Anyone ever fight with airline personell over personal electronics?

[HAL9000]

Not true, cell phones don't work in planes that are in the air. Even if you could get a signal you are moving too fast for the towers to switch correctly.

I'll never know as I can't try it, but I'd be interested to see that in practice.

 

[coxmaster]

I'll never know as I can't try it, but I'd be interested to see that in practice.

I've done it.. and already mentioned it btw.

Anyway, even when flying small aircraft (which I do very frequently) i find that you generally lose signal at anything more than 1500-2000 feet above ground. It's possible to get a little bit of signal very sporadically but making a phone call would be absolutely impossible.

Now consider the altitude difference and you can see for sure that there would be absolutely no chance of a solid signal, not even enough for a text.

 

[BoomerD]

"It's OK. I've played a pilot before."

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

this is 2011. how does a cell phone interfere with the navigation of plane?

It doesn't. You just don't want it lighting up a crapload of cells simultaneously, which is the real reason why they don't you using a cellphone in the air.

That said, I've never been hassled for keeping my MP3 player / tablet active (but obviously not displaying anything) during taxiing, takeoff and landing.
On the rare occasion that I get asked, I just say that I'm only wearing my cans for the noise cancellation benefit, which is somewhat true I suppose.

 

[SeaSerpent]

If there was any chance a phone would bring the plane down you wouldnt be allowed to bring it on.
I don't hassle with them, I just put it in airplane mode.

 

[Veliko]

I don't see the issue with being asked to turn your phone off. If you can't go a few hours without texting or playing Angry Birds then there is something wrong with you.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

You don't have reception in the air anyways.
1. I doubt cellphone reception is that great at cruising altitude.
2. Plane fuselage makes a pretty good Faraday cage.

how was he planning to continue to play words with friends? Idiot.

 

[DirkGently1]

How come they don't allow the usage of cell phones on board?

For lot's of reasons. They don't want people filming when the shit hit's the fan. Nor do they want people distracted and focused on their phones when they should be focusing on kissing their arses goodbye.

Also, One hundred Smartphone projectiles flying through a cabin when it all goes south, is something they actively discourage for some strange reason.

 

[Rifter]

I don't see the issue with being asked to turn your phone off. If you can't go a few hours without texting or playing Angry Birds then there is something wrong with you.

I had no isse with it either when i was under the impression they were dangerous to the planes computer systems and could cause interfearence. Now that they have OK'ed Ipads in the cockpit however and the whole saftey issues is known to be BS they can fuck right off and allow people to use smartphones/tablets.

 

[Veliko]

I had no isse with it either when i was under the impression they were dangerous to the planes computer systems and could cause interfearence. Now that they have OK'ed Ipads in the cockpit however and the whole saftey issues is known to be BS they can fuck right off and allow people to use smartphones/tablets.

The safety issue isn't known to be BS at all. Just because the pilots can do something in the cockpit, what difference does that make?

I still don't see why anyone sees this as an issue, it's no different to the people who refuse to turn their mobiles off in the cinema for whatever reason.

 

[Raizinman]

Where are all the plane crashes caused by someone leaving their cell phone on? Heck, where is even ONE plane crash? For that matter, where is ANY pilot that got on the loud speaker and said, We are receiving interference on our radio, someone has a cell phone on and would they please turn it off. For all the flights that happen every day in every country of the world, I am not aware of even ONE crash or even ONE emergency landing due to a cell phone. I was told by a pilot once that this whole cell phone thing started when airlines started putting built in phones in the seat backs that charge around $1 a minute. Why would anyone want to use the airline phone if they had their own cell phone. Not saying 100% that this was the real reason, but if you check the dates, you will see that airline phones came out the same time as the cell phone ban.

Even though most airlines discontinued the use of airline phones, if the airline ever came out and said that the cell phone ban was only done to create more profits for the airlines, the ensuing law suit for anyone that ever used an airline phone would bankrupt the airline.

 

[Doppel]

It's about as stupid as the turn cellphone off in hospital law, as if the walls are all shielded from RF coming in from the outside anyway.

Planes now allow wi-fi because they have wi-fi hot spots anyway, it's all retarded.

 

[dud]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/13/showbiz/california-alec-baldwin/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7

Specifically, if told to turn off your cell phone, do you?



What a belligerent ass. Turn your phone off so the plane can get the other passengers to their destinations.

Baldwin is a "celebrity" ... they are better than us and deserve more and better treatment. Everyone knows this.

The question of electrical "interference" is irrelevant. The airlines make the rules. If you can't follow them (as rediculous as some are) you don't fly, period.

OP, back to your question ... no, but I have wanted to pummel other passengers who were not following the rules and passenger instructions.

 

[bononos]

.... The question of electrical "interference" is irrelevant. The airlines make the rules. If you can't follow them (as rediculous as some are) you don't fly, period.....

Its also a gubmint (FCC) rule about cellphone usage onboard airplanes. This is one ridiculous (if cellphones can't effect airplane equipment) rule I wouldn't mind following since I won't have to put up with endless yakking.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Most of them aren't trained for that and wouldn't know what airplane mode does.

