediate, practical change.