What would you have done about this idiot?

Flying, today, on CO, SFO to HOU, I was seated next to a Businessman in F.
Businessman had a Blackberry. In case you don't know what those are,
they're PDAs that have, built-in, two-way email capability. In other words,
they are radios, that send and receive, just like digital cellphones.

After the aircraft was buttoned up and we pushed back, the FA made an
announcement asking everyone to turn off their portable electronics.
Businessman simply ignored the announcement, and was busy sending and
receiving email. When the pilot asked the FAs to be seated for takeoff, and
we started our takeoff roll, I turned to him and said, "Are you planning to
use that during takeoff?" He gave me a look, but turned it off, at least
until we completed the initial climb out.

During the flight, I mentioned what happened to an FA, who said she'd tell
the senior FA to keep an eye on him. Well, he didn't (that's another story,
but one I will relate directly to CO, rather than here), and Businessman had
his Blackberry out, sending and receiving from initial descent to landing.
It was clear in Houston, so I figured we were VFR and it probably would be
alright but, frankly, I wasn't happy about it -- radio transmitters inside
the cabin don't strike me as a particularly good idea.

What would you have done?

Zillions of people leave their cell phones and the rest on every day. I
would have ignored it. There are airlines that don't let you use CD
players, and many who do, I still don't believe a cell phone or a blackberry
is going to bring down a telephone anymore then I believe a CD player will,
but obviously there are people who do.

It's a surprise the FA's didn't care, usually they hunt down palms and
blackberries with communications.



"PTRAVEL" wrote in message
...
Flying, today, on CO, SFO to HOU, I was seated next to a Businessman in F.
Businessman had a Blackberry. In case you don't know what those are,
they're PDAs that have, built-in, two-way email capability. In other
words,
they are radios, that send and receive, just like digital cellphones.

After the aircraft was buttoned up and we pushed back, the FA made an
announcement asking everyone to turn off their portable electronics.
Businessman simply ignored the announcement, and was busy sending and
receiving email. When the pilot asked the FAs to be seated for takeoff,
and
we started our takeoff roll, I turned to him and said, "Are you planning
to
use that during takeoff?" He gave me a look, but turned it off, at least
until we completed the initial climb out.

During the flight, I mentioned what happened to an FA, who said she'd tell
the senior FA to keep an eye on him. Well, he didn't (that's another
story,
but one I will relate directly to CO, rather than here), and Businessman
had
his Blackberry out, sending and receiving from initial descent to landing.
It was clear in Houston, so I figured we were VFR and it probably would be
alright but, frankly, I wasn't happy about it -- radio transmitters inside
the cabin don't strike me as a particularly good idea.

What would you have done?

PTRAVEL wrote:

During the flight, I mentioned what happened to an FA, who said she'd tell
the senior FA to keep an eye on him. Well, he didn't (that's another story,
but one I will relate directly to CO, rather than here), and Businessman had
his Blackberry out, sending and receiving from initial descent to landing.
It was clear in Houston, so I figured we were VFR and it probably would be
alright but, frankly, I wasn't happy about it -- radio transmitters inside
the cabin don't strike me as a particularly good idea.

What would you have done?



I would have done nothing.

I would be wondering why these devices are so dangerous, that if left on
they could crash the airplane, are permitted on the aircraft at all.
After all, what might happen if someone leaves a PDA or cell phone on,
even accidently??? On the other hand, WiFi access is being used on
commercial aircraft. I think if it was a dangerous problem, TSA would
not permit them pass security. How do you know he was sending and
receiving? They have other uses.

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?

In article ,
"Mike Cordelli" wrote:

Zillions of people leave their cell phones and the rest on every day. I
would have ignored it. There are airlines that don't let you use CD
players, and many who do, I still don't believe a cell phone or a blackberry
is going to bring down a telephone anymore then I believe a CD player will,
but obviously there are people who do.

I agree. I frequently forget to turn off my cell phone and pager before
takeoff and since they're usually stowed away in my carry-on luggage,
there's not much I can do about it by the time I remember. I think this
issue with personal electronics interfering with navigation systems is
bogus anyway, but I do try to turn off my personal electronic items on
board anyway.

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?

Banty

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

During the flight, I mentioned what happened to an FA, who said she'd
tell
the senior FA to keep an eye on him. Well, he didn't (that's another
story,
but one I will relate directly to CO, rather than here), and Businessman
had
his Blackberry out, sending and receiving from initial descent to
landing.
It was clear in Houston, so I figured we were VFR and it probably would
be
alright but, frankly, I wasn't happy about it -- radio transmitters
inside
the cabin don't strike me as a particularly good idea.

What would you have done?



I would have done nothing.

I would be wondering why these devices are so dangerous, that if left on
they could crash the airplane, are permitted on the aircraft at all.
After all, what might happen if someone leaves a PDA or cell phone on,
even accidently???

I don't know. I've read reports of problems created by exactly such
occurances, but they're anecdotal. I do know that (1) it's the policy of
every airline I've ever flown to have electronic devices turned off during
takeoff and landing, and (2) it's a violation of law to disregard the
instructions of the flight crew.

Whether a risk was actually created or not isn't the point, since I'm not
willing to be the guinea pig for answering the question, "what happens if a
Blackberry is used in flight?" The crew instructed Businessman to stop, and
he didn't. That's good enough for me.

On the other hand, WiFi access is being used on
commercial aircraft. I think if it was a dangerous problem, TSA would
not permit them pass security. How do you know he was sending and
receiving? They have other uses.

I watched him read, and then compose email using the thumb keyboard.
Perhaps he wasn't actually transmitting or receiving but, instead, was
composing responses to email he had already received. In that case, he was
_still_ using a portable electronic device (one with a fairly powerful
little computer inside) in contravention of the instructions of the crew.

"mrtravel" wrote in message
. ..
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?

A cellphone that's on, but not in use, transmits a brief identification
signal every few seconds. A phone that's in use, i.e. there's a call in
progress, transmits and receives constantly. There is some difference.

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.


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.

If I was wanting to have fun I would have probably panicked and started
screaming for help. It's the airlines that are trying to scare us.
They should expect us to get scared if our lives are threatened. FFM

PTRAVEL wrote:

Flying, today, on CO, SFO to HOU, I was seated next to a Businessman in F.
Businessman had a Blackberry. In case you don't know what those are,
they're PDAs that have, built-in, two-way email capability. In other words,
they are radios, that send and receive, just like digital cellphones.

After the aircraft was buttoned up and we pushed back, the FA made an
announcement asking everyone to turn off their portable electronics.
Businessman simply ignored the announcement, and was busy sending and
receiving email. When the pilot asked the FAs to be seated for takeoff, and
we started our takeoff roll, I turned to him and said, "Are you planning to
use that during takeoff?" He gave me a look, but turned it off, at least
until we completed the initial climb out.

During the flight, I mentioned what happened to an FA, who said she'd tell
the senior FA to keep an eye on him. Well, he didn't (that's another story,
but one I will relate directly to CO, rather than here), and Businessman had
his Blackberry out, sending and receiving from initial descent to landing.
It was clear in Houston, so I figured we were VFR and it probably would be
alright but, frankly, I wasn't happy about it -- radio transmitters inside
the cabin don't strike me as a particularly good idea.

What would you have done?

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.

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.

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. 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.

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