[retread]

I ignored him and eventually fell asleep only to find out that my device had been unplugged.

Well done.

Even if this was a new safety procedure, you chose that this did NOT apply to you and the cabin crew member did not know what HE was talking about. You completely disregarded the professionalism of your crew member.

What difference does it make that you were in First? Safety is safety! Or maybe it’s only economy iPhones that may have the problem?

I hope you would/will be just as understanding when fellows passengers pick and choose when and what advice they will accept from the crew regarding safety whilst you are on board.

[FDOS_UK]

Realistically, the real threat from personal device batteries comes when

Case 1- they are carried in bulk in the aircraft hold – IMHO this is a dangerous practice and I am pleased that airlines have been banned from carrying these as cargo on passenger aircraft – IMHO, far more dangerous to me than my seatmate’s iPad

Case 2 – they are carried in passenger luggage, not attached to a device and with the terminals exposed so that a short circuit could occur – this is not allowed

Case 3 – a battery is damaged, e.g. crushed, which should not occur when carried as hand luggage

If the device is connected to the mains, it will be trickle charging whether it is being used or not. These two photographs show passengers charging devices, whilst not using them.

http://www.emirates.com/english/images/Economy_Class_03_800x600_tcm233-1589915.jpg
http://www.emirates.com/english/flying/cabin_features/economy_class/economy_class.aspx

I’d estimate the risk probability and impact as somewhat less than an 737/A320 being despatched without the engine cowls being fastened.

[FDOS_UK]

I am sure that most passengers would prefer that we unplug them , rather than waking them for them to do so, so that is generally what happens.

That is a very dangerous assumption. This afternoon, I’ll be taking a long haul flight and intend to set my laptop up to do an encrypted backup, which will take about 2 hours.

If a cabin crew member unplugs the laptop without understanding what is going on, there is a real risk of data corruption.

[FDOS_UK]

Well done.

Even if this was a new safety procedure, you chose that this did NOT apply to you and the cabin crew member did not know what HE was talking about. You completely disregarded the professionalism of your crew member.

What difference does it make that you were in First? Safety is safety! Or maybe it’s only economy iPhones that may have the problem?

I hope you would/will be just as understanding when fellows passengers pick and choose when and what advice they will accept from the crew regarding safety whilst you are on board.

If this is a safety critical matter, then why is it hidden on page 125 of Highlife magazine and not highlighted on the safey card?

Although I know BA policy on this matter, I can empathise with the OP not realising this was official and thinking the cabin crew member was being officious (suggesting watching videos sounds a bit over the top and perhaps the cc member was not really skilled enough to handle working in F, where the pax do have higher expectations of communications).

Also, he may have flown on other airlines whose cabin crew will actually charge your devices for you in a galley or on an unoccupied premium seat.

1 user thanked author for this post.

NNoah16

[NNoah16]

I have been doing it for years without being challenged.

A simple reference to page 125 of Highlife magazine would have been completely acceptable and sufficient rather than referring to a video..

Plus, it is not standard policy across airlines.

Lemmings we are not.

[handbag]

There is an announcement made on the flight, which many passengers either do not hear, do not listen to or choose to ignore. Especially if someone is a regular passenger, they would most likely know (or would have heard).

As crew, my experience is that the passengers who find that procedures do not apply to them most, are frequent travellers. Crew are unable to pick and choose which procedures they follow, because a passenger thinks that they are an exception. We have had this highlighted to us several times recently of its importance. I am not prepared to get into whether it is actually dangerous or not, as that is not relevant. We have procedures that we have to follow and regardless of individuals views on whether it makes any sense or not,that is what we are being asked to implement.

Crew do not make the rules, but are asked to make sure they are adhered to. We are constantly being monitored and assessed by CA and ow new onboard Safety monitors. Are checks are tight (rightly so), which most people think makes us a safe airline to fly with.

Larger devices, including laptops, must be switched off and stowed away safely. During the flight, all electronic devices must be
disconnected from the seat power, when not in use. As a reminder smoking is not permitted at any time whilst on board. If you have
any questions, please ask a member of your cabin crew. Thank you.

2 users thanked author for this post.

seasonedtraveller, mkcol74

[SimonS1]

Clearly charging devices must be a high risk activity if the devices cannot be left unattended?

I did have a quick google but didn’t see any info about problems resulting.

Is BA different from other airlines in this respect?

[Str8up]

Good afternoon everyone,

This is my first time posting anything on here as too many people get ripped to pieces if their views are not always mirrored with wider audience so I have always been too shy to voice my opinion. I do closely read and enjoy all the topics and really enjoy this forum.

I have worked for BA for over 19yrs and I currently work as a Customer service manager so I do have some insight in to why the crew member would have politely asked you to unplug the device or indeed monitor it if the request had not been addressed as it is in everyones safety. Situations like this are becoming more of a problem and time consuming having to go back and forth throughout the flight as fires have been started by phones that have been left to charge and the customer has fallen to sleep and the phone has fallen down the side of the seat whilst still plugged in.
Another situation of seeing this is when the phone had fallen down the seat the customer had used the seat power to move the seat up and down which caused it to be crushed and set alight.
It really is dangerous and if you as customers don’t mind and ignore the safety demo and can’t be bothered to read the instructions in the inflight magazine we have no choice but to monitor and address the issue onboard.
Most of my customers listen and never get upset when it’s addressed but there are quite a few who just totally dismiss anything you say.
I hope you find the link below useful and please accept my apology if you think I’m trying to teach you all something that you already know as that isn’t my intention you don’t have to watch the entire thing but i’m asking as a crew member it would help us all as a community that at least some of you will listen :-).
I do however have friends and family who I want to see grow old and having to stop a fire in the air is no easy task.
Happy flying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEWOYjSYBLI

1 user thanked author for this post.

seasonedtraveller

[NNoah16]

Ironically on the flight out 7 days earlier, after plugging my phone in the USB port to charge (same scenario), I was advised by the CSD that it would charge faster using the power outlet and an adapter.

