ELI5:Why do airline passengers have to put their seats into a full upright position for takeoff? Why does it matter?

You’re most likely to have some sort of accident during takeoff and landing. This is also why your tray tables have to be up and you can’t have laptops during these times: ease of evacuation. If your seat is back, and something happens and the plane needs to be evacuated quickly, you just made it harder for the person behind you to get out.

Extra: I’ve gotten this message lots of times, and as has been beautifully explained, your window thing has to be up so, in the event of an emergency, emergency personnel can see into the plane/you can see a fire, should there be one.

Explain Like I`m Five: good questions, best answers.