Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Think about this a bit, where do many flight attendants sit? Often at the front of the plane facing the passengers. In a crash they are on the receiving end of everything that becomes airborne. It is the same rational for making sure everybody has their seat belts on, imagine a 200 pound man flying through the air and getting plastered across the face of a flight attendant. An iPad would be just as harmful.


Really are you that out of touch with reality here.

Seriously? An iPad would be just as harmful as a 200 pound man?

Why aren't the flight attendants up in arms about books? Babies? Purses the size of briefcases?
 
Last edited:
It doesn't make sense to claim that electronics devices are a distraction during the safety briefing and potential dangerous projectiles while not having a problem with hardcover books, which are just as much of a distraction and heavier than all electronic devices.
The safety briefing and the safety cards do not emphasize what's really important: the type of doors, how the handle works, do you push out, pull in, rotate, which doors should not be opened in case of a water landing...
The biggest improvement on safety: get passengers to wear proper shoes. In case of an emergency evac, those pretty Manolos or convenient flip-flops could very well get you seriously hurt.
 
If I'm not mistaken, the FAA takes precedence over a flight attendants' union when it comes to what passengers are and are not allowed to do on an aircraft. I'm sure some flight attendants really miss having the ability to go on power trips with passengers but they're just going to have to deal.

If I understood the article, its saying the flight attendant representatives should have had an opportunity to participate in a comment period, and in this particular case the FAA short circuited that process. If nothing else, bureaucracies stand on procedure and protocol, and they didn't adhere to their own rules on the subject. My guess (and its only a guess) is that the flight attendants are calling the FAA on its own BS, probably to make sure it doesn't happen again.
 
How many times do we have to listen to the safety brief? do they think we are stupid and didn't listen the first few times we flew?

Flying sucks anyways so I don't bother but I have to ask: what the hell is a safety briefing for anyways? That plane goes down you're basically DEAD. Having my head between my legs is useless. Maybe between the hot chick next to me.... Now that might be worth mashing my face into. But otherwise, WTF? :D
 
You won't put this genie back into the bottle. The EU just allowed the use of electronics in all phases of the flight, whether or not in Airplane Mode.
It is a common practice in the US media: not to inform the reader that a new regulation/drug/etc has already been in place across the EU.
 
FAA lawyer Jeffrey Sandberg responded to the AFA's allegations by suggesting portable electronic devices are "no more dangerous" than the books passengers have been allowed to keep out during landing and takeoff.

The distraction from crew saftey breifings or crew instructions in the event of the emergency not withstanding.

PEDs have:
1. RF transmitters which could interfere with aircraft navigation or communication. How many times have you been on a conference call and heard the buzzing sounds over the intercom from cell phones? FACT: The same happens with on board aircraft communication systems, between crew stations and the cockpit.
2. Contain Li-Ion or polymer batteries which which could become damaged and/or cause a fire if dropped, or when sliding under the seats, or in the isle upon takeoff or landing. How many times have you heard a water bottle sliding under the seats to the back of the aircraft during takeoff?

The airlines are lobbing the FAA to allow use of PEDs as a stepping stone towards offering in flight cellular service, VoIP calls, or streaming movies/TV as a potential additional revenue stream. ATT is already displacing Gogo WiFi on some airlines. Remind me again what business ATT is in. There is no other justifiable reason for allowing use of PED during all phases of flight.
 
Last edited:
Yet another confirmation of the worthlessness of stewardesses.

Seriously? What is this, 1960? Have you been watching too many episodes of "Mad Men"? Flight attendants are highly trained professionals responsible for your safety on the flight. They work hard, don't get paid all that well, and have to deal with a*holes all the time. While I'm not in agreement with their claim, I can understand their position, but I think the toothpaste is out of the tube at this point. Please show some respect, because a flight attendant may save your life one day.
 
It's just a power grab. They've been given these powers for many years now, so they simply don't want to lose it. Why would they? They gain almost nothing by giving it up, and they have plenty to gain. It's purely for selfish reasons that they want to keep this forbidden.
 
Stryker!

The FAA told me I could use my device at any point while I am guest on the aircraft as long as the cellular radio is turned off once the cabin door is closed.

The FAA also has no prohibition on throwing F-Bombs while conversing loudly before take off, but I've seen people taken off the aircraft for it.

The expectation is that people be courteous and attentive, but the common response these days is "stop telling me what to do I know what to do stop bossing me around"

It's not your plane. Do as you're told or avail yourself of any of the many many other options for travel.
 
FAA can make up anything it wants to...

The airlines is responsible for saying "yes" or "no" the last leg.

FAA can't exactly make all airlines say "They must allow this...."



BTW: These MR users are the same people that can't be anywhere without a technology :) Remember that....

The idea of a flight is to take a break, and get away from all that..

Users can't even stay 2 seconds away from Facebook, so there is your answer..

Uh, yes, the FAA most certainly can make the airlines do something.

And the idea of a flight isn't always to 'take a break'. Many times it's nothing more than the quickest way to get from point A to point B and a necessary evil.

As for Facebook? Most people I know actually just want to use their Kindles/iPads/phones to either read or listen to music. Some will watch a movie or play a game but that's about it. Until people have better access to wifi Facebook will be of little use. Right now you still have to use airplane mode.

I travel a lot. I used to carry 3-4 big books with me all the time. It always bothered me that I could hold a large heavy book for take off/landings but not my very light Kindle.
 
