What would you have done about this idiot?

PTRAVEL wrote:



If it is a hazard,
why take this chance in letting them on the plane in the first place?


Because people need them at either end of the trip, and no one will put
valuables in checked luggage anymore.


So, it is really a matter of life or death, but due to inconvenience
they are permitted in carryon.....

Sure.........

PTRAVEL wrote:
"mrtravel" wrote in message
. com...

PTRAVEL wrote:



If it is a hazard,
why take this chance in letting them on the plane in the first place?


Because people need them at either end of the trip, and no one will put
valuables in checked luggage anymore.


So, it is really a matter of life or death, but due to inconvenience
they are permitted in carryon.....

Sure.........



I don't know how to respond to this. Airlines allow all sorts of things in
the cabin which could constitute potential hazards if misused.


But would they crash the plane as some people seem to think a cell phone
would?

"PTRAVEL" wrote in message
...


I think the issue with using electronic devices during take off and landing
is the same reason you have to put your tables upright etc.. i.e. if there
is a major problem they don't want cellphones / laptops etc flying around
the plane in addition to everything else which might not be secured.

On 14 Sep 2003 05:15:07 -0700, Banty wrote:

In article , mrtravel says...

Hilary wrote:

What would you have done?


Brought it to the FA's attention again. Last longhaul flight I was
sitting next to a man *still talking* on his mobile phone while we were
taxiing (after at least 3 "requests" to switch off such equipment). He
did, grudgingly, switch it off. I can cope with his glowers - I'd rather
be sure my phone was switched off and be possibly slightly inconvenienced
for a few hours than think I had caused an accident.


What about all of the phones on the plane that people haven't switched
off either because they don't want to or forget? If it is a hazard,
why take this chance in letting them on the plane in the first place?

Why would wireless networking be OK, but not cell phones?


I dont' know the answers to the above questions.

But *my* questions a


1. Why the heck can't an adult just follow the rules of the carrier he booked
on? Leading to..

2. What exactly is it about cell phone yammer that has to be nearly constant,
can't wait a few minutes, such that #1 cannot happen even if there is
controversy concerning the necessity of the rule?

Anybody see that great New Yorker cartoon? Guy says to his seatmate:
"Would you mind talking to me? I forgot my cell phone".

--

Traveler

"Fly Guy" wrote in message ...
PTRAVEL wrote:

Why would wireless networking be OK, but not cell phones?

Wi-fi is extremely low power compared to cellphones. The range of a
cellphone is on the order of a quarter mile to a mile, depending on
terrain. The range of wifi is measurable in feet.

A computer putting out a wifi signal is still a significantly more
powerful radiator of radio signals vs any other (non-transmitting)
electronic device you'll ever see in use on a plane.

Well, yes . . . what's your point?


What would you have done?

I'd stop being nosey about what my seat mate is doing. If you were
watching him and his keyboard and screen to the extent that you *know*
he was activating his e-mail transmission function then you deserve a
slap upside the head.

I don't know whether he was activiating his e-mail transmission function --
in fact, I've specifically said I don't know whether he was transmitting or
not. However, he was sitting right next to me, and "two-thumb" typing away
with abandon -- pretty hard to miss.


It is for pure liability reasons that people are told to turn off
electronic devices that in no way are likely to interfere with the
operation of a plane.

Well, yes ... the airlines don't want to be liable if one of those things
causes a plane to crash.

It's actually quite funny that people are told
to turn off these devices during parts of the flight that they are
least likely to interfere with the plane (during taxi and take-off and
landing while all cockpit crew are awake, attentive, at the controls,
and probably have the runway in sight). Especially during taxi, where
the plane is most likely crawling along the taxi-way, perhaps many
minutes away from actually taking off, and immediately after landing,
where again it could be many minutes before the plane gets to the
gate.

I'm not particularly concerned with taxiing, though I have no idea what sort
of automatic controls come into play during those periods -- perhaps you do.
However, during takeoff and landing, particularly when using IFR, electronic
devices are, evidently, problematic enough so that the airline requests they
be turned off.


There is no satisfactory reason why all manner of devices could not be
used during the taxi phase.

Probably not. A couple of airlines are allowing cellphone calls during this
time. What does that have to do with takeoff and landing?

Unless it's ergonomic - that is, people
with laptops or other large electronic items would not have the time
or ability to get out of their seats and stow them over-head the
minute the plane leaves the taxi-way and is next for take-off. If
that is the case then again it doesn't mean that using the devices
during taxi is in itself a threat to the plane - it means the proper
stowage of the device is not possible during the transition from taxi
to take-off.

It's ironic (and convoluted) that during cruise phase when the plane
is probably on auto-pilot and / or being flown by only 1 of the
cockpit crew that the plane is most vulnerable to electronic
interference (causing perhaps false altitude or navigation readings).
But this IS the phase that these devices are allowed to operate.

Not cellphones, and not devices that send or receive radio waves.

What's apparent is that no one who has reponded actually has any factual
knowledge about the dangers of cell phones, Blackberrys, or other electronic
devices. My own "belief" is that, if they were in the slightest bit dangerous,
they'd be banned.

"mrtravel" wrote in message
. com...
PTRAVEL wrote:



If it is a hazard,
why take this chance in letting them on the plane in the first place?


Because people need them at either end of the trip, and no one will put
valuables in checked luggage anymore.


So, it is really a matter of life or death, but due to inconvenience
they are permitted in carryon.....

Sure.........


I don't know how to respond to this. Airlines allow all sorts of things in
the cabin which could constitute potential hazards if misused.

They are banned. FFM

User968758 wrote:

What's apparent is that no one who has reponded actually has any factual
knowledge about the dangers of cell phones, Blackberrys, or other electronic
devices. My own "belief" is that, if they were in the slightest bit dangerous,
they'd be banned.

"mrtravel" wrote in message
. com...
PTRAVEL wrote:
"mrtravel" wrote in message
. com...

PTRAVEL wrote:



If it is a hazard,
why take this chance in letting them on the plane in the first place?


Because people need them at either end of the trip, and no one will put
valuables in checked luggage anymore.


So, it is really a matter of life or death, but due to inconvenience
they are permitted in carryon.....

Sure.........



I don't know how to respond to this. Airlines allow all sorts of things
in
the cabin which could constitute potential hazards if misused.


But would they crash the plane as some people seem to think a cell phone
would?

Yes, I suppose they could, e.g. cigarette lighters. I have no idea whether
a cellphone can crash a plane. The airlines seem to think they could and,
more to the point, I've read about a couple of incidents in which it appears
they nearly did. I'm not going to let my distrust of the airlines extend to
the point of risking my personal safety -- if they say, "don't use them,"
then people shouldn't use them.

"Mark Hewitt" wrote in message
...

"PTRAVEL" wrote in message
...


I think the issue with using electronic devices during take off and
landing
is the same reason you have to put your tables upright etc.. i.e. if there
is a major problem they don't want cellphones / laptops etc flying around
the plane in addition to everything else which might not be secured.

I doubt it, since books, hats, and, for that matter, my noise-reducing
headphones don't have to be secured for takeoff or landoff. The point,
though, is absent definitive data, I'm going to take the airlines at the
word when they say, "don't use electronics during these times."