The secret cell phone enforcer on my flight
Oct 5, 2018, 12:40 pm
#16
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Off-duty staff has zero standing in my view. And if the FAs hadn't made the announcement, you'd be good to stay online. Getting a name to file a complaint would be best, but I'd bet given the flight info and seat assignment, they'd be able to determine the non-rev. Meeting rudeness with rudeness is not advised, especially in an environment where the working FAs might side with the non-rev and claim non-compliance. Choose your battles wisely.
Oct 5, 2018, 4:39 pm
#21
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Also, just as an aside, there are no FAA regulations of any kind pertinent here; as somebody else alluded to, the cell phone ban is and always was based on interference with cellular networks, not planes. And yes, it's been rendered totally obsolete by the progression of cellular technology. The EU allows cell phones in flight, and many carriers install microcells onboard; they're flying the same planes and using the same cell tower equipment we have over here, and aren't having problems.
Oct 5, 2018, 4:44 pm
#22
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Yep, Toby's right on that part, even if he's being characteristically unpleasant about it. But that scene always annoys the crap out of me because they have him spout technical jargon that's totally bunk. They stopped making the L1011 years before TWW ever aired.
Oct 5, 2018, 5:13 pm
#23
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On a Republic flight, was in the middle of finishing a text to someone when the door closed for pushback. Almost immediately, the woman in the window seat next to me said "please put your phone in airplane mode". I was a little taken back and looked at her for a moment and told her I was almost finished. She then said "I'm an FA and this is against FCC and FAA regulations. I'm advising you this for my own safety". She also went into the argument about interference with aircraft systems.
Ok, we were not even yet pushing back. And yes, I know when the door closes the announcement comes on to put mobile devices in airplane mode and put away "large" laptops. I also know that "reasonable" time to comply with those instructions is given. She didn't waste a second to tell me this the moment the door was closed.
Her stickler attitude was what shocked me more than anything. I replied to her that I would have been done already if she hadn't interrupted me, and no - it's not an FCC regulation to not use a phone on the ground. She then looked over to the passenger on the other side of the aisle who was on his phone. She raised her voice to him as well "Airplane mode please. I don't see the airplane icon on your screen". On his screen was his music library and he had headphones on. She was in the "D" window seat of an E175 and saying this to the person in the "B" aisle seat across from me. I don't see how she could make out if he had his phone in airplane mode or not, but whatever.
Rather than engage further with her, I finished my text and put my phone away. We didn't speak the rest of the flight.
Ok, we were not even yet pushing back. And yes, I know when the door closes the announcement comes on to put mobile devices in airplane mode and put away "large" laptops. I also know that "reasonable" time to comply with those instructions is given. She didn't waste a second to tell me this the moment the door was closed.
Her stickler attitude was what shocked me more than anything. I replied to her that I would have been done already if she hadn't interrupted me, and no - it's not an FCC regulation to not use a phone on the ground. She then looked over to the passenger on the other side of the aisle who was on his phone. She raised her voice to him as well "Airplane mode please. I don't see the airplane icon on your screen". On his screen was his music library and he had headphones on. She was in the "D" window seat of an E175 and saying this to the person in the "B" aisle seat across from me. I don't see how she could make out if he had his phone in airplane mode or not, but whatever.
Rather than engage further with her, I finished my text and put my phone away. We didn't speak the rest of the flight.
Oct 5, 2018, 5:16 pm
#24
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You do have to be very careful on flights these days, because failure to follow crew instructions can be regarded as a federal crime -- story for another day, but a little over a year ago, when I was traveling in F on a SkyWest E175, an FA had a police officer meet me at the door after arrival when I'd had a very similar airplane mode argument with her. The officer wanted to see my ID, interviewed me, and actually detained me until his colleague interviewed the FA. I made it clear I didn't want to talk to him, and he told me he'd put me in handcuffs if I didn't do everything he asked. There was even a police report filed through the airport police department, and I obtained a copy of it later, which showed there was "no probable cause" any crime had been committed. But I couldn't believe how close I came to being potentially arrested, which could have ruined my professional career. It's unbelievable the power-tripping that happens with FAs sometimes.
Oct 5, 2018, 5:42 pm
#25
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I would've probably complied, taken their picture (discreetly) at some point, and send it to one of my buddies who works for Republic corporate that they got a rogue one working for them.
Oct 5, 2018, 5:45 pm
#27
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Really. A Republic employee. That's one FA in need of training, badly. Sure it wasn't a Halloween costume? 
Under that circumstance, I would have asked her name and told her as soon as we touch down, I'm texting a complaint to mgmnt about non-revs butting into paying passengers' business. Obviously, if she's seeing there's no airplane mode icon on your screen, she's reading your private texts as well. That would be a major part of my complaint.
Under that circumstance, I would have asked her name and told her as soon as we touch down, I'm texting a complaint to mgmnt about non-revs butting into paying passengers' business. Obviously, if she's seeing there's no airplane mode icon on your screen, she's reading your private texts as well. That would be a major part of my complaint.
It is also true that my off duty FA seat mate had zero authority over me, but if I had escalated the situation one of her colleagues would have gotten involved and then it could only go down hill from there, especially considering we were still on the ground. It was a battle not worth fighting.
I did immediately fire up my iPad (in airplane mode) with pre-downloaded content. One of them was the show Shameless (a guilty pleasure of mine) that opened with a steamy sex scene. She was definitely side eye'ing me over that but she kept quiet....
Oct 5, 2018, 6:08 pm
#28
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She may have been an AA mainline employee commuting to pick up a flight in PHL. I guess that's kind of irrelevant though since she was on some kind of power trip. The fact that there is no FCC reg that prohibits cell phone usage on the ground is trumped by an FA making an announcement in line with company policy(which is FAA regulatory) that requires phones go to airplane mode. Once a crew member says it, it's the passenger's obligation to adhere to it.
It is also true that my off duty FA seat mate had zero authority over me, but if I had escalated the situation one of her colleagues would have gotten involved and then it could only go down hill from there, especially considering we were still on the ground. It was a battle not worth fighting.
It is also true that my off duty FA seat mate had zero authority over me, but if I had escalated the situation one of her colleagues would have gotten involved and then it could only go down hill from there, especially considering we were still on the ground. It was a battle not worth fighting.
Excellent work.
Oct 5, 2018, 7:50 pm
#29
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Excellent! My go to airplane movie is usually either Inglrorious Basterds or Goodfellas, enough violence to scare my seat-neighbor away!
Oct 5, 2018, 8:06 pm
#30
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In the 70's and 80's, FA's used to actually enforce the rules. And there was none of this "just give me 2 seconds". If anyone dared rise when the "Fasten Seat Belt" sign was on, they would be yelled at and possibly over the PA system. Now, we always think we are important and "2 more seconds" does not matter.
And they didn't collect those strange headsets an hour early, either...
