Maddie
13th Aug 2012, 21:22
Good evening all,
Apologies if this question has been asked before.
I've just been on a short haul (Airbus) flight.
I noticed the gentleman beside me using his mobile just before the doors were shut, and obviously before the safety announcement was made. He seemed to dim the screen, but not actually turn the phone off, then he nodded off. He work up as we were taxiing and I asked him was his phone off, he snapped at me that he had, I tried to explain that I am a nervous flyer and thought maybe he had missed the announcement.
I was even more nervous because of the fact that we were sitting in row one, and I thought perhaps as were quite close to the cockpit, that the risk of interference may be higher.
Anyway, I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he had switched the phone off, even thought I had my doubts. Mid-flight, this gentleman took out his phone, tapped the screen, and started reading a news website. He appeared to have internet access.
I went down the aisle to where the flight attendants were serving refreshments and mentioned it to one of them.
They said they would have a word with him.
As they came back the '10 mins to land' bell rang and they started to come through the cabin to secure it. The gentleman in question was still using his phone, and the attendant politely asked him to switch it off, no differently to how she would have asked anybody else. I fly ever couple of weeks, and am used to the crew asking folk to turn off devices, so I know it was just a general, polite request.
A few minutes later the gentleman left his seat (despite the seat belt sign being on for landing) and went to speak to the attendant. I overheard her saying to him that it was just a short flight and we will be landing shortly. I presumed he was just asking to use the bathroom. On my way out the flight attendant called me to one side and confirmed that the gentleman had given out to her as well, for asking him to turn off the phone and that should I feel uncomfortable about anybody again, just to ask to move seats.
What made me nervous was the fact that the gentleman just chose to ignore the general request to switch off his phone from the out-set.
In real terms what is the risk of a phone causing serious interference and more specifically, is the risk of interference greater if the person is sitting near the front of the plane. I'm not talking her about phones being set to flight mode, I'm talking about phones being left switched on, in ordinary mode and passengers using them or other devices to access the internet in-flight.
Many thanks for your replies.
Apologies if this question has been asked before.
I've just been on a short haul (Airbus) flight.
I noticed the gentleman beside me using his mobile just before the doors were shut, and obviously before the safety announcement was made. He seemed to dim the screen, but not actually turn the phone off, then he nodded off. He work up as we were taxiing and I asked him was his phone off, he snapped at me that he had, I tried to explain that I am a nervous flyer and thought maybe he had missed the announcement.
I was even more nervous because of the fact that we were sitting in row one, and I thought perhaps as were quite close to the cockpit, that the risk of interference may be higher.
Anyway, I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he had switched the phone off, even thought I had my doubts. Mid-flight, this gentleman took out his phone, tapped the screen, and started reading a news website. He appeared to have internet access.
I went down the aisle to where the flight attendants were serving refreshments and mentioned it to one of them.
They said they would have a word with him.
As they came back the '10 mins to land' bell rang and they started to come through the cabin to secure it. The gentleman in question was still using his phone, and the attendant politely asked him to switch it off, no differently to how she would have asked anybody else. I fly ever couple of weeks, and am used to the crew asking folk to turn off devices, so I know it was just a general, polite request.
A few minutes later the gentleman left his seat (despite the seat belt sign being on for landing) and went to speak to the attendant. I overheard her saying to him that it was just a short flight and we will be landing shortly. I presumed he was just asking to use the bathroom. On my way out the flight attendant called me to one side and confirmed that the gentleman had given out to her as well, for asking him to turn off the phone and that should I feel uncomfortable about anybody again, just to ask to move seats.
What made me nervous was the fact that the gentleman just chose to ignore the general request to switch off his phone from the out-set.
In real terms what is the risk of a phone causing serious interference and more specifically, is the risk of interference greater if the person is sitting near the front of the plane. I'm not talking her about phones being set to flight mode, I'm talking about phones being left switched on, in ordinary mode and passengers using them or other devices to access the internet in-flight.
Many thanks for your replies.