Approaches for dealing with 'electronic devices off'

[Justinf]

Was on the MEL-CBR service at 1.35pm today.
Seated in 4C and an older couple were opposite. I saw the older gentleman put his mobile and his iPad onto flight mode but he didn't turn the devices off. He stowed them in his hand luggage which was stashed under his seat.
Do I have a quiet word to the person and remind him of the rules or do I tell the FA or do I ignore it altogether
This is the dilemma I faced.

 

[medhead]

A lot of people don't know how to turn off iphones/pads. You could use the angle. Maybe openly switch off your similar device so they can see what to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[Justinf]

re: The Dilemma [PED's on/off during various flight stages?]

I switched my mobile off while seated when the door closed and the guy next to me said 'Oh yeah, I should do that too.'
It makes me wonder how many devices are left on.
I am usually so cough about things like that, but I decided to let it go. If it was so utterly important, they would confiscate our mobiles and ipods upon boarding.
It's a strange one though. I would really like to hear other people's opinions.
In the US, one guys opposite me was talking on his mobile while we were ito our climb out of LAX. I did something about it then.

 

[exRAAF]

I have noticed more and more pax keeping electronic devices (e.g. BBs, iPhones, iPads) on and active when crew ask that they are switched off. I usually see at least one or two around me, and generally, they look like frequent business travellers.

I understand there is no direct link between emitted RF and interference with onboard systems, but my preference is not to be onboard the first instance! So I'm hoping not to open a debate about whether they should or should not be allowed on. I'm interested in whether fellow AFFers feel the same as me, and if so, if you have any approaches to dealing with offenders without receiving a hostile response?

E.g. If someone doesn't turn their device off, my approach is usually:
1. Let it go unnoticed during pushback
2. Politely ask/say that I noticed their device is still on during taxi, which usually prompts them to turn off
3. Haven't seen anyone with their device on during takeoff/landing, but next step would likely be to call an FA (not sure how this can be done discreetly)

Thanks.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I just stare at their device, particularly good on iPads and other Tablets.. Doesn't normally work, but when I learn to transmit power by thought alone, then they'll be shocked.

 

[anat0l]

I haven't had to do it yet, but I'd be tempted to grab said device off the user, turn it off for them, and hand it back.


Lost that proposal you were working on? Too <insert adjective here> bad.

 

[eastwest101]

Maybe just comment to the person something like; "Cool - I didn't know those iThingy's/Mobile/device had a flight mode!"

That way it prompts them to really think about whether it should be in flight mode or completely off. Also gives them an out if they have genuinely forgotten about it.

 

[harvyk]

I've only ever come across it once (that I've noticed), and the flight crew where on it pretty quick. That said they did ask this DYKWIA 3 times to end his "very important phone call", each time he simply ignored them.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Maybe just comment to the person something like; "Cool - I didn't know those iThingy's/Mobile/device had a flight mode!"

That way it prompts them to really think about whether it should be in flight mode or completely off. Also gives them an out if they have genuinely forgotten about it.

It doesnt help the way that they make the announcements - "put the device into flight mode before turning it off"...I find this very ambiguous. If the device is in flight mode, then why turn it off? isnt' that what flight mode is for? and by off, do you mean, just press the button to put it into standby (turning just the screen off), or shut the whole thing down?

I've seen attendants actually stand beside a culprit watching them as they shut it down, but I don't intrepret the announcement that way.

 

[moa999]

The put the device into flight mode before turning it off, is so you dont light up with 3G / Bluetooth when you turn it back on.

I think standby is sufficient for laptops/tablets - indeed most new laptops (eg ultrabooks) just go into standby mode now.

 

[Fruitcake]

It doesnt help the way that they make the announcements - "put the device into flight mode before turning it off"...I find this very ambiguous. If the device is in flight mode, then why turn it off? isnt' that what flight mode is for? and by off, do you mean, just press the button to put it into standby (turning just the screen off), or shut the whole thing down?

I've seen attendants actually stand beside a culprit watching them as they shut it down, but I don't intrepret the announcement that way.

