Why won't PAX turn off their mobiles when instructed

[maroonone]

Recent 763 flight in 2C - PAX in 1D (out of view of FA because of bulkhead) continued to text through the whole taxi - as we neared take-off roll I said "Would you mind turning that off please" to which the response was "Is this bothering you?" with my response being "As a matter of fact yes". Device was then stowed. This is not uncommon and if it is indeed an issue I believe the FAs need to be more stringent (but then the "self important" pax will likely complain. I find it common for phone calls and texting to continue well after the switch off announcement.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Pet peave of mine too - I just cannot believe so many people can be so arrogant, stupid and inconsiderate - probably could add another 100 adjectives here but you get my drift.

But if you think it is bad on Oz - oh my god you gotta see pax on domestic Chinese flights - UFB. And it's not texting - there is no such thing as a Chinese national having a personal conversation on a mobile phone - I think there some ongoing national competition to see who can shout the longest and loudest whilst holding a phone to their ears - you can imagine the din with a billion Chinese all competing at same time.

I have also asked FAs to instruct pax on MU intl flights to turn their phones off well past when asked to do so.

It never ceases to amaze me . what a different world we live in nowadays.

 

[Simo]

I have been on some Asian flights and I have seen paxs be on the phone as soon as we land and also watched a pax actually e mail on there BB the entire way between SYD and BNE.

I can tel it was not in flight mode as the light was glowing when he received an e mail.

 

[lovestotravel]

I just cannot believe so many people can be so arrogant, stupid and inconsiderate

That pretty much sums it up!

On work trip a few years ago, a "work mate" of mine got into an argument with a flight attendant about having to switch his phone off.. Eventually he did, but then switched it back on again. I commented to him about why he didn't want to switch it off and he ranted and raved about it was his choice etc etc so I let it go.

At the same time this person a few days later was claiming that Today Tonight/ACA were both great sources of information to find out what is new/upcoming and how we always get ripped off..

Says it all really.

 

[elbarto]

Someone was receiving text messages on decent in to BNE today. That's what it sounded like, we might have been a bit far from land to get a signal but perhaps not. The PAX in front of me were also self important and needed to continue using Facebook about their party the night before until we were taxiing out at AKL.

 

[aupirate]

Someone was receiving text messages on decent in to BNE today. That's what it sounded like, we might have been a bit far from land to get a signal but perhaps not. The PAX in front of me were also self important and needed to continue using Facebook about their party the night before until we were taxiing out at AKL.

Brings to mind a colleague who on a flight from MEL-ADL a couple of years ago was txting another colleague on the ground about developments in the air whilst circling due to fog, gotta wonder really!

 

[JohnK]

Because they are morons and do not know any better. Surprising how they have come this far in life.

 

[Cynicor]

I don't know about the safety implications because I hope planes are shielded nowadays. But to continue to use your phone after the announcement to turn them off is plain disrespectful and rude.

My FJ NAN-SYD flight was the worst I've ever been on for this, some people were in full view playing on their iPads, phones etc all the way down.

 

[mkentwell]

Don't get me wrong, I like my holiday from phone and emails, but the phones and other electronics can't and don't effect aircraft systems. What they should do is stop the lies and start saying it is a PITA to have to hear conversations and chirping mobiles, so set them to silent and don't call. This might get people behaving like adults as they treated like them.

 

[Jousams]

We know it doesn't affect the planes systems. While I personally don't use electronic devices after door closure, i don't get offended when people do and I don't know why any of you care?
Maybe it's because I'm a pretty laid back person?


Do you all always listen to the pre flight safety briefing? How would some of you like it if I was sitting next to you and asked you to stop reading the inflight magazine or work documents and listen to the FA's?
Most likely, you would laugh in my face, (well Atelast I would in that position?)


Do you all get offended when people cross the road when the 'man signal' is red or flashing red? (BTW this would be much more dangerous)

 

[Cynicor]

Actually, I do pay attention to the FAs during the safety briefing. I've heard it many hundreds of times and will hear it many more (I hope). Again, it is about respect. If you don't know why "any of us care", then try to re-read the previous posts... If you don't pay attention to the FAs during the safety briefing then I feel you are just plain rude.

I'd be interested to know your avionics/electrical engineering qualifications that allow you to know that it does not affect the plane's systems.

I assume it doesn't but I'd never say I KNOW it doesn't. I think you've also made a nice straw-man analogy with your crosswalk example. Completely different.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Jousams, are you an aeronautical/electrical engineer or just naive?

 

[Jousams]

I'm super naive.

Actually, I do pay attention to the FAs during the safety briefing. I've heard it many hundreds of times and will hear it many more (I hope). Again, it is about respect. If you don't know why "any of us care", then try to re-read the previous posts... If you don't pay attention to the FAs during the safety briefing then I feel you are just plain rude.

I'd be interested to know your avionics/electrical engineering qualifications that allow you to know that it does not affect the plane's systems.

I assume it doesn't but I'd never say I KNOW it doesn't. I think you've also made a nice straw-man analogy with your crosswalk example. Completely different.

Well with regard to the safety demo, good on you. I'm just plane rude. (Haha get it?) and I obviously have a respect problem.

And with regard to mobile phone use, I'd say British aviation authorities who allow mobile phone use on planes (in fact I've made calls while crossing the Atlantic) have a better understanding than you or I.

