Originally Posted by
SteveF
Quite. I'm almost 100% sure that every aircraft (including BAs) is carrying some phones that are not switched off on every takeoff and landing, and how many have crashed as a result? None I guess. And if they were a real risk, surely all phones would be confiscated at security and handed back on arrival. Unfeasible? Sure, but so is checking everyone for liquids...
Anecdotal evidence is not scientific evidence. It may only be a specific phone type, or a broken phone which is the problem - or maybe it is multiple phones. I don't pretend to know whether cell phones could ever possibly have any effect on the electronics aboard an aircraft, but I do know that
solely relying on the fact that it hasn't happened up to this point is unwise. I also wouldn't rely on the lack of confiscation as being an indicator that 200 people should all power up their cell phones at once and try to place a call.