ATA Airlines learns the meaning of Airplane Mode
Have you ever wondered if the average flight attendant knows what your cellphone’s "Airplane Mode" really is? Wonder no longer. ATA Airlines made a bit of a snafu recently when a flight attendant asked a passenger to turn his iPhone off mid-flight. The passenger replied by attempting to explain that his iPhone was in airplane mode, and thus all wireless radios had been disabled. The flight attendant would have none of this, however, and continued to insist that the man shut his device off. Things got a bit heated, and the police were called to meet the plane at the gate. After determining that the man was correct (as well as determining that the flight attendant was insane….she stated that the plane "wasn’t shielded for any type of electronic device) the 5-0 let the passenger go. Let this be a warning to you all: common sense is not a pre-requisiste for getting your flight attendant wings, so exercise caution when pulling those gadgets out in the friendly skies.
If you’ve never been on a plane then you might not know where the exits are. This is probably why you’re supposed to listen to crew members.
I don’t believe that it is an FAA rule that you can’t use cell phones in flight (at least not anywhere in the FAR). it is the FCC that regulates this. There is no danger from interference with any of the navigational/communications on the plane besides GPS is receive only.
It’s really a moot point at this time as cellular phones are a terristrial system and I don’t think you are going to get reception at 30,000 feet or traveling at 500+knt, you would be out of the cell tower range before you could be handed off.
I am more curious about this:
according to FAR rules part 121.311
(b) Except as provided in this paragraph, each person on board an airplane operated under this part shall occupy an approved seat or berth with a separate safety belt properly secured about him or her during movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing. A safety belt provided for the occupant of a seat may not be used by more than one person who has reached his or her second birthday.
How can the flight attendants be standing in the asile going over safety rules while the plane taxies on the ground?
C: You’re completely WRONG. Federal law, should you bother to actually read the regulations DOES NOT specifically prohibit listening to a PED in-flight. However, it dies state that it is ultimately up to the PIC (pilot in charge, for those who don’t know) to decide which PED’s can be used in-flight. Now, if a flight attendant would take 5 seconds to explain that to a disgruntled passenger, I’m sure that the passenger would comply.
And ignorance of electronics DOES NOT excuse rude, poor, unsatisfactory service on a flight we paid hundreds of dollars for. “Airplane mode” was specifically created to keep the iPhone within FAA regulations and that’s another thing we paid hundreds of dollars for.
Flight attendants, as shown in the above article, are often poorly trained in the correct functions of electronic devises and apparently in handling passenger situations. Belittling, berating and humiliating a passenger is only asking for a law suit. ATA can consider themselves LUCKY if they don’t have to pay this guy way more than his ticket was worth.
As far as flight attendants being cranky, I deal with clients (ornery and nice) every day, and I never behave rudely to them to get my point across. Bringing your personal feelings to the office (on the ground or in the air) is totally inappropriate. Or we’ll have to start calling them “The Not-So-Friendly Skies”.
One of the problems that increase cost and interrupt travel and security is also that we now have thousands of idiots that think they know everything. Not just in the airlines, you see it in Wal-Mart as well. They are pushing buttons, with warnings do not push this button just to prove some point.
Reminds me of the old red-neck saying ‘hold my beer, and watch this’.
Blanket rules work and do add inconvenience, but it prevents the 1 in a 1000 where a big problem could happen because new phones and gadgets come out everyday. The crews would have to check all of them. They just simply say don’t do it at all please, big deal get over it, take off your shoes and play with your toes.
I think that even if the flight attendant should’ve known about the flight mode the passanger should have followed the directions of the flight attendant. While you are flying on an airline you are agree to comply with their rules. No matter if there really is interfearance the man needed to follow the directions of the person in charge.
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