Turning Mobiles ON before getting off the Plane…
By Ben Robinson on Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 4:37 PM PST In Ideas and rants, Random, Telecommunications
Hoorah, it’s time for ‘Ben’s pet peeves’ number #147…..
How many of you have been on a flight where the cabin crew make you aware that you are not to turn on devices until you leave the plane? And how many of you have also seen people turning on devices the second the plane touches the tarmac? I bet it’s the same number in both cases there!
Yes, it’s those people that consider it their prerogative to switch on devices before they have been advised to, and that co-incidentally are the same people that undo their seatbelts, and start getting their luggage down before the plane has stopped moving.
Now, in that class of people, I would further differentiate:
- the ‘sneaky’ – hides the phone under his/her leg or clothing, sets it to silent, and lets it start collecting messages
- the ‘oh I forgot it was on’ – phone starts beeping (after he/she turns it on) and then feigns surprise (including vocal expression usually) that the device is on
- the ‘blatant’ – the person that turns their phone on quite clearly in view of people, and often has all the alert noises set the highest, so the whole plane can hear. Often takes a call if one comes in, often starts making them too
The question is now, what do we do with them? Should we put up with them? Or should they be dealt with harshly for flouting the airline’s safety rules? For what it’s worth, I vote the latter!
Ben
Please tell me the ’safety’ reason for having a mobile phone switched off before the cabin door is opened!? I know of no one who obeys this silly rule!
I however agree with you on the idiots who get up before the plane has stopped moving, also the idioys who get up the very moment they are allowed to – it only ensures they have to stand for 5 mins in the aisle- why do they bother!?
Wow. At least it’s #147. I have to say that I must be a ‘blatant’ one because I don’t buy at all the idea that me turning my phone on while it’s taxiing (i am even skeptical about in flight but i am not willing to ‘risk’ that) would be anymore harmful to the plane that any danger inherent in it existing or moving at all. So I am skeptical and don’t buy the airlines’ line but am surprised to find that you as a Mobile-savvy person not only cares but actually are bugged by it is quite surprising. That you want to somehow punish or ‘deal with them harshly’ borders on ridiculous.
The second part about people getting up and all that is also another thing that can go for long along with people who use a merge lane all the way until the merge point. There is data or research somewhere that seems to indicate that traffic flows faster when everyone is ready when it’s their turn to go rather than waiting for your turn before getting your bag etc. Once again, my logic is more, those who want to get up should and those who don’t shouldn’t. Doesn’t that sound fair? Or should those folks be dealt with harshly as well?
I get up to get my stuff in the overhead storage bin and then sit back down. I find it funny that some people remain standing, some with heads kinked to the side underneath the storage bin, until the line starts to move.
As soon as the line moves, I just get up and work my way into the “queue.”
Not sure which country you’re referring to which requires “not to turn on devices until you leave the plane”. In the US you are required to turn phones off as soon as the door closes (prior to takeoff) but you’re permitted to turn phones on as soon as the plane hits the ground on landing. However, I’m also curious why it’s ok to have all those little RF transmitters blasting away on landing and taxiing to the gate but it’s not OK to have them transmitting prior to takeoff.
Anyway, just saying maybe people in your country don’t realize that it’s against the rules. And I guarantee you they don’t listen to the crew instructions.
I’m totally the sneaky
“I know of no one who obeys this silly rule! ”
–> What is REALLY the gain (minutes) of turning on the phone earlier?
Same thing with people standing up and waiting: “heads kinked to the side underneath the storage bin”. Are they also gaining more valuable TIME?
YES – People truly are – SILLY!
The “safety” aspect of mobile phone use on planes is an old wives tale. It was originally put in place because network operators could not bill accurately for the roaming usage. Network operators told the FAA to ban the practice and the FAA concocted that it was a safety issue and the ban went into place. There are so many RF signals (hello search radar!) in the airport that mobile phone use makes absolutely no difference. I totally agree with the annoying aspects of mobile use in the air and totally support a ban on inflight calls (data is ok). But to claim it’s a safety issue is pointless.
Vesaki,
the point is not why. The point is more about how some rules — like this one in question — makes no sense. Why some people need to get it going on right away is neither here nor there. For me it’s a mood thing. There are times I totally forget and I don’t turn my phone on until I get to the car, sometimes I need to check right away. It’s not important why. What’s important is whether it matters enough to waste everyone’s time and cause even more aggravation over something that truly affects no one except those who are looking to be p1ssed off at something.
Please tell my why having your phone affects navigation on the tarmac? same for ‘electronic devices’ … yet we can use our stuff in the air.
Big con.
Although I have to say, I’m pleased no one is allowed to yabber on the phone in the air
I heard somewhere that the reason for switching off mobiles on flights was that it confuses the GSM system, rather than interfering with the flight systems.
If we look from a technical viewpoint, we can understand why: As a mobile phone moves from cell to cell it carries out a “handover” sequence between the current base station and the new station. with many phones on a (fast) moving aeroplane this floods the GSM system and interrupts service for other users.
Some airlines have started offering mobile phone services in-flight by having a low-powered GSM base station installed IN the plane; this handles calls and transmits them (somehow) to the ground-based system. (http://tinyurl.com/cwkt2p and http://tinyurl.com/bqpe6x)