milemaker

How silly!!!! Just another case of over reaction all over the place. Cell phones do not interfere with aircraft navigation much less noise cancelling headsets.

The FAA is fast becoming another useless government agency much like the TSA, FMC, and IRS.

People meet just to meet and some unfortunately have the power to effect thousands of lives who shouldnt have the authority to change a babies diaper.

As Jackie Gleason said in Smokey and the Bandit, "WHAT THE HELL IS THE WORLD COMIN TO!!!"

Beckles

I thought the FAA had always ruled that ALL electronic equipment was to be turned off under 10,000 feet? It seems to me this is just a clarification of the rule basically saying "that includes noise cancelling headphones".

Lavarock7

I dunno what they put in my turkey this year, but after dinner I was dozing and dreaming and it all fell into place... Everyone is looking at this flying restriction stuff from the wrong angle.

Our air industry and equipment is a very fragile system and we must be very careful! Here is why...

1) The electronics are VERY sensitive and we don't want the planes falling out of the sky. To avoid interference during takeoffs and landings, no radio transmitters, no noise canceling headphones, no games, no cell phones. Any electricity could cause the darn thing to corkscrew to earth.

Now you KNOW that things like a personal ham radio could not cause problems, because the space shuttle is nothing more than a plane and all the astronauts now days are hams...

2) Nothing that could cause a spark. I guess this is because they are afraid of fuel leaks (no relation to green leeks, because there is no food served on most flights anymore, certainly nothing as tasty as onions anyway)... So back to the sparks (and I am not talking about Sparks Nevada either)... Nothing, which could cause a spark, will be allowed on board. This includes cigarette lighters with flint (no relation to Flint Michigan). For those who don't know, THIS is the very reason we have our luggage searched before getting onboard. Remember the pocket comb? They can cause static electricity when rubbed against wool. Wool is another reason they inspect the luggage... and the major reason why lambs and sheep are not allowed onboard as service animals. There was that one case where a pot-bellied service pig was allowed on NorthWest, but when coach passengers found that there was "ham" in 1st class, they complained. Remember also #1 above, no ham equipment is allowed anyway! But I digress...

3) There appears to be neither rhyme nor reason to the window shade controversy. Sometimes we are instructed to raise them, sometimes to lower them. I believe that the real reason we have to keep adjusting them is because of science. We all know that sunlight streams in when the shades are up. That causes the air of the opposite side of the plane to heat up and rise. As the air rises, it pushes up that side of the plane and it begins to tilt. A tilting plane curves in its flight path and THAT is why when taking off, you never fly straight after leaving the runway; you are always twisting and turning. To straighten the plane they play a movie and make people close the shades.

In extreme situations, they serve drinks on one side of the plane to help redistribute weight and level the plane.

4) Speaking about weight, people of size are carefully monitored because too much weight can crash our fragile flights. To limit weight on flights, large people are charged double the rate so that second seat won't be used and the weight is distributed evenly. I don't agree with this, but they won't let me fly the thing (and I've asked!).

5) Airlines are afraid that the plane might tip if too many people walk around and shift the balance of the plane. THAT is why they cordon off 1st class. You know that 1st class is where all the actors and famous people sit. The airlines put up a curtain so you won't see who is up there, and that limits all of coach from all moving forward to get autographs. That shift in weight to the front of the plane could cause really bad problems! This can be proven if on your next flight you can get a bunch of your fellow coach passengers to try to move up to 1st class. I'll guarantee that they will tell you that if you all don't go back and sit down, that the plane will be forced to land immediately! They really ARE that fragile!

6) Sometimes the stewardesses and crew get on the wrong flights. Watch at the gate. They come down through the terminal, all chatty and without even looking at the gate information, grab some papers to read and head on down to the plane. The rest of us are forced to stare at the screens and weather maps of our destination for hours. We, the ticketed masses, are screened and screened again. Gate agents may grill us on where we are going and we are tested on how we will get there. Half of us have our names up on the screen or are called to the counter just to ensure we are on the proper flight. Then we go to board and they check every ticket and sometimes we have to show picture ID.

