United to remove passengers who use their phones and iPads on flights without headphones

[LionKing]

I wonder how can they remove them? So simply throw them out of air?
I thought that would constitute murder?
Perhaps planes should introduce phone booths for people to make and receive calls and video conferences in air, and perhaps jam the mobile/WiFi signal to prevent people playing music out loud?

 

[Forg]

I wonder how can they remove them? So simply throw them out of air?
I thought that would constitute murder?
Perhaps planes should introduce phone booths for people to make and receive calls and video conferences in air, and perhaps jam the mobile/WiFi signal to prevent people playing music out loud?

Cut their ears off with the airline-logo machete that’s also used for removing feet found guilty of bulkheading?

 

[anat0l]

I am also quite curious to see how this all pans out in practice.

On the ground, alright, that seems easy enough, though it'll cost having to go back to the gate. Also, if the passenger simply gets put on the next flight for no charge, then so much for the "punishment".

In the air, what consequences could there be realistically? Confiscate the device? I doubt that'll hold up legally. If police meet the passenger on the ground, I guess the charge would be disregarding crew instructions, but UA may struggle to make a case unless it could be argued for safety reasons (and UA explicitly proves that the passenger's actions or inactions actually put other's safety at risk). I suppose UA could ban the passenger or cancel all miles and status for that flight or impose a similar "fine". Not sure how those hold up legally for UA.

It's known that FAs in LOTFAP have no hesitation offloading pax who seem to slight them in almost any way, but I'm curious to see how zealous they will be about this.

 

[Forg]

^ I doubt that confiscating the device would pose a legal problem if it’s returned.

 

[Mattg]

Difficult from a window seat?

You could always ring the call bell, and when the FA arrives, ask if they have any earplugs. If the FA is on the ball they should understand the issue - they would be able to hear the noise coming from the aisle seat.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I wonder how can they remove them? So simply throw them out of air?
I thought that would constitute murder?
Perhaps planes should introduce phone booths for people to make and receive calls and video conferences in air, and perhaps jam the mobile/WiFi signal to prevent people playing music out loud?

It’s the same as anything, really.

You’re not supposed to board when intoxicated, or wearing offensive clothing, etc. You can’t throw those people off mid flight either. But you can take sanctions such as no-fly lists, refusing onward carriage, penalties for not following crew instructions.

It’s the threat of the penalty that should be enough to encourage compliance.

 

[bPeteb]

No need to beat around the bush. It's Indians.

Well not where I live in Brisbane. More often than not it's South Americans. We have a friend who migrated from Chile and he says it drives him nuts when he's with his friends and they take calls without either putting the phone to their ear, or use headphones.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well not where I live in Brisbane. More often than not it's South Americans. We have a friend who migrated from Chile and he says it drives him nuts when he's with his friends and they take calls without either putting the phone to their ear, or use headphones.

Agree… I don’t think it’s limited to any race or nationality! It’s across the board!

A caucasian business man (in a suit) had to be approached three times by QF crew on a flight last year - domestic - because he was still on a call before, during and after the safety demo. Crew approached him twice before the demo and once after. Everyone around his was pissed off because we didn’t want the plane to have to return to the gate to offload him

 

[Ade]

No need to beat around the bush. It's Indians. It's a well known phenomena that they spend vast amounts of time just connected to group chats with people joining in/our throughout the day - yes that taxi./uber driver with their earpiece in is part of a conversation.

I guess the beauty of unlimited or plentiful calls/data means this is a viable thing to do.

It is a mix of nationalities - not just one from my example earlier ... but I see your point in terms of unlimited call/data.

 

[SeatBackForward]

It is a mix of nationalities - not just one from my example earlier ... but I see your point in terms of unlimited call/data.

The sad thing from my perspective, is that people doing this are in a false bubble with these digital connections, but not experiencing the real environment around them.

Maybe the Matrix was less fiction that it seemed to be.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The sad thing from my perspective, is that people doing this are in a false bubble with these digital connections, but not experiencing the real environment around them.

Maybe the Matrix was less fiction that it seemed to be.

99% of the time the ‘bubble’ is far more interesting than anything the surrounding environment has to offer! Public transport, shopping centres, waiting rooms in the doctor’s office… time much better spent on-line than thumbing through a covid-ridden-greasy Readers Digest from 2004!