[FDOS_UK]

RF

What you describe about nearly setting the iphone on fire is strange – not that I’m doubting what you are saying.

I know a little bit about these sockets on the A320 (I lived next door to a Capt on that type for 10 years and we sometimes talked about stuff like that.)

The main aircraft ground services power bus was 400hz and that was what the hoover sockets kicked out – great for a hoover with a powerful universal motor, but as you say, it would fry a phone – literally set it on fire.

There were also some sockets that had convertors to drop them down to 50 or 60hz (cannot recall which, however this is a standard range for PEDs), but IIRC these were in the galley area, not in the pax cabin.

The rub is the ground services bus was not a live circuit in flight.

Having said that, you didn’t mention aircraft type and it probably wasn’t a A320 by the sound of it, so other aircraft may be wired differently.

Whatever, that passenger deserved to be prosecuted for putting the aircraft at risk.

[rferguson]

Ironically the aircraft type was one we refer to as ‘the flying hoover’ – the good ol’ 767 🙂

The passenger was sat at doors 3 and using the ground services plug located in the vicinity of the door.

[FDOS_UK]

Interesting and thanks for sharing that.

With hindsight, those sockets probably shouldn’t be live in flight as it’s a disaster waiting to happen, given that most people (even if they bothered looking) wouldn’t know what 110v 400hz means, but when the 76 was designed, we didn’t have PEDs, so one can understand it.

[rferguson]

FDOS – interesting you mention that as i’ve noticed that on the A380 the ground service sockets do not function during flight.

[FDOS_UK]

Samsung withdrew their Note 7 today, after a series of fires that didn’t seem to involve charging.

I hope everyone returned theirs and no one takes an remaining units on an aircraft.

Emirates had banned their use, at all, on board.

[icenspice]

Flying home from Japan yesterday it was made quite clear during the safety briefing on both Air France and Luxair they were not to be used.

[LuganoPirate]

Flying with Swiss to South Africa recently it was announced that all Note 7’s should be powered off throughout the flight and under no circumstances could they be charged.

[TCSH11]

Maybe that’s because the crew are not ” trained ” to use or inform passengers of the power size of laptops or adapters. They are provided on board as a power (not charging ) supply for electrical items but which of the 1000’s of types of laptops/notebooks etc it will work with is impossible for anyone to know…even if it was written in the instructions it would make the book so big it would take up a trolley of its own. Maybe passengers should take responsibility for their own actions and failings … and provide your own power supply, rather than EXPECTING others to do it for them

[TCSH11]

I think you will find it’s because the planes are made in USA… simple as that, nothing complicated. Yes they could be changed but that’s an expense I am sure the airline does not want to pay

[TCSH11]

[quote quote=713032]

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.

[/quote]

Then maybe, if it’s that important, you should when not using it .. save your work, unplug it as the airline/CAA requires you to do, and follow the instructions given to you by the crew, which if you do not is braking the law!!!

[TCSH11]

[quote quote=713037]

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.

[/quote]

As mentioned previously in this thread, it is mentioned in the BA safety video, which is prob why the customer failed to know this, as they never watch it, thinking they have flown enough to not need to. Maybe he offered to show him a video because the customer was belittling the situation/subject, or purely ignoring it.
As for airlines offering to charge it in an empty seat, that’s even worse than a customer in a seat doing it. Let’s say, and it does happen, someone has brought a cheap battery on eBay or in a local Thai market. Plug it in, put in on seat where no ventilation is going around the batter/laptop, lights are out, all are asleep, next thing, bang, you have a battery fire on your hands …. all because someone could not do without having his laptop or phone charged.

[TCSH11]

[quote quote=713242]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?

[/quote]

There have been times when people have returned to their homes and it’s caught fire from an item left on charge… it’s just it’s not heard of much and it’s not an aircraft flying 1000’s feet away from any fire service. BA are not unique, Virgin have same rule as do many of the American carriers.

[TCSH11]

[quote quote=714593]

handbag wrote:

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.

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?

[/quote]

I personally find your tone towards this crew member disgusting. All they were saying is that RULES ARE RULES… whether you like them or not, they are there to be followed. I don’t like a 70 MPH speed limit on the motorway, but it’s their for a reason and needs to legally be followed.

As for other airlines, we at Virgin have the same rule, for the same reason. I think what seems to be the issue here is UK airlines, under CAA have the rule, airlines under FAA do, but others like some of the middle eastern don’t, their choice, but surely that why British airlines are safer.

As for the situation with the notifying, you rightly mention that your not ” Children ” and not ” Silly ” so therefore, as an adult you should take responsibility to watch the video that is design to save your life and that of others, you should listen to instructions given by crew, as ignoring them is breaking the law, and you should also realise that when an ” adult ” flight attendant asks you to unplug an item it’s not because they are being awkward it’s because it’s their job.

The only part of your post I agree with is the language part, but then again, the safety video is visual so should cover that, and often has subtitles to cover all the major parts of it.

[TCSH11]

[quote quote=714610]On the new 787-9 in First the charging points are contained inside a unit which can be closed so how on earth are the cabin crew going to inspect these in flight?

[/quote]

Most seats with power have a light to indicate if anything is plugged in

[TCSH11]

[quote quote=713429]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?

[/quote]

I would of thought better of you… being part of a magazine that is meant to inform people of items like this … not sure I would call it luck

[Author]

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