Passenger removed for using phone
May 20, 2019, 7:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco
Programs: 1K 2.2MM
Posts: 2,352
Passenger removed for using phone
I was on Ua 922 today. Door closed, safety briefing.... FA walks down aisle to check belts. Tells a passenger to shut his phone off. Didn't hear his exact response but sounded like he says he's not really talking on it or something. She says "excuse me?" Heads to cockpit. Door opens. Plane door opens. Pilot says we have to take care of a matter. Ground agents come on and ask man to deplane, which he does without a fuss. First time I've seen this.... And I've seen worse abusers of phones later in takeoff process than this...
May 20, 2019, 7:16 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,038
glad they are finally addressing this problem. A few more reports of this type might actually fix this annoying issue. ^ for the FA to teach this pax a valuable lesson.
May 20, 2019, 7:17 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,923
May 20, 2019, 7:18 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
Was the phone in airplane mode? AFAIK all USA carriers allow this at any time.
May 20, 2019, 7:20 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
It's the normal procedure. The passenger should follow all crew instructions, otherwise, they could be offloaded before departure.
Indeed, that passenger should have finished his phone call when the doors are closed and switch it to airplane mode. ( US Federal Law ) The safety briefing takes around 3-4 minutes. He had 5 minutes to hang up his call and go texting instead as audio calls from the airplane Wi-Fi is not either permitted. I don't want to misjudge that passenger but probably he had money to spend on a walk-in ticket for the next flight to his final destination.
Indeed, that passenger should have finished his phone call when the doors are closed and switch it to airplane mode. ( US Federal Law ) The safety briefing takes around 3-4 minutes. He had 5 minutes to hang up his call and go texting instead as audio calls from the airplane Wi-Fi is not either permitted. I don't want to misjudge that passenger but probably he had money to spend on a walk-in ticket for the next flight to his final destination.
May 20, 2019, 7:26 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,038
May 20, 2019, 7:29 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco
Programs: 1K 2.2MM
Posts: 2,352
May 20, 2019, 7:42 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
These should be the same for United flights. This image is from the American Way Magazine May 2019 edition.
May 20, 2019, 7:44 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Was the guy taking on his phone? Was it obviously not in airplane mode?
You haven't had to turn your phone off on a plane in... what? 6 years?
You haven't had to turn your phone off on a plane in... what? 6 years?
May 20, 2019, 7:48 pm
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
May 20, 2019, 7:50 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
It's the same for United. The image below is taken from the Hemispheres Magazine March 2019 edition.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 20, 2019 at 8:29 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
May 20, 2019, 8:00 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SLC
Programs: United Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 768
I suspect the FA was reacting to what was said, which was obviously not innocuous.
May 20, 2019, 8:28 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,923
Phones are not off when the door is closed. They never need to be turned off. Maybe he was listening to music or a downloaded voice message.
May 20, 2019, 8:33 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
EDIT: wait a second. I may have flown with this FA before. I was on IAH to RDU and my seatmates across the aisle were chatting as we taxied to the runway.
FA comes by and asks in an uppity tone "Are you on your PHONE?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!"
My seatmates glare at the FA. "Uh, no?"
The FA walks away, ashamed she couldn't power trip as hard as she fantasized.
Last edited by davie355; May 20, 2019 at 8:40 pm
May 20, 2019, 8:35 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
I would hope it was more egregious than simply "in a minute" as a response to "please turn off your phone". I get the desire to have everyone comply with the law, even one that isn't actually meaningfully reducing risk, but the potential for massive amounts of wasted time for all passengers if airlines start returning to the gate every time a passenger doesn't flip to airplane mode immediately isn't something I look forward to.