"No computers in standby mode"
#31
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Posts: 637
No headphones of any type allowed in the UK I'm afraid on take off and landing. They are very strict about it. Your ability to take instructions from the crew in case of an emergency might be impaired is the reason, I imagine.
#32
Senior Moderator
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As the discussion has gotten away from UA and into domestic and international policies generally, please follow the thread to the TravelBuzz forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, United and TravelBuzz.
#33
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Posts: 3,159
I don't think that uses power. At least not according to the marketing materials. Supposedly it does not cost any battery power to maintain the image on the screen, since the ink particles stick magnetically and don't require continuous current. If so, then I think it counts as "completely off" since it's not using any power or doing anything, and clearing the screen doesn't actually make a difference.
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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The rule is "fully off". So, no they weren't powertripping, I got grief from a CO FA about that too 2 years ago on TLV-EWR.
Just put it in Standby before they come by and whine about it and you'll be OK. The rule is dumb. Just like the rule about fully off for iphones/bbs. As long as they're in airplane mode, its all the same.
Just put it in Standby before they come by and whine about it and you'll be OK. The rule is dumb. Just like the rule about fully off for iphones/bbs. As long as they're in airplane mode, its all the same.
#35
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
I don't expect the FAs to know the difference, but at least from the technical perspective, one is shutting your computer's power off, and the other is not.
The rule is "POWERED OFF". I don't care if you think the rule is dumb; it's the rule. The snooty DYKWIA types are the ones who think the rules don't apply to them, and that their need for electronics supersedes everyone else's need for safety.
#36
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DAY, CMH, IND, SDF, CVG
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Posts: 392
I had the FAs tell me several times about NC headsets, even when I had them turned off during take-off. I relented and don't use them until cruise altitude now.
The people that refuse to turn off the laptops or cell phones but the heck out of me. I see guys try to hide their laptops when the FA does the final aisle check before takeoff and they whip them out to get one or two e-mails done. I sat next to an idiot with two blackberries on my last flight that never did turn them off and kept trying to get e-mail on them during take off, throughout the flight, and during landing.
Why are some people so stupid? The rules don't cover them? I wanted to slap him.
The people that refuse to turn off the laptops or cell phones but the heck out of me. I see guys try to hide their laptops when the FA does the final aisle check before takeoff and they whip them out to get one or two e-mails done. I sat next to an idiot with two blackberries on my last flight that never did turn them off and kept trying to get e-mail on them during take off, throughout the flight, and during landing.
Why are some people so stupid? The rules don't cover them? I wanted to slap him.
#37
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
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Posts: 5,893
The situation with electronics on planes reminds me of trivial little middle school student handbook rules -- there were annoying kids who flaunted the rules To Be Different, annoying kids who proudly complied with the rules To Protect School Safety, annoying instructors who enforced the rules To The Letter (in retrospect, maybe they just needed an excuse to maintain discipline in the classroom), and a vast majority of consumers who barely noticed anything was going on and who forgot entirely about the pointlessness of the system as soon as it stopped affecting them.
With a system like that, there's absolutely no incentive for the frivolous rules to go away, and I doubt they ever will.
With a system like that, there's absolutely no incentive for the frivolous rules to go away, and I doubt they ever will.
#38
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA 1P, Hertz 5-Star, Hilton Gold
Posts: 100
That being said, there is one area most folks don't realize there is something vital about all that theatre and b.s. the FAs come up with - your attention span. During taxi to takeoff, and landing, are the most critical times for plane operations with the highest potential for incidents (like bumping into another airplane, etc.). The crew is responsible for making sure you are safe, and for giving you instructions in the event of an incident. Thankfully they are so rare none of us common travelers think about it, but some crafty planners have.
The easiest way to get and keep your attention is to reduce distractions like phones, laptops and other items.
Of course there is the other aspect of laptops, that they are heavy, sometimes metal cased, and not tethered to your body. If the plane were to stop suddenly, such as by accidentally bumping into the ditch on the side of a taxiway many laptops would go flying if they were out and on the laps of busy travelers. Forcing you to turn it off would I suppose make it far less likely you to surreptitiously pull it back out when the FA returns to his/her seat to strap in for their own safety...
#39
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 121
It's a no-win situation for the FA's. If another passenger saw the FA letting someone put his/her laptop into standby instead of full shut-down, there will probably be a new thread here called "FA didn't enforce FAA rules by making passengers do full shut-down of laptop computer"
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: ATL
Programs: UA:MM 1K HH:Diamond IHG:Plat Marriott:Plat
Posts: 652
To the people saying that the FA was just doing his job, I would like to explain that I was not feeling entitled or something like that. Putting the computer into standby seemed to be enough until yesterday, I was wondering if there has been a change in policy. If the answer is that the FA was diligently enforcing policy, that is good enough for me.
#41
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, VS Silver, Marriott Ambassador, HH diamond IHG plat
Posts: 637
And another thing...in UK on BA we are never told we have to turn everything OFF, just that if the device has a flight safe mode, it should be enabled prior to departure, and any device that sends or receives calls or data (such as bluetooth, texts, wifi etc) should be switched off unless it is in flight-safe mode. It is irritating when some jokers like to leave their blackberries on silent. One day I will say something!
#42
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
That being said, there is one area most folks don't realize there is something vital about all that theatre and b.s. the FAs come up with - your attention span. During taxi to takeoff, and landing, are the most critical times for plane operations with the highest potential for incidents (like bumping into another airplane, etc.). The crew is responsible for making sure you are safe, and for giving you instructions in the event of an incident. Thankfully they are so rare none of us common travelers think about it, but some crafty planners have.
The easiest way to get and keep your attention is to reduce distractions like phones, laptops and other items.
Of course there is the other aspect of laptops, that they are heavy, sometimes metal cased, and not tethered to your body. If the plane were to stop suddenly, such as by accidentally bumping into the ditch on the side of a taxiway many laptops would go flying if they were out and on the laps of busy travelers. Forcing you to turn it off would I suppose make it far less likely you to surreptitiously pull it back out when the FA returns to his/her seat to strap in for their own safety...
The easiest way to get and keep your attention is to reduce distractions like phones, laptops and other items.
Of course there is the other aspect of laptops, that they are heavy, sometimes metal cased, and not tethered to your body. If the plane were to stop suddenly, such as by accidentally bumping into the ditch on the side of a taxiway many laptops would go flying if they were out and on the laps of busy travelers. Forcing you to turn it off would I suppose make it far less likely you to surreptitiously pull it back out when the FA returns to his/her seat to strap in for their own safety...
And another thing...in UK on BA we are never told we have to turn everything OFF, just that if the device has a flight safe mode, it should be enabled prior to departure, and any device that sends or receives calls or data (such as bluetooth, texts, wifi etc) should be switched off unless it is in flight-safe mode. It is irritating when some jokers like to leave their blackberries on silent. One day I will say something!
#43
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: OSH/ATW
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Posts: 258
I would consider him not allowing you to shut down the computer gracefully a "powertrip". Was he going to call the police when you landed if you didn't hard shut down?
#44
Formerly known as CollegeFlyer
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Second, what's the "MP"?
Thanks.
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: ATL
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He was not, but I had read the story about the iPad and the no-fly list and I was not going to take any chances