ryans18

I just boarded flt 2835 from LGB to PHX. I'm seated in F and was the second person on the plane. I pulled out my laptop to do some work during boarding while enjoying my PDB. After bringing me my drink, I was told by the FA that my laptop needed to be off. I asked "can't I use it during boarding?" To which she replied, "it needs to be off now that you're on the plane."

I stowed it, as nothing I was doing was urgent and my phone works just as we'll for what I needed to accomplish (after this post).

My question is: was she citing regulation? Have I just been conditioned to use my laptop by lax FAs in the past?

And second: what should my compensation be? (Kidding!)

Sam I Am

I've heard some FAs indicate this (though I haven't tried it) - it seems similar to the rules that only handheld electronic devices are allowed after landing.

cwe84

Republic operated flights on the East side. We ask that you stow all portable electronic device except cell phones. Its in our boarding announcements. As we walk through we will politely ask that you finish up quickly so we can be ready to go.

phisher4

I can't wait until all this 'turn your electronics off' nonsense is over... C'mon FCC and FAA. Get together on this one!

chrisdenver1

From what I understand, ALL electronics are allowed until the main door is closed (or close to it). Once on the ground, only phones/hand-held-devices are allowed. I always assumed that the latter was in place to expedite deplaning.

tommyleo

Please explain how the second person to board a plane will slow up the boarding process ("so we can be ready to go") by using his laptop. In fact, please explain how allowing any passenger to use a laptop during boarding will slow the boarding process.

PHL

A US FA will need to chime in here about the official company policy which they are trained to enforce, as this becomes regulatory in the eyes of the FAA.

The OP is in a no win situation. The FA gives an order and the passenger is required to comply, regardless whether they feel the request is unreasonable or not. Passengers are obligated to comply with crew instructions. Period. If you have an issue with it, write a letter to consumer affairs. But there's no point in putting up a stink on the plane because the next step is that the FA tells the Captain you are being difficult. Then you're on the jetway talking to the cops while the rogue FA and plane pull away.

cwe84

I never said the boarding process now did I. Please dont put words in my statements. I said so we can be ready to go... I cant tell you how many times we have missed our take off slot at DCA because of a elite being on their laptop/cell/phone/ipad.... you name it. We ask that you turn them off prior to closing the main cabin door.

The Flight in question was an express flight so it is up to that operating carrier (I believe Mesa) and their operating certification.

Honestly I have never understood why Americans (and it is a broad generalization I know but a proven one) always want to be more productive and get that last minute or two done. What has that gotten you? Really 2 more minutes on your laptop is going to make or break you? If it is then why did you book the flight so close... Take a note from our European friends.... Work to Live not live to work.... That same work will still be there after 10k ft and will still be there when you land... And maybe just maybe someone else will handle it because they know your on an airplane... Sit back and relax and enjoy that PDB....

Believe me I am all for getting my work done... Like many of my co-workers I have other interests (school as a student and teaching, a non-profit, a business) that I have to take care of... But my time in the air is my time away from that part of my life... I budget my time around my schedule and make the most of that. My work will still be there on the ground... But I wont be as rushed to finish it...

LM225

I can appreciate your point (and certainly the one about folks holding up departure with their electronic devices). I also have many other interests, and when I'm flying for leisure, I much prefer to read a book or watch movies during my flight. However, most of my travel is for work, and it's done on days when I'm working. I, as I'm sure many on here do, bill for my time, so every six minutes I get to work on the plane is worth something to me. Simply assigning the work to someone else does me (and my clients) no good. Since it's a business day, I'd like to spend as much of it as I can actually working, rather than enjoying the flight as a respite from my job.

Those 20-30 minutes (and often longer) between the closing of the exit door and hitting 10K feet, if the work that I'm doing requires a computer, are a relatively significant (but obviously necessary, at least per current regulations) inconvenience that disrupt my workday and cost me money. If I'm taking a leisure trip, it's a completely different story and I'm more inclined to take your approach above.

As I said, I appreciate that you and your colleagues have a job to do in getting the airplane ready to go. And I always respectfully turn off my electronics when the exit door closes (and in cases like the OP's, earlier than that); I've never had to be told twice. But I don't see any reason why, having boarded early, I can't continue to use my laptop and get work done until that time; it takes me no longer to power down my laptop than it takes anyone else to power off their phones.

IADCAflyer

Holy crap, did you just lecture us on time management and work ethics? Take a hint - the European economy is currently in the $hitter because they take a very lax worth ethic. Just look at the recent article about a major tire producer that refused to continue operating a French tire factory because the French workers spent well over 50% of their time not working (not to mention the 35 hour work week).

If a client needs something urgently and comes up as I'm boarding (as it actually did this past monday), its my job to try in my best professional capacity to be responsive. And if it takes two extra minutes, so be it.

aztimm

Mod note: I just cleaned up a few posts in this thread that were either degrading and/or responses to it.

As a reminder, if you see something that you feel doesn't belong, please DO NOT quote and/or reply to it. To the bottom left of every post is a caution triangle. If you click it, you'll be taken to a screen to put in comments as to why you feel the post is inappropriate. All this then gets sent to the forum mods to review.

Thanks.



aztimm

Biggie Fries

It's true that labor supply is generally lower in Europe than in the US, mostly because of less working post age 60 or so; less female labor in some countries; and, yes, in France, a shorter work week for those for whom it is regulated.

But the evidence for lack of productivity during work is slim, and as Europeans go, the French are among the most productive per hour worked. It's a bit old, and you can Google for your own data, but check out this or, for some propaganda that the WSJ was willing to countenance , this.

Now, back on-topic: There are great points about wanting to get work done, the silliness of specific rules, and so on. Still, I prefer to look at (what I think is) the bigger picture: An airline is a complex organization tasked with a job that, when not done right, can have absolutely disastrous consequences. Although I do not think that powering up or down a machine will precipitate those disastrous consequences -- please don't draw me into that argument -- I am sympathetic to the idea that people tasked with a lot of things to do might make some decisions and requests that are sub-optimal locally. But, they are in charge, at least at that point, and I would prefer that we not distract folks from the crucial issues...

Such as: Restoring the PHL envoy club; a US (or AA) club at LAS; getting the cards to us on time; and not upgrading everybody automatically to row 1.

cwe84

I did just lecture on time management. One of the many topics that I cover when I teach business courses.... Matter of fact I wrote several papers on time management and work ethic during my courses for my MBA. Amazing what you actually learn when you delve into all those little intricacies.

The fact is that some airlines ask that you stow all your electronics before closing the main cabin door. In the interest of treating ever single passenger fairly we ask all passengers to do it. I dont play favorites when I am walking through I say something like fair warning or time to wrap it up. Obviously nicer but you get the point.

Sam I Am

Yes, come to think of it, the times I remember hearing that were all on Republic operated flights - Thanks for the clarification.

aztimm

Ok, even after a warning people continue to not follow the rules. Closing this thread.



aztimm