Originally Posted by FlyingKat

The prohibition against heavier objects in the seat pocket during takeoff and landing that could cause a problem during an evacuation such as water bottles, laptops, and large books has always been there although enforcement is spotty. Some FAA Cabin Safety Inspectors will bust FAs on this for large objects and some won't. Some even go so far as to say the only thing allowed in the seat back pocket are the items the company places there (i.e. Magazines, Briefing Card, Sick Sack).

By the book, you are not allowed to keep objects such as laptops or purses in your lap for takeoff and landing. In practice most FAs will allow this.

Which window shades are required to be open depends on the certificate. All are required to have shades over the emergency exits open for takeoff and landing. Some carriers require all shades to be open because that is what is in the FA manual approved by the FAA.

In case you can't tell, a lot of this is subjective and depends on the carrier and CSI for that carrier. I've worked with some who are pretty easy to work with and let you take care of the passengers. Most of these CSIs are former FAs. I've worked with others that make you follow the manual letter for letter and will bust you for the smallest thing (like having anything else but company items in a seat back pocket). There is nothing like working hard to make your passengers safe and happy, and have a supervisor or CSI come along and bust you because a passenger has a paperback in a seat pocket. This will make you paranoid as hell when you get your job threatened over something like this.

So give the FAs a break and work with them. You don't know if they just came off a flight where some FAA CSI put the fear of god into them for allowing a simple thing like a book in a seatback pocket or allowing a little old lady to carry a purse in her lap. I'll grant you that some are anal tools, but most are not and are trying their best to do a difficult job at times.