Only thing that makes my flight smooth is if I can tune out all the **** and listen to music from the moment I step on the plane all the way through my flight. I've heard the safety talk many times, it's not gonna sink in any further just agitate me.
 
Flying sucks anyways so I don't bother but I have to ask: what the hell is a safety briefing for anyways? That plane goes down you're basically DEAD. Having my head between my legs is useless. Maybe between the hot chick next to me.... Now that might be worth mashing my face into. But otherwise, WTF? :D

No, it's not. Many accidents are survivable. Do your research. And putting your head in the crash position is meant to protect your head against flying stuff (like loose electronics and luggage fallen from overhead bins) during brutal deceleration.
The safety briefing is to remind you to check where the doors are (even if you're used to a specific aircraft, there are variants with or without overwing doors for instance).
 
It's just a power grab. They've been given these powers for many years now, so they simply don't want to lose it. Why would they? They gain almost nothing by giving it up, and they have plenty to gain. It's purely for selfish reasons that they want to keep this forbidden.

What "power" are the flight attendants attempting to grab, exactly? They're there to help load/unload grumpy passengers, serve those same passengers all the booze they can pay for (making them drunk, grumpy passengers) and potentially save someone's life with first-aid or CPR.

...Definitely the kind of people out looking for ways to dominate the skies.
 
Recent test shave show that wifi signals can make modern flight control screens go blank.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29445385
Which is why airlines have been ordered to replace the screens. If WiFi really is a safety risk, then it will be used by terrorists.

It has always been completely unacceptable to fly a commercial plane that is sensitive enough for consumer electronics to be a safety risk. Therefore it makes perfect sense to allow passengers to use those electronics.

Also, they're allowing use in "nearly all" stages of flight. Presumably they're still not allowed during take off and landing, which is the only time pilots truly rely on their instruments.
 
Flight attendants should of went away with the milk man. What do they reale ut ly do anyway? They're lucky that this is a eye candy occupation, and if they weren't majority females then they would be getting a McDonald's employee salary. Like I asked,what do they go again?

OK, what's the point in the pilots? I mean they are overpaid useless idiots as these days planes fly themselves, they can take off and land themselves, stupid idea having pilots they should have gone the way if the dodo by now...

And if your on a plane with someone in the aisle next to you causing trouble, would you rather a sky marshal and their gun resolve it or an unarmed air steward?

See what I did there?
 
Last edited:
The distraction from crew saftey breifings or crew instructions in the event of the emergency not withstanding.

PEDs have:
1. RF transmitters which could interfere with aircraft navigation or communication. How many times have you been on a conference call and heard the buzzing sounds over the intercom from cell phones? FACT: The same happens with on board aircraft communication systems, between crew stations and the cockpit.
2. Contain Li-Ion or polymer batteries which which could become damaged and/or cause a fire if dropped, or when sliding under the seats, or in the isle upon takeoff or landing. How many times have you heard a water bottle sliding under the seats to the back of the aircraft during takeoff?

The airlines are lobbing the FAA to allow use of PEDs as a stepping stone towards offering in flight cellular service or streaming movies/TV as a potential additional revenue stream. ATT is already displacing Gogo WiFi on some airlines. Remind me again what business ATT is in. There is no other justifiable reason for allowing use of PED during all phases of flight.

And yet:
1. They have to be in airplane mode with their radios off. And...
2. The devices are going to contain these whether they're on or not. If they go in checked baggage the airline is not responsible for their loss. By also eliminating them from the cabin, essentially your proposal is to ban electronic devices from all air travel. Simply not going to happen.
 
The FAA told me I could use my device at any point while I am a guest on the aircraft as long as the cellular radio is turned off once the cabin door is closed. Since the FAA has final authority over the skies over the United States and the vessels that occupy those skies, I tend to listen to their directives.

Technically the FAA is responsible for making rules and guidelines for the airlines, and the airlines implement those rules and guidelines. But the FAA doesn't in fact tell you as a passenger what you can or can't do.
 
Meh, I can live without my devices for 15-20 minutes during take off and landing. It's the dude eating old ass mcdonalds mid-flight he bought before the flight in the seat next to me that kills me.
 
the flight attendants don't want the people to fly which means they'll be out of a job. I am worried about people's screaming kids.
 
If my using a cell phone to text, e-mail, or play a game distracts someone to the point that they are unable to pay attention to a safety demonstration on a plane, how in the hell do they get anything else done in life with dozens to hundreds of people around them at any given time all on their phones?!

Now, if some jackass has the volume turned all the way up on his phone, any nearby passenger can easily ask them to turn the sound down.

I was on a 5 hour transcon recently and I was literally e-mailing and texting the entire flight. No one around me seemed to mind one bit; but then again, I had the common sense to put my phone on silent as I was boarding the plane.

You must live in a wonderful place because there are a ton of inconsiderate jerks around me all the time.

How are they affected if I'm reading while the safety message is announced?

They won't be. They will be affected when the douchebag next to them has their iPad blasting music.
 
Not just phones and tablets

I've been unable to take a picture out of the window of a plane for the last 20 years (other than at such high altitudes that the pictures aren't interesting) because every camera out there apart from disposable film cameras (and they're not cost-effective) has fit the definition of a portable electronic device.

It's good to see sanity prevailing. I've said for as long as this debate has raged that if an aircraft cannot safely operate with Part 15 devices inside it that it is not airworthy.
 
Yes, they may become projectiles but I am 6'3 and they do not care and is not a MAY BE when I do not fit in my chair, it is a fact.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.