JetAirways77W

Going BOS-SFO-KOA-LAX-IAH-BOS in Y on the 18th. I want to take some photos for a TR, but I'm confused about UA's photo policy. Reporters like @LPDAL have taken photos without any issues, but then there's @MatthewLAX, a 1K getting kicked off of a UA flight in BE for taking photos...

Does the photo policy say that all photos are prohibited or only ones including people are forbidden? I'm really confused about this.

RandomBaritone

The official policy printed in the Hemispheres magazine is as follows:

"The use of still and video cameras, film or digital, including any cellular or other devices that have this capability, is permitted only for recording of personal events. Photography or audio or video recording of other customers without their express prior consent is strictly prohibited. Also, unauthorized photography or audio or video recording of airline personnel, aircraft equipment or procedures is always prohibited. Any photography (video or still) or voice or audio recording or transmission while on any United Airlines aircraft is strictly prohibited, except to the extent specifically permitted by United Airlines."

There is no FAA regulation involved. It is simply UA's policy. But the best way to think of it is like speeding. If you're only going five miles an hour over the posted limit, 99% of police won't pull you over. Same goes for discreet photos of the seat, cabin, or food. But if you photograph the FAs as they work, you're more likely to be confronted.

Then there's that 1% of FAs who are either looking to make trouble or who have a personal dislike of being photographed, even innocently. That seems to have been what happened to @MatthewLAX.

In sum, as with so much in life, YMMV. Be discreet, and don't point your camera at any FAs, and you probably won't have any problems.

mgcsinc

The sign says "Speed Limit 55," but I always go 65 and don't get a ticket. I don't find that confusing, though...

Life is full of rules that are only enforced some of the time. Seeing rules enforced against Bob but not against Sally really shouldn't be that confusing.

The UA photo rule is very strict, but is almost never enforced. What happened to MatthewLAX is very unfortunate, but ultimately not that typical.

sbm12

There's a lot more to the story than that.

Don't point the camera at employees and don't fight with them should the FA question you. I take hundreds of photos on planes across all airlines and I've never had a problem which couldn't be easily resolved with a brief conversation. And even those situations are ridiculously rare. Most FAs simply don't care.

But don't try to take pictures of others unless you've asked in advance.

SFflyer123

Agree. If they say, "put that away", be done with it and chalk it up to relaxing on the plane without photos. If you start discreetly shooting photos after they say, "no", or if you starting fighting with them (like when a police officer pulls you over), you're going to lose. Just put the camera in your bag and relax.

Try never to capture faces of people, and try to be discreet. Don't photo for 30 seconds with your hands up in the air like a tourist shooting pictures of the stature of liberty. Just photo your food, seat, etc., and you should be fine.

sinoflyer

I am of the attitude of Photograph First, Apologize Later.

I have many photos of UA aircraft interior, including a miniature lei on a Hawaii flight and the steel wall panel of the old p.s. 757. Only once I was told, quite sternly, "you cannot take pictures." I just returned to my seat (without even needing to apologize as it turned out), and nothing happened.

nachosdelux

In my humble opinion, it is polite to ask for permission first.

sinoflyer

I do always ask for permission when photographing people and private homes. However, on an aircraft where the public/private issue is less clear cut, IMO sometimes it is better not to ask too many questions first.

I once did an NPR documentary by going into a supermarket with a recorder in hand (to get the ambient noise that provides the signature background sound of NPR reports). We had a goal to accomplish, and we felt that we didn't need to rile the suspicion of the supermarket when the topic at hand didn't specifically pertain to that supermarket at all. My attitude is similar with obtaining photos for a personal travel report.

RNE

I took a picture of the sundae trolly and was told by a flight cyborg that "You're not allowed to take photographs of airplane equipment." Yeah, really!

RNE, apoplectic.

1K-SFO

I recently managed to get a last-minute, highly unlikely standby seat, in the last minutes of boarding. I was assigned the very last aisle seat on an A319 -- right ahead of the lavs and the galley.

I snapped a pic of the seat from 2 rows ahead of it, standing in the aisle. I sent it to a friend to say "I made it on the flight -- but look at this horrible seat!" Once in my seat, I stuck my arm into the aisle and took a photo straight up the aisle to further send to the friend with a joking comment along the lines of "as 1K I'm not used to being so far back." There were no UA staff in the photo -- indeed, it was pretty much just backs of heads.

An FA approached me from the galley and told me I can't take photos at all on board -- not allowed -- and that I'd need to delete those. I didn't protest -- obviously not worth it. She did go on to say the laughable thing that "this is because they don't want people photographing staff ID badges and then counterfeiting them at home."

Mike Jacoubowsky

I take a *lot* of photos while flying, sometimes not very incognito. There really isn't anything of value from an intellectual property standpoint, and the security issues is overblown. Effective security should always have some random element to it, such that documentation of procedures might lead someone into a trap. Hopefully that's how it's done; nothing more effective than FUD (Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt) to cause a plan to fail.

The real issue is personal privacy. If someone's just part of the background, it's no different than a camera filming a story and you notice "I'm on TV!" when you get home. You have no reasonable expectation of privacy in that situation. Nor do you if a tourist is snapping photos and you're in their picture.

Of course, flying, you're the "guest" of the airline, and they're free to make up their own rules. But these days, with every cell phone and tablet capable of taking photos, and the new rules which allow you to use them pretty much through the entire flight, it's absurd to think you can stop it (picture taking) from happening. The best you can hope for is that people will use common sense and not take pictures of private moments.

Me? Sorry, I couldn't resist this one. Saw the badge and wondered if her first name was "Just." As for the idea that I'm creating a security issue by showing an "official badge" for the Cusco airport, I think I'd just go to wherever they contract to have their uniforms cleaned and steal one. Probably pretty easily done.

Liz

If you're taking a pic of the seat, food, no problem. Other pax or staff I would have an issue. Plus, it's polite to ask first.

username

If any FA gives you trouble, just say "Oh, I thought it was encouraged since the guy [on the LAS double decker bus] in the safety demo video does it"

Mike Jacoubowsky

You can joke about that, but it's relevant, because it represents and reinforces a sense of what's normal.

Liz

O/T
It's been discussed and we (fas) all agree it was a completely inappropriate addition to the video.