However, Lets end this.

It is policy at BA and it is deemed a risk therefore will comply.

Thank you all for your valuable comments. The forum has achieved its objective for me.

[MrMichael]

Str8up, welcome to the forum. Please do post again, we value all views. It does get a little raucous on here at times, if your worried about it just don’t argue your point, others will likely do it for you. Other BA crew as you know post on here regularly with their posts warmly received.

1 user thanked author for this post.

seasonedtraveller

[Tom Otley]

Yes. Thanks for posting. On every airline, BA included, I have left my devices charging and never been told not to or had them unplugged, but I suppose it’s just luck?

1 user thanked author for this post.

NNoah16

[FDOS_UK]

Str8up/Handbag

If BA thinks there is a serious issue (and it has every right to dictate its policies), then, IMHO, it is irresponsible to rely on passengers picking up a serious safety message from an announcement – and I have never heard a specific reference to charging batteries, just a generic pointer to ‘information in Highlife Magazine’ when covering devices. It doesn’t even point to a section or page number.

Given that a lot of pax have English as a foreign language or don’t even speak English, I am sorry, but if it was such an issue I believe the in-house lawyers would have insisted on much more than this, to say nothin gof the CAA.

Or maybe the safety instructions could also be printed inside Highlife Magazine and the cost of the cards saved?

Str8up – your video is out of date and no longer accurate, due to new ICAO rules on the transportation of lithium batteries on passenger aircraft.

2 users thanked author for this post.

JohnHarper, NNoah16

[handbag]

Once again I feel I am banging my head against a brick wall ( or maybe my computer). As Crew we have procedures to follow. Their implementation and why it is so , is a nice to know, but not of so much importance. We have to follow them regardless.

If a passenger feels that this is not being communicated correctly, then I would suggest that they contact BA and express this. As Crew we can make suggestions, but the word of the passenger carries far more weight and if need be, then things can be changed.

I feel I have exhausted the input I can make to this thread now and will leave you all to discuss if BA is right or wrong. 🙂

1 user thanked author for this post.

seasonedtraveller

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=713980]Once again I feel I am banging my head against a brick wall ( or maybe my computer). As Crew we have procedures to follow. Their implementation and why it is so , is a nice to know, but not of so much importance. We have to follow them regardless.

If a passenger feels that this is not being communicated correctly, then I would suggest that they contact BA and express this. As Crew we can make suggestions, but the word of the passenger carries far more weight and if need be, then things can be changed.

I feel I have exhausted the input I can make to this thread now and will leave you all to discuss if BA is right or wrong.

[/quote]

Handbag

With the very greatest of respect, you work for BA and I don’t. As you well know, I try to avoid travelling on your company as I don’t like the products, with the exception of WT+.

What’s happening here is that you are encountering scepticism (not just from me, by the way) because what your company is doing does not make sense

1 – no other airline takes such a view, some other airlines charge will devices for you in the galley (Emirates, for one, on their A330 fleet)
2 – if something is safety critical, it makes no sense to hide it in the back of the onboard magazine and make a fleeting and partial reference in a PA at the start of the flight, which is separate to the safety briefing video

So very sorry, but it is your choice to work for BA and you must follow their procedures – but please do not come on here and expect everyone to accept this perspective as gospel, especially from a company that grossly breached safety procedures and put a lot of lives at risk in the air and on the ground by failing to secure the cowl flaps on an A320 before flight and ending up with both sides detached and one side on fire.

The OP has already said he will comply in future and so will I (should I be unfortunate enough to have to fly BA), but please do not treat us as children – there are many very bright people on here who are pretty good at applying critical thinking skills and do not swallow the corporate line willy nilly.

Do you recall the conversations about how electronic devices were dangerous to use during certain phases of flight? That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, does it?

1 user thanked author for this post.

JohnHarper

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=713252]fires have been started by phones that have been left to charge and the customer has fallen to sleep and the phone has fallen down the side of the seat whilst still plugged in.
Another situation of seeing this is when the phone had fallen down the seat the customer had used the seat power to move the seat up and down which caused it to be crushed and set alight.[/quote]

This is a very good point, that we should remember as passengers and I have cut it out of Str8up’s post to give it the prominence it deserves. I hope s/he doesn’t mind.

If a Lithium ion battery is crushed, there is a real possibility of a fire.

If a phone, iPad or whatever falls down the side of a seat, do not move the seat – even manually – report it to the crew and let the engineers deal with it on the ground on arrival.

This video shows how a non-violent crushing of a smartphone battery results in a rapid fire and one can easily relate what the video maker did, to the action of a flat bed crushing a phone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8FKg5cMxEI

2 users thanked author for this post.

Str8up, JohnHarper

[Author]

Posts