PLEASE, someone show me an example where mobile phone use has been proven to endanger a flight.

 

[anat0l]

Ah another thread of this kind with so many gone before it. No offence to the OP - you didn't know any better - but realise that this has been discussed quite a bit here before.

The predominant arguments for why people don't turn mobiles or other electronic devices off when directed are:

• There is no (or insignificant) interference caused by such equipment to navigational systems - which is the main reason touted as to why such devices should be switched off - therefore the errant person's argument is if it has no effect then why should they bother. There has been much arguing on AFF - plus proverbial chair throwing - about whether the risk of interference to aircraft systems due to electronic equipment is significant, insignificant or a complete folly. But the long and short of it is that if there is no (or insignificant) risk, then there is no need to follow a false directive.
• People just don't want to. Just as much as you can't tell people to stop smoking even within a smoking area, it doesn't help that as a fellow passenger you don't really have any authority. Notwithstanding legal provisions, an aircraft for all intents and purposes is as good as a leaderless, chaotic democracy, if that makes any sense. And even if the airline could call on any legal authority to enforce an action, it would only be for disobeying official crew instruction (which in many jurisdictions is probably not a legal offence; only something which breaches an airline's contract of carriage), of which it would be difficult and lengthy to instigate an offload of said passenger, and the likely legal penalties faced by any such passenger would be near negligible (e.g. a warning, proverbial slap-on-wrist, and off you go - no jail, no blacklisting, etc.). In other words, there's no effective deterrent or encouragement for people to do the right thing, apart from the sake of courtesy and co-operation, so naturally some will put ahead their email / important business call / last round of Angry Birds over any such directive to comply.

That's the long and short of the arguments.

Personally I think people should just follow the crew instructions because it's the right thing to do.

Do you all always listen to the pre flight safety briefing?

Yes.

Do you all get offended when people cross the road when the 'man signal' is red or flashing red? (BTW this would be much more dangerous)

Not really, because I know that if said person is injured or killed due to their action, then I'm happy in the knowledge that they deserved whatever they got coming at them, and the world works as it should. If they survive, well... not all mud flung at the wall necessarily sticks...

 

[elbarto]

And with regard to mobile phone use, I'd say British aviation authorities who allow mobile phone use on planes (in fact I've made calls while crossing the Atlantic) have a better understanding than you or I.

I'm assuming you were on the LCY-JFK service, otherwise I'm amazed you managed to get a signal over the Atlantic. Even the, BA blocks calling on the A318, so I'm calling april fools on everything you've posted.

 

[spentan]

I'm super naive.



Well with regard to the safety demo, good on you. I'm just plane rude. (Haha get it?) and I obviously have a respect problem.

And with regard to mobile phone use, I'd say British aviation authorities who allow mobile phone use on planes (in fact I've made calls while crossing the Atlantic) have a better understanding than you or I.

PLEASE, someone show me an example where mobile phone use has been proven to endanger a flight.

inb4sh!tstorm

Mobile Phones do not affect aircraft, or their navigation systems when in Flight Mode. This is because their radio equipment has been switched off.

WiFi and Bluetooth are allowed on Qantas/etc A380s and B747s, and if this is the case, there is no reason why they shouldn't be allowed on any other commercial (currently in-use) aircraft.

This is a long debate, and it is usually between old people (who want a bit of quiet time), and young people tweeting #YOLO while they're flying.

I personally would love to be able to read a magazine on my iPad/Tablet/etc while taking off and landing.

 

[Pleb Status]

As with everything, if there is no penalty, there is no compliance. It does not matter if mobile phones cause interference or not, the rules are the rules.

If someone does not immediately follow the FA's instructions, they should be marched off the plane by the AFP and not allowed to fly any airline for 24 hours.

 

[Jousams]

I'm assuming you were on the LCY-JFK service, otherwise I'm amazed you managed to get a signal over the Atlantic. Even the, BA blocks calling on the A318, so I'm calling april fools on everything you've posted.

Aeromobile | Virgin Atlantic

 

[MEL_Traveller]

...

And even if the airline could call on any legal authority to enforce an action, it would only be for disobeying official crew instruction (which in many jurisdictions is probably not a legal offence; only something which breaches an airline's contract of carriage), of which it would be difficult and lengthy to instigate an offload of said passenger, and the likely legal penalties faced by any such passenger would be near negligible (e.g. a warning, proverbial slap-on-wrist, and off you go - no jail, no blacklisting, etc.). In other words, there's no effective deterrent or encouragement for people to do the right thing, apart from the sake of courtesy and co-operation, so naturally some will put ahead their email / important business call / last round of Angry Birds over any such directive to comply.

That's the long and short of the arguments.

Personally I think people should just follow the crew instructions because it's the right thing to do.

good overall summary and balanced on the competing views.

except for the part about whether or not it is an offence. It is an offence to disobey lawful crew instructions. 'Lawful' is most likely to occur when you are being issued a direction with regards to safety. As the current aviation thinking (rightly or wrongly) is that mobiles could be dangerous/cause interference, then an instruction not to use them would be lawful. It's not just a CoC violation - it's a violation of federal law.

 

[horseman]

Because its what you have been asked to do. You should politely do as asked. my phone is turned off well before boarding and stays off. i would love to see planes shielded so phones won't work inside at all. I'm sure these phone addicts would take a different view if I sparked up a nice cigar on board