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Galley Gossip: Cell phones on the airplane
Recently on Twitter.com Times Travel asked me who I thought the worst type of passenger was. I wrote, "a business class passenger who does not get an upgrade and ends up in coach."But not all business class passengers who end up in coach are bad. In fact, business class passengers are actually my favorite passengers. They know the drill. They know exactly what to expect. So there's no "on my last flight..." or "what do you mean there aren't any magazines or pillows?"
The truth is the worst type of passenger is the kind of passenger who thinks he/she travels often, but in reality he/she only travels a few times a year, which isn't really all that often, not compared to frequent fliers today. Yet they have no problem letting me know just how often they fly (which isn't all that often) when they're doing something they shouldn't be doing, something a frequent flier knows not to do, like use a cell phone after the flight attendant has made the announcement that it's time to turn off and stow all electronic devices.
The following scenario actually took place on board one of my flights...
We're on the tarmac in Chicago and the flight attendant is walking down the aisle while the safety video is on and she sees a passenger on his cell phone talking and says, "Sir, you need to turn your cell phone off!"
He tells whomever he's talking to on the phone to hold on a minute, and then he covers the mouthpiece with his hand and asks the flight attendant, "what flight number is this?"
Shaking her head, the flight attendant says, "Sir, you can't be on your phone right now! The safety video is on. You need to turn it off." She points to the video monitor and it's at that part where the guy in the suit reaches up and grabs the oxygen mask and places it over his nose and mouth, looking way too relaxed for a guy who has just placed an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth because he's probably going through a decompression or something and should probably be hyperventilating along with the rest of us.
My colleague tells him she doesn't know the flight number, which could be true because half the time we really don't know whether we're coming or going due to the short layovers mixed with long work days spent hopping from one city to another. Not to mention the safety video is on and this guy should not be on the phone right now. At this point it doesn't really matter what the flight number is.
"TURN IT OFF!" she demands, squinting her eyes, which makes her look a little crazy and has zero affect because he's still on the phone and just looking at her as if it's no big deal there's a flight attendant screaming at him and looking all crazy-eyed.
Sighing, he tells his friend, "The flight attendant is not being very helpful. She's putting a lot of stress on me."
Of course this only makes her put even more stress on him. "TURN THE PHONE OFF NOW! I MEAN NOW! RIGHT NOW!" which not only makes him jump, but also works because he actually turns it off and puts it away.
When I shared the above story with a fellow coworker, he wrote...
This lack of compliance causes me concern for a couple of good reasons. First, it establishes that some passengers see flight attendant instructions as optional--and they're mandatory. That mandatory aspect is for everyone's safety in an emergency, and in order to be effective, that authority covers every instruction they give. Second, as a captain, I always weigh whether I want to take Mr. Optional-Instructions-Cell-Phone-Guy into the air and just hope when he's given an instruction, he'll comply. Why would I?
Cell phones on the airplane, some people want them, others don't. Me, I fall into the don't category. Why? Because it's a me, me, me world we're living in and people today don't always have common courtesy for those seated around them.
Tell me what you think.
| I hope I never live to see the day! | |
|---|---|
| It would be nice to use a phone from time to time | |
| Heck yeah! I'd use it the entire flight! |
Photo courtesy of Jung Hong (cell phone), Beigeinside (flight attendant)
Filed under: Business, Airlines, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
TC May 30th 2009 12:50PM
I think Flight Attendants should be able to confiscate the electronic devices and turn it over to the police upon arrival at the terminal is the passenger fails to follow FAA regulations. Problem is physical altercations can ensue which can greater endanger people.
If a plane is taxing for takeoff, it would be turned around back to the terminal for removal of the passenger. If passengers knew this would (not only could) happen, more peer pressure will occur from other passengers to make sure it was turned off.
Cassie May 30th 2009 3:47PM
I knew when I put that whole CIA comment your response would mock it. Sure enough. I am not comparing myself to the police or the CIA. I am not trained as a police officer or as a member of the CIA, however I do rank myself in the "safety professional" category with them.
Other jobs that involve helping people as a safety professional, while requiring the ability to be calm even under trying circumstances, include emergency medical technicians and paramedics as well as firefighting occupations."
If you look under divisions of the CIA there is a rank called the "safety officer" and they are considered safety professionals as well.
Again, I am no CIA agent and I am not a police officer. I am however responsible for the safety of passengers on my aircraft and I must be alert to suspicious behavior and work well under pressure and stress. I also must ensure compliance when passengers are on my aircraft to make sure they are abiding by the laws set by the FAA. And when someone is being rude, is being disrespectful and refuses to do the simple task of turning off their cell phone...there is a protocol I must follow.
You said you had a 5 hour class with the Red Cross and knew to give the passenger a packet of sugar. Good for you. My 6 week training was 8-9 hours a day everyday for 6 weeks and we were also trained with the Red Cross. Now, a lot of flight attendants would have known to do the same thing...
I just do not understand where you feel the need to put flight attendants down?
We do the best we can, we are human, we are not perfect with our customer service or our safety training all the time. And you look around at any other job and it goes the same way. I am sorry that the rules I am required by law to enforce may seem stupid to the passengers that think they do not apply to them. I didn't make the rules, I again, must make sure they are enforced before we close the aircraft door.
And as far as your mythbusters logic...I really laugh when people who are not flight attendants think they know more than flight attendants. I laugh when any person from any walk of life thinks they are better than or could possibly know more than anyone in a line of work they have never walked a mile in. Do you tell your doctor, when they ask you to lower your cholesterol that because you watched mythbusters you feel you do not need to do so? I mean, give me a break.