Not the crew though. I have heard crewmembers quiz each other just to make sure they are on the right flight. "Where are you going tonight?" "Oh, I thought I would go to the French Quarter for drinks." The stewardess asking, you could see the wheels turning, French Quarter, maybe New Orleans, hmmm, is that the flight I'm supposed to be on??? Sometimes, they have to ask. "This is your flight crew. Is everyone on this flight going to New Orleans?

7) Sometimes the flights never really have to power to leave the ground. They taxi and taxi until people pull the shades down, then they just roll the plane down the interstate when the shades are all drawn. You KNOW this happens! Sometimes there is construction. They call this "air turbulence". You and I both know there is nothing called air turbulence. I mean, air is not bumpy. When was the last time you were walking around the house and hit an "air pocket" one of those spaces where air is just really really heavy or really really light. If this was the case, you would see little tornados all around the house. Well wait, I DID see the dust bunnies swirling before, so maybe this is not a 100% given. I'll have to think on that one a bit more.

8) I have to describe this delicately, but I never use the restroom on a flight. I remember on the train when you used the "lav" and pressed the handle, you could see the train tracks below you. You were not allowed to use the thing in the station, for obvious reasons. Nuff said!

I could go on and on, but I am feeling a bit tired again. It was either the turkey or something they put in my mashed potatoes.... I'm really really tired. Can someone pull down the shade, I am headed for nirvana; or was that New Orleans???? Oh stewardess.....

AIRcop

Is there any scientific evidence or emperical credible data that really shows that any electronic device 'may interefere' with the aircrafts instruments? Or, are all these rules to keep junk out of your hands and laps in case of an emergency? If its really the latter, why can't they just say this. If there isn't any former, for example, why lie?

sperberj

Quick check and search of FAA.gov for any recent final rules or clarifications on headphones. Often an FA may cite a "FAA rule" in support of their command to a passenger. If is is the simple no electronic equipment below 10,000 rule, so be it (often I have been told "anything with an on off switch" must be turned off).

mikey1003

I would think that more RF is generated by the 100 plus electronic watches, 5-6 hearing aids,1-2 pacemakers and the idiot that forgets to turn off his phone!

MikenFla

Seems like a double standard....Delta as well as most airlines accept advertising money from Bose for their headphones in Sky Miles,etc.
Maybe they now need to give up the ad dollars or put a disclaimer regarding the 10,000 ft rule.

Nymph

Anyone who quotes Sheriff Buford T. Justice is a friend of mine!

In regards to ComAirKid's suggestion of the Shure E2c or E3c, how comfortable are these? I just keep thinking back to the earbuds that I had for my cd player. They would make my ears really sore if I wore them too long. But then, they didn't cost $150 either!

I do like how they are non-power devices though! At this point in my life, I'm trying to be more conscious about my energy using choices.

indufan

Amen

F77

So we will all have to take screw drivers onboard.

I wonder what will be next. How many of you have digital watches. They prey tell too are digital/electronic. I bet even the pilots wear them .

Can you just imagine the FA going round removing the batteries for every one prior to take off and then putting them back in for them ....

Just when you thought things could not get any worse along came the FAA.

JS

Of course it's a stupid rule. What you need to do is figure out a way to conceal the headphones (some combination of hat and shirt collar, maybe?)

Photos from my digital camera look a lot better when we're closer to the ground, and I am not about to let some stupid rules get in my way.

indufan

It's going to have to be a helluva hat to cover those Bose QCIIs.

Spiff

Yes!

It's been proven in the same experiment that proved that monkeys 'may fly out of my butt'.

indufan

No wonder that datespiff.org website never worked.

Flying_Duck

Myself having been one of those "idoits" for sheer lack of remembering - I'll bet that on any given flight with 100+ people at least a dozen of cell phones are inadvertently kept "on". If this posed any real risk, the cell phones would be considered "weapons of mass distru(a)ction", banned and confiscated by the TSA along with the nail-clippers and the third lighter!!

I suspect, that given the whimsical, illogical "rules" and the inconsistency with which they are applied and enforced, what we paxes experience is the "happy" marriage of controlfreak regulators with controlfreak flight crews!!

And all we can do about it is to roll our eyes, comply or pretend to comply and cheat - and vent about it here!!