My assumption has been that the request to put it in flight mode before turning it off is so that all radios on the device are proactively disabled. ie when you do turn it on later, your smartphone won't boot up with wifi, bluetooth, cellphone, and NFC radios screaming at full volume for attention until you can get around to activating flight mode.

 

[SeatBackForward]

My assumption has been that the request to put it in flight mode before turning it off is so that all radios on the device are proactively disabled. ie when you do turn it on later, your smartphone won't boot up with wifi, bluetooth, cellphone, and NFC radios screaming at full volume for attention until you can get around to activating flight mode.

I completely understand flight mode to turn radios off, mind you you can use bluetooth and wifi once the seat belt sign is off..its the "turn off" part that I think is the questionable grey area.

I would be willing to wager a beer that there are people who turn off - as in simply turning off the screen - and NOT putting it into flight mode, you could get away with it by simply going into silent mode.

A much better announcement would be "If your device has flight mode, please enable it before placing your device in standby, all other electronic devices must be shut down or powered off"

 

[perh]

I think the announcement is quite clear: first put it into flight mode before powering it off so that it is in flight mode when you later power it on. However, I must admit that I am probably one of the people guilty of not shutting things off completely. I find it incredibly hard to believe that electronic devices would be allowed in the cabin if the risk of interference was of any significance whatsoever. Given that I am not allowed to take a clearly half-empty 110 ml tube of toothpaste into the cabin for fear of ... something, I conclude that customer electronics, operating or not, must be 100% safe, given that they are allowed. I am quite confident there are at least 5 or so phones/iPads/whatever not in flight mode on each flight I take.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Here's the Qantas FAQ site for those interested: Flying with Qantas | Inflight internet | Wifi | Mobile | Telecommmunications

 

[simongr]

Tough one for me. Given I don't think that there is a risk I can't be bothered to push it with other pax. I was gobsmacked though when the pax next to me didnt even put it into flight mode until half way through the flight...

 

[pat25d]

Tough one for me. Given I don't think that there is a risk I can't be bothered to push it with other pax. I was gobsmacked though when the pax next to me didnt even put it into flight mode until half way through the flight...

How many times did the plane crash while it wasn't in flight mode?

 

[Fruitcake]

I would be willing to wager a beer that there are people who turn off - as in simply turning off the screen - and NOT putting it into flight mode, you could get away with it by simply going into silent mode.

I'd wager you a carton of said beer that the majority of people are leaving flight mode off .

How many times did the plane crash while it wasn't in flight mode?

I assume none, but without the protection of flight mode, the iPhone crashed three times!

 

[dajop]

Interesting in China there is no such thing as flight mode. If it looks, sounds, feels or smells like a mobile phone it has to be off, flight mode or not. Of course if it doesn't look, sound, feel or smell like a mobile phone and has a set of headphones attached to it you can keep it on even during descent and landing.

 

[Homer]

I would be willing to wager a beer that there are people who turn off - as in simply turning off the screen - and NOT putting it into flight mode, you could get away with it by simply going into silent mode.

I've seen people do this. On a recent flight the middle-aged woman across the aisle from me had her white iPhone earphones in her ears and her iPhone tucked in beside her on the seat and she was listening to something right through the safety briefing. I could see that her phone was on for a little while before the screen blanked so, as the FA walked past, I told her that "the pax in 2C has her phone on".

Anyway the FA asked her to turn off her phone and she made a whole show about being surprised that it was on (even though she still had the earphones on) before pressing the screen lock button on the top and taking out her earphones. I could see that the phone hadn't been turned off - she had just locked the screen - and I told her so. I then offered to show her how to turn it off and she became a bit cranky with me and went ahead and turned it off properly herself. A little later, after the FAs took their seats for take-off, I glanced over and she had the bloody earphones back in her ears! I decided to let it go as I didn't want to be accused of harassing her.

So yeah...some people deliberately flout the rules.

 

[medhead]

Had a guy across the aisle not so long ago happily checking email and replying on his iPad (not in flight mode I looked) as we were passing over botany bay to land. I just told him to turn it off.

As for the turning off question. I'm sorry but what part of off don't people understand. Standby on iThings is not off. Pure and simple. iThings can be turned off and just putting them into standby is not turning them off.