Air travel is not all the glamour it used to be. It is not the top of the line way to travel. If you are looking for that travel on a private jet. It is a rescource to ensure you get somewhere quickly. I wish that we could allow you to use your cell phone, give you a free blanket and a pillow, bring you a free beverage and give you the lovely airline dream you are obviously still living in. But this is 2009 and that is just not the way it is anymore. And it probably wont be that way for a very long time.
So if you think you can do the flight attendant job better, if you feel we are not truly safety professionals, if you feel that we are rude and obnoxious, and you obviously feel you could do our job way better and go through our short and obviously un-important 6 week training...by all means...please do.
But until you walk a mile in my shoes and do the line of work I do, you have no right to tell flight attendants we do not have medical training, that we are not people who should be listened to. And again, if you feel this way...then stay off the airplane because every flight attendant you meet will never meet your imaginary standards of how the world should be.
Howard May 31st 2009 2:42PM
Cassie,
First and foremost, I am a passenger who COMPLY with all rules and regulations required to get on board. So I will never give you or any flight crew any trouble, period.
However, I do think you and some in your profession need to take a step back and THINK... I will never challenge your professionalism, knowledge and skills, but why would you challenge with other disciplines, downplay with your assumption either?
Mythbuster is a TV show with different kinds of "experts" in science and technology. And, particularly during the episode of exploring whether using the cellphone would interfere avionics, one of the regular cast member, Grant Imahara, is an IEEE member (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology. They are also in FULL COMPLIANCE with FAA regulations by NOT to conduct a test with any commercial aircraft in-flight or even with the engine run-ups on the tarmac. The closest thing they could do is dealing a business jet company, its owner who is also a pilot inside the cockpit, monitoring the instruments but without turning on the engine.
I do not know if you could operate the RF signal analyzers, generators from Agilent, I do not know if you are aware of the shielding specifications of avionics in the planes you are working on everyday, I do not know if you are aware of "FLIGHT MODE" in many cellphones to allow end-users to access all other features EXCEPT of those required radio transmission with the cellphone network, I do not know if you have used the FAA approved cellphone related equipment from AirCell (e.g. the GoGo in-flight WiFi internet service terminal using CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A link-up with the ground base-stations) and understand the Tx/Rx power is actually HIGHER than those from a cellphone in an active call (voice / data)... But I DO KNOW you and your colleagues would assist me when in real needs. You be familiar and in compliant with the regulations set out by the AUTHORITIES in civil aviation around the world.
So until the governing bodies have changed those regulations in regards, it is PLAIN SIMPLE: "No cellphone use during a flight", period. JAL has gone one step further without further complication / exception, "No cellphone use during a flight, including 'FLIGHT MODE' for any cellphone"
There are reasons why still many people would challenge you and your colleagues everyday... disrespectful, certainly but not necessarily out of pure ignorance and convenient excuses.
Stress, everyone has - both you and me. No matter how your management spin with the cost-cutting measures to be competitive (if not all to just remain in business) in the new reality of soaring fuel prices and effects of security / health crisis pop up from time to time, the TASKS of yours, the maintenance crew, the pilots COULD NOT be cut.
Perhaps some of us are still being nostalgic about flying in the '60s and '70s... the sex appeals, the exclusiveness, the bell and whistles (e.g. cocktail bar, dinning buffet, lounge with live piano performance in the first class). It is just sad that many of us nowadays interpret all the "extra$" added to the fare and/or the "extras" taken off the lists as you, the flight attendants should bend the rules or do more to balance the equation. We, the passengers, are increasingly aware of "how low" the fare could go with the clicks on our keyboards... in a sense, I do believe many of us are becoming more demanding with every single dime we spend on but only forget the RULES are still the same, more or less likes your TASKS.
Bottom line: I agree with your side of the argument, i.e. it is NOT about scientific discovery or not, it is ALL about COMPLIANCE. But I also believe in MORE EFFECTIVE APPROACH to accomplish your tasks may require lots of patience, moderation and decisive escalation of actions. For that, I ALWAYS respect those of you who would demonstrate the real professionalism.
frank96 May 30th 2009 9:48PM
Cassie
May 30th 2009 3:47PM
I am sorry that the rules I am required by law to enforce may seem stupid to the passengers that think they do not apply to them. I didn't make the rules, I again, must make sure they are enforced before we close the aircraft door.
======================================================
A few years ago at Recurrent, the Inflight Instructor was discussing the emergency exit row and carry-on luggage in an aircraft mock up. She approached the F/A who was playing a passenger and began her statement with:
"I'm SORRY, but your bag isnt stowed properly".
I yelled from my seat and said, "WHY ARE YOU APOLOGIZING FOR SAFETY?"
She thought for a brief moment and said, "You're right".
We constantly apologize for weather, lack of food, choice of beverage, legroom, cabin temperature etc, etc..........but NEVER, EVER apologize for enforcing rules and regulations that pertain to safety!!!
ed Jun 22nd 2009 5:40AM
I know that the cell phones do not interfere with the avionics, my son is knee deep in airplane electronic technology. Using a phone in a plane is more of a problem to the cell system on the ground. Immaterial in my view. Cell phone use is over the top, me and my boss are absolutely petrified of the day when airbourne cell use will be permitted. Until that day I think the offenders should get no more than two warnings and then kick them off the plane. Everyone knows the rules, most of the offenders are frequent flyers who think they are special. They are adversely affecting my travel experience, make them walk.
Brittany Jul 23rd 2009 1:16AM
My 16-year-old little sister told me the other day that she texts while in the air and the only thing i coud do was shake my head in shame.. Why do these myspace kids think rules are optional?