I've been a flight student before, and the reason they ask you to turn off electronics on takeoff is because some gear can interfere with navigational equipment on the airplane, such as the Instrument Landing System which is important. I think they were right to repremand the guy with the cell phone but I disagree with them cancelling his ticket and refusing to fly him home from a foreign country. He may have learned his lesson getting thrown off the flight. They would always be free to do the same thing if he did the same thing going home ...

It matters not what you think, when you are on a flight you are under the command of the flight crew. Disregard them at your own peril. If they flight crew needs help, there is no shortage of special agents and passengers that will help take you out. So do as you are told. Make the flight safe for everyone. Now this stupid dude gets to find another way home. Hooray for United Airlines

When we fly private, they let us talk allwe can. It is all be, it doesnot mess with gps or any of the ILS systems. I am also a private pilot and when I need to make a call we jsut drop down to low alt and call away. But on hawkers and citations tehy arenever a problem up toabout 4k'