Originally Posted by
gfunkdave
Has anyone with a real brain and education been able to conclusively say that even having a phone in non-airplane mode is somehow hazardous? I have an engineering background, and I'm convinced it's just a way to get people to turn off their phones so they're paying attention (theoretically) if something bad happens on takeoff or landing.
Yes. The CAA did a formal scientific research study into it a while back, and concluded that certain makes of cell-phones, in certain positions on the plane, had the potential to be hazardous. If you search their website, you can probably find the study - but it would have been 1990s now. What the position is today, no idea - but you asked about 'ever' so I'll give you ever
As a regulator, having establised that there was a potential safety hazard, they had to act. Given that 'You can only use phone types x in seats y' would be impossible to enforce, they upheld the blanket ban on UK registered aircraft.
I'm always slightly bemused by the argument 'No planes have crashed'. Sorry, regulators should not be waiting until planes crash to act. If they can foresee a hazard, then they should act before a plane has crashed, or they are negligent in their duties.