Electronics

[Christoo]

This thread is not a complaint just some idle wondering.
I am loving having my phone and tablet on from gate to gate, it's a great alternative to IFE and it's constant interruptions.
Flight attendants are happy with my 12.2" tablet being on... But I have been told to switch off my 9" laptop.
I'm wondering if it's the keyboard offending them?

Is there a hard and fast rule on what qualifies as a "larger" device?

 

[opusman]

The statement is something along the lines of "...larger devices such as laptops...". Therefore it's not the size of the laptop but that it is a laptop that's important.

 

[farstar]

Coming back from NRT on QF last month on both takeoff and landing I was told to put my iPad air in the seat pocket. I sent a complaint to QANTAS as expressly allow. No Reply yet.

 

[mannej]

Coming back from NRT on QF last month on both takeoff and landing I was told to put my iPad air in the seat pocket. I sent a complaint to QANTAS as expressly allow. No Reply yet.

Not quite correct - there are situations where electronics will need to be turned off (you will find this in the Ask the pilot thread).

 

[samh004]

Flight attendants are happy with my 12.2" tablet being on... But I have been told to switch off my 9" laptop.

Is there a hard and fast rule on what qualifies as a "larger" device?

I guess it just comes down to perceived weight increases that laptops seem to convey. A stray tablet is perceived to cause less damage to your fellow pax if it gets loose than a stray laptop, despite the latter being smaller. IMO.

 

[Christoo]

I get the rules it would just make more sense to me to discriminate by weight rather than function.

 

[opusman]

I get the rules it would just make more sense to me to discriminate by weight rather than function.

How would the weight be assessed? The hosties would come around with a little set of scales to check?

 

[JessicaTam]

I get the rules it would just make more sense to me to discriminate by weight rather than function.

I think it is easier to manage if it is just: tablets good, laptops bad.

 

[Christoo]

How would the weight be assessed? The hosties would come around with a little set of scales to check?

Same way they do for cabin luggage... On that basis I should be able to bring a microwave

 

[kermatu]

As per usual, it seems to me it comes down to individual crew -- at least in J. While at most I only ever have my kindle out for take-off and landing (and have never had an issue), in the last month I have seen crew: allow ipads to be operating and on seat-back holders; laptops or ipads operating but only if held in the hand/lap (how that is safer in an emergency I don't know) or have all such devices off and stowed in pocket or overhead (including the supplied ipad in one instance!).

 

[ajd]

Official CASA guidance lists 1kg as the maximum weight limit for an unstowed device, as theoretical and empirical analysis shows that 2kg devices can cause injury during turbulance.

In practical terms, yeah, I can see why FAs are trained to simply distinguish between tablets and laptops no matter the actual weight.

 

[daturtle]

A laptop is more than likely just sitting on your lap 'unrestrained', where a tablet is actively being held with at least one hand?

 

[Buzzard]

I have a Microsoft Surface with optional keyboard.
If I have the keyboard attached it would probably be considered a laptop by an FA but if I removed the keyboard they would most likely think it a tablet.
Go figure.

 

[opusman]

I have a Microsoft Surface with optional keyboard.
If I have the keyboard attached it would probably be considered a laptop by an FA but if I removed the keyboard they would most likely think it a tablet.
Go figure.

Makes as much sense as the way they used to make me turn my Kindle "off" despite the fact it used no more power and emitted no more signals when off than when on. But them's the rules.

 

[farstar]

Not quite correct - there are situations where electronics will need to be turned off (you will find this in the Ask the pilot thread).

\

A person with an iPad mini next to me was allowed to keep using his. So not sure why an iPad would be different to an iPad mini.

 

[mannej]

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A person with an iPad mini next to me was allowed to keep using his. So not sure why an iPad would be different to an iPad mini.

You never volunteered that information in your first post, however the statement that QF expressly electronics gate-to-gate is not entirely correct.

 

[farstar]

You never volunteered that information in your first post, however the statement that QF expressly electronics gate-to-gate is not entirely correct.

If they made an announcement that electronic devices needed to be off I would comply obviously this was not the case.

 

[mannej]

If they made an announcement that electronic devices needed to be off I would comply obviously this was not the case.

Like I said, you never volunteered that information in your first post.

Unfortunately there isn't much a complaint will do as it is fairly trivial in the scheme of things and would probably elicit a template response.