FA's do not set the rules. AS sets the rules and FA's as employees, do what they are told.

That said, AS could do a better job by providing better guidance. E.g., "small laptop" is a meaningless descriptor. All it would take is to describe the dimensions and that would be the end of it.

I do subscribe to the idea that larger items ought to be stowed. These things become projectiles in an emergency and I value my health more than I value some other person's self-importance to type during landing.

I’m curious to know the size of the book. Though, pretty much anything can be a projectile in rough air or hard landings. A magazine or small paperback would be better, War and Peace.. not so much.

I’m still surprised they allow iPads. I put mine away for take off and landing. It would suck to get hit by my iPad if it goes flying during turbulence or possibly an aborted take off, or rough landing. (I know turbulence can happen without warning)

Granted, my home airport is typically bumpy to fly in and out of.

In separate flights in the past, I've been made to put away a magazine and a newspaper. I was told by one FA that anyone sitting in the bulkhead must have nothing at all in their hands or laps.

I wonder if it has to do with regulations related to the airbag seatbelts found in the bulkhead seats. I know they're there in row 6; are they in row 1, too?

I read on the internet that a guy heard it from a friend of his that a woman on a plane was told something by an unidentified flight attendant regarding a book.

Maybe it's true, and maybe it's not. It's really hard to respond intelligently to such a post.

Just put the book away during takeoff and landing and get on with your life.

You mean like lap children or ESAs?

Same thing to report here. I have the 12.9" iPad Pro and have only been asked to put it away once.

I have the 10" pro with the keyboard, and I have been told more than once I can't have it in the "laptop configuration". If I just fold the keyboard underneath they are totally OK with it. Some of the FAs even agree it's stupid, but if it looks like a laptop then it's breaking the rules. If it's an iPad, it's a "small handheld device".

If only the bolded were true. We would have consistent and understandable rules, even application of PDB's, etc. What you describe is the ideal state but AS fails at either setting rules or training and FA's fail at even application.

I agree on the larger item. Once we are rolling I tuck my iPad to the side and pin it down with my elbow.

Are lap children not wearing seat belts these days? Can't comment on ESAs as I don't live in the US and thus don't need to deal with that idiocy