FAM orders no pics?
 

Interesting comment over on the UA forum about a FAM ordering a PAX to not take pics. Is this an actual law?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=544568

Here's the relevant part of the post:

Surprising occurence on this flight was I was up taking pictures outside of the Rockies, the seats, my wife, etc. when a FAM caught me from behind, pulled me to the front galley and forcefully told me I couldn't take pictures inside the airplane. I just told him I would show him the pictures and he could erase whatever he thought was inappropriate, but this was all outside the window and of where we were sitting, not the flight deck door or anything like that. After he sat back down and fell back asleep (completely serious) the FAs apologized to me and wanted to figure out what was happening...they were just as surprised as I was.

Next Monday Mrs. GRE and I will be in the UD for the first time ever. Of course I want a pic.

Deleted

So how do people take photos of their airplane food? Many trip reports have photos inside the plane. Travelling around Asia, it is very common for people to take photos of themselves in the plane.

I've been on planes where they have said it is not allowed to take photos outside the plane (e.g. when flying into Vietnam IIRC) but that was always announced by the cabin crew and always referred to photos outside.

Is it a law or isn't it?
On WN, in their Spirit magazine, they have a photo contest, looking for the best photo taken from a plane.

NOTE: this was not me, I picked the info up on the UA forum.

I just want to know if this is a law or not?

I don't know about UA but AA specifically prohibits taking pictures of their equipment, staff, etc. There is (or at least was) a blurp about this in their in-flight magazine.

This is not a "law". Some airlines may have their own rules, which of course they have every right too.

Taking obvious pictures of security procedures, such as walking up and taking specific photo's of the hardened cockpit door and operations of such may get some questions asked. If these questions are asked by a FAM it would be after landing, unless that person is causing somekind of extreme disturbance and the flight crew asks for help, or the FAM feels that intervention is needed.

As Bart said, if it was a FAM (very unlikely) they need to move on, take a vacation, whatever.

It's most certainly not a law, and I would wonder if this person was really a FAM or not. If so, he should be fired for breaking cover and abusing authority. If not, he should be arrested for impersonating a federal officer.

Deleted

The thing to do in a circumstance like this is to say "what is the name of the law you feel I am breaking?"

Homer Photo Contest, anyone?
 

Perhaps it was to scare the pax to quite taking pictures because the FAM wanted to take a nap and did not want accidental documentation of his big breaking of the FAM rules?

Can airlinefood and FT co sponsor a photo contest? First person to produce a picture of a FAM eating a donut inflight wins. :D

As grahamb said "I've been on planes where they have said it is not allowed to take photos outside the plane (e.g. when flying into Vietnam IIRC) but that was always announced by the cabin crew and always referred to photos outside."

I figured certain governments have photo bans on military type equipment, but they made no announcements the time I was leaving Hanoi on Vietnam Airlines. ;) I took a quick pic out the window from my window seat. The FA spotted me and came over, shook her finger "No Pictures". I nodded, put my camera away, that satisfied her and she left. For a moment there I thought I might find out what a genuine Communist SSSS was like. :D

They say the photo bans are to protect "military secrets". I think it is something else: preventing embarassment. HAN is a small airport, you can see everything there as you taxi out. I'd be embarassed, too, to let people take pics of the fact that the Military Might at the airbase guarding my capitol city consisted of ONE shabby looking MIG. :D

No. Before asking that question (or any other question), you must ask for the individual's name and badge number -- and you must see the badge with your own eyes. This guy almost certainly was a fraud. The fact that he fell asleep is additional evidence to that effect.

Bruce

No Federal statute prohibits this and no state, county or city ones either AFAIK. As mentioned, one airline in particular is AAnal* about it, all the rest don't seem to care.

Was a badge even shown ? I'm reminded of that idiot on one episode of Airline wearing an NYPD teeshirt who tried to pass himself off as a FAM. Got re-educated by real cops real quick :D

* seems more of an intellectual property protection thing than anything to do with security, but who knows...

^

"May I see some ID please?"

It's not a law.

However, under the FAR, the airline could (in theory) prohibit it--some do.

My response to this fellow would have been that he better be prepared to have the plane diverted and hope that his agency has very good counsel.