This is not true at all anymore.

 

[Bignate603]

Where are all the plane crashes caused by someone leaving their cell phone on? Heck, where is even ONE plane crash? For that matter, where is ANY pilot that got on the loud speaker and said, We are receiving interference on our radio, someone has a cell phone on and would they please turn it off. For all the flights that happen every day in every country of the world, I am not aware of even ONE crash or even ONE emergency landing due to a cell phone. I was told by a pilot once that this whole cell phone thing started when airlines started putting built in phones in the seat backs that charge around $1 a minute. Why would anyone want to use the airline phone if they had their own cell phone. Not saying 100% that this was the real reason, but if you check the dates, you will see that airline phones came out the same time as the cell phone ban.

Even though most airlines discontinued the use of airline phones, if the airline ever came out and said that the cell phone ban was only done to create more profits for the airlines, the ensuing law suit for anyone that ever used an airline phone would bankrupt the airline.

Here's the thing. FAA regs typically are written to cover specific items. Each item has to be certified to be safe for it to be allowed. You can take a handheld device and prove that THAT device doesn't interfere. However, in the FAA's mind that only proves that specific device is safe, it doesn't mean that all other handheld devices are safe. It would be an impossible task to test every device available on the market or to have the cabin crew police which devices have been approved and which are not. It sounds a bit ridiculous, but the FAA's requirements to prove things are safe are one of the reasons why our air travel is as safe as it is.

Anyways, why wouldn't you turn off your cell phone? If you don't your battery will be drained by the time you land. You can't place a cell phone call while at attitude, you phone just sits there and hunts for signal.

 

[edro]

What makes it complete and utter bullshit is that you are allowed to carry cell phones onboard.
If they truly were harmful, they wouldn't be allowed onboard.

90% of the cellphones in people's pockets are turned on, yet they only bitch at you if it is in your hand and turned on.

 

[Veliko]

What makes it complete and utter bullshit is that you are allowed to carry cell phones onboard.
If they truly were harmful, they wouldn't be allowed onboard.

90% of the cellphones in people's pockets are turned on, yet they only bitch at you if it is in your hand and turned on.

Yes, it would be far better if they bitched at things they can't see in your pocket.

 

[BrokenVisage]

No, just over bomb-bomb-bomb-bombbomb-ba-bombs. Now shut your pie hole.

 

[jlee]

Where are all the plane crashes caused by someone leaving their cell phone on? Heck, where is even ONE plane crash? For that matter, where is ANY pilot that got on the loud speaker and said, We are receiving interference on our radio, someone has a cell phone on and would they please turn it off. For all the flights that happen every day in every country of the world, I am not aware of even ONE crash or even ONE emergency landing due to a cell phone. I was told by a pilot once that this whole cell phone thing started when airlines started putting built in phones in the seat backs that charge around $1 a minute. Why would anyone want to use the airline phone if they had their own cell phone. Not saying 100% that this was the real reason, but if you check the dates, you will see that airline phones came out the same time as the cell phone ban.

Even though most airlines discontinued the use of airline phones, if the airline ever came out and said that the cell phone ban was only done to create more profits for the airlines, the ensuing law suit for anyone that ever used an airline phone would bankrupt the airline.

I sat next to an airline pilot on a commercial flight and he told me that he once left his cell phone in his shirt pocket and it caused something in the cockpit to act funky. I don't recall exactly what it was, though. He said they have all electronic devices shut off during takeoff and landing to eliminate arguments such as this (i.e. what is ok and what isn't).

 

[Rifter]

The safety issue isn't known to be BS at all. Just because the pilots can do something in the cockpit, what difference does that make?

I still don't see why anyone sees this as an issue, it's no different to the people who refuse to turn their mobiles off in the cinema for whatever reason.

If the FAA has ipads in the cockpit i think its safe to say they have deemed tablets safe for use on airplanes.

 

[Veliko]

If the FAA has ipads in the cockpit i think its safe to say they have deemed tablets safe for use on airplanes.

You think wrong then.

They have deemed that a particular type of table is safe for the pilots to use.

 

[rudder]

I had no isse with it either when i was under the impression they were dangerous to the planes computer systems and could cause interfearence. Now that they have OK'ed Ipads in the cockpit however and the whole saftey issues is known to be BS they can fuck right off and allow people to use smartphones/tablets.

The ipads were tested by engineers. There are so many different products with so many different operating frequencies it is impossible to test them all. Boeing engineers have shown that a number of devices put out a lot of interferencee... but unless the device is right next to sensitive electronics nothing will happen.

The airlines err on the side of caution. The FAA moves at a snail's pace. So what you get is pissed of passengers. But you have to remember the pilot is the king of his castle.. what he says goes. You hassle a flight attendant and your ass if off the airplane.

 

[slayer202]

he's alec baldwin, he can do what he wants. our society has given him that privilege. what does he care if he's thrown off the flight? I'm sure he doesn't feel good about causing delays for anyone else, though I can't imagine it was too much of an issue...

 

[jessieqwert]

I plug my phone in to the headphone jack and then use a custom app to fly the plane on a new course.