Comments on: FAA reconsiders ban on passenger electronics

By: Stew

Stew — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:53:00 +0000

As a flight attendant, I need to be heard if there’s an emergency. People with noise cancelling headphones listening to music from their own electronic devices won’t hear instructions in an emergency. The cynic in me says “let ‘em burn”, but the fact is that the ones in the aisle seats may condemn the middle and window seat passengers to a firey death just so they can listen to the latest Lady Gaga release. Rules that seem in place to inconvenience you are mostly really there to save your life.

By: Johnnie

Johnnie — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:35:00 +0000

correction… they DO have an effect. At issue, is that they do not have an effect at the range the electronic devices are from the cabin instrumentation.

The pilots ipads would be close enough to have an effect… however the pilots have control over those devices. Once we’re talking 15 feet away to the first row of passengers, with a closed bulkhead inbetween, devices in airplane mode would not impact. Heck, a little farther away and even devices not in airplane mode would have no impact.

By: Dwdarden

Dwdarden — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:29:00 +0000

It’s a crock of hot poop. There is no interference. The original rules were made to pacify wireless carriers in the old days when the analog omnidirectional signals couldn’t be traced to the specific caller. People used to be able to make calls and not be billed for them because the phone companies didn’t know who to send the bill to. Now with digital signals, there is no problem and there is no interference with avionics, it’s all a lie for the sake of old technology. Get real.

By: Ning Roland

Ning Roland — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:03:00 +0000

This should be done earlier.

By: Snortimer

Snortimer — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:53:00 +0000

While courtesy and safety are of paramount importance, it has long been known that simple electronic devices have no effect on avionics. I would rather the airlines were honest and simply asked for our attention and that we be courteous to our fellow passengers than tell us that our electronics would do something they would not.
As for phones and other broadcasting electronics, even those appear to be perfectly safe. However, I can certainly understand airlines wanting to verify theses things for themselves. Unfortunately, I anticipate that this will take quite a lot of time, as the verification undoubtedly will cost money, and the burden has been placed on the airlines.

By: Dkodog

Dkodog — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:40:00 +0000

All instructions must be heard. Courtesy should be paramount.