[HongKongLady]

Unfortunately there will always be some people the assume the rules are not for them. I always find a stern look in the direction of the offender often works, although not on some asian airlines but then I have been on a couple of Cathay Pacific flights where a couple of passengers took in upon themseleves to stand up and get something out of the over head lockers while we were on the runway engines roaring…..

[Gin&Tonic]

The airlines really need to get a grip on this, and enforce it, from my many instances just two examples;
In flight my neighboring passenger on decent is still using his blackberry. I asked him to switch it off; he said I didn’t understand he only used it for email not phone calls. After explaining I wasn’t some technophobe and knew what the device was capable of and he should still stop it. The he simply puts it in his pocket. It still isn’t off I said switch it off.

After takeoff and the seatbelt sign going off, passenger in front of me after getting his laptop out proudly announces to his colleague he still has Wi-Fi connection from his modem card. I called the crew who did act on this.

I agree most of these users are simply idiots, not even ignorant idiots they know what they are doing.

[Charles-P]

If the use of electronic devices is really that serious (and I’m not convinced it is) then surely airlines should be using the same technology that is in use by the MoD in the Whitehall HQ where as one enters the building a detector identifies those with active mobile phone or Wi-Fi devices. I understand it is a low cost, small unit about the size of a laptop.

[FormerlyDoS]

Charles-P

The CAA and other bodies have done quite a lot of research on this topic and the evidence is clear.

A lot of the time, there will be no interference and thus no problem.

However, in a small number of cases, significant interference has been caused to navigation and other equipment.

Therefore, the only safe approach is to power off electronic equipment in the critical phases of flight.

I have seen an RMI (navigation display) display 30 degrees from reality, when a GSM phone was placed about 2 metres from it.

[MartynSinclair]

From the safety perspective its not jut the possible electronic interference but also the requirement to ensure passengers are prepared for the unexpected. Can you imagine an evacuation with pax still on phones and trying to turn off lap tops!

The solution is really quite simple – no need for extra lights and bells.

When boarding an aircraft phones should be switched off and in the decent, cabin crew need to be more assertive with passengers.

Flights are now non smoking (or meant to be), pax do not walk onboard smoking!

[Charles-P]

FormerlyDoS,

I understand why an RMI would be affected with a mobile phone in close proximity but I am less convinced with the same phone some 20 feet away from say a DO-178B and DO-254 Level B certified device being used as a Primary Flight Display would have the same effect. however I am no expert so on balance I take the advice and live without my Blackberry for the 20 minutes.

[JordanD]

It doesn’t help that the CAA and other regulators have different standards. Land at LHR on a CX or QF plane and you can use your phone once the runway has been vacated. Land on a BA plane and you can’t.

Standardisation might help universal following of the rules …

[craigwatson]

The only real reason the rules are there is to ensure people are paying attention on takeoff/landing. It has no effect on the instrumentation of modern commercial aircraft. There have been many studies and they have either found no connection or inconclusive evidence of interference. On probably half the flights you have been on one member of the flight crew has forgotten to turn off their tablet/mobile phone for the duration of flight. I have realised this myself a few times on final when I start getting text messages from the local provider saying ” WELCOME TO XXXXX!” oops, but it happens all the time.

[MartynSinclair]

“The only real reason the rules are there is to ensure people are paying attention on takeoff/landing. It has no effect on the instrumentation of modern commercial aircraft.”

…….which is reason enough for cabin crew to have the authority to ensure toys are turned off!

Is there any reason why airlines cant enforce a “toys off” rule on boarding. At least that would solve the issue for the start of the flight.

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

This was a theory of the crash of Crossair flight 498 in September 2000 (taken from Wikipedia). No doubt system’s have improved but certainly an interesting point regarding a sign for No Mobiles / Electronic Equipment. The plane was a Saab 340 – so not a Airbus/Beoing jet but even so.

“The government crash report does not mention cell phone activity as a primary cause of the crash, and instead attributes it to pilot error.[10] However, a separate investigation into the cause of the crash showed that the autopilot system malfunctioned at the same time that a passenger’s cell phone on board the plane received an SMS message and another received a call. After this information was made public, a number of countries that had previously been reluctant to do so outlawed cell phones on flights (including Switzerland).”

[watersz]

Must be why they told me to switch off my kindle, no downloading books then!

[Author]

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