Once taxiing begins we are really only allowed up for "safety related" activities. The phone on would not be safety related IMO. I might get up if we were on a long taxi, but I would certainly not get out of my j/s if cockpit had announced "prepare for takeoff". For MY safety. I would make a PA announcement if I heard it. However, I doubt any working f/a would hear a phone convo from the j/s unless they are sitting at the exit!

The cane in the exit is allowed. Well not the cane, but the person. We can't discriminate if they person says they can open the exit. IF they say they can't, but their husband/wife/SO/kid/friend will do it, that is a competely different story. In that case I will remind them THEY must open the exit, and if THEY can't do it alone, they will have to move. But if they say they can, we have to leave them. It's not black and white, but very grey. Would love to have the FAA really narrow it down and make it easier on us, but the discrimination laws we have prevent that.

If we had to do a cabin prep, I'd certainly move people out of the exits and find more "able-bodied" pax, and I would be 100 percent within my rights to do it. Doesn't seem to make sense? You are right, it doesn't!!

On another note, I find we can't win. FT'ers say we are not concerned with safety, and on another thread we are going overboard with safety. So which is it?