Plea For Common Sense and Decency II - Mobile Phones at Check In

[bealine]

At LGW, working at Check-In, during daylight hours, is now like being on some factory assembly line. For the passenger, our customer, waiting patiently in line for 20-40 mins (on average) is frustrating and all the staff appreciate that!

Please don't misunderstand me, this message is aimed at a very few people who unwittingly (I hope) hold up the check-in queue for 10 mins or more in some cases!

For those business travellers, mobile phones enable you to make the most of your queuing time by catching up on your voicemails, appointment scheduling and so on. However, when you get to the check-in desk, please make sure your call has either ended, or placed on hold before you expect the transaction to start:

1. Check In is a 2 way transaction! If I didn't speak to you in the days before you had a mobile pressed against your ear, I think you would have felt quite offended, n'est ce pas?

2. In Britain we still have to ask, and obtain satisfactory responses, to the "Security Questions" - even if you have already read them when checking in on an e-ticket machine!

In the event that you are unable to end the call (if you're talking to your M.D. of Chief Exec. for example), there's no harm in coming to the check-in desk, explaining that you'll stand to one side, and let me check-in others from the queue until you're ready ---- not a problem at all! !If you tell me you're running late, I'll even pre-check you in and hold on to your boarding card until you're able to talk to me!

The trouble is, Mobile Phones have brought many benefits to society..........they've also brought with them a degeneration of manners and consideration of others when in the hands of certain individuals!

Thank you, one and all!;)

[Globaliser]

The trouble is, Mobile Phones have brought many benefits to society..........they've also brought with them a degeneration of manners and consideration of others when in the hands of certain individuals! Really, what's needed is a system of licensing mobile phone users. Until you can pass a courtesy and common sense test, you're not allowed to drive one.

[Octopussy]

I'm slightly shocked that people don't have the courtesy to hang before checking in.

Would this work? Make it standard practice for person on the check-in to say (pleasantly) "Sir/Madam, I need you to end your call now so that I can check you in". If they can't/won't, then explain that you will be checking in the other people queuing and will check them in when they're off the phone. Can't see anything in that for anyone to get upset about.

[PAXboy]

How about:

Sir, Please end your call now or you must go to the back of the queue.

I say 'Sir' but perhaps women are as rude? Treating them like children, by sending them to the back will produce childish howls of protest but they might just hang up!!

How about a sign suspended from the ceiling, or on a pole, just before the Yellow Line at the front of the queue, warning that people who are speaking on the phone will not be served?

Or will that just make them throw all their toys out of the pram and say, "But this is SUCH an important call - you would not undersand." and all that other bull$hit? I have heard it myself, becuase I work in telecomms and I know these people!!

[AtlPax]

Is it so difficult to ask the person on the other end of the line if they can hold on for a minute or two while you check in? Many times when I call someone on their cell phone and I can tell they're a little busy (especially if they're driving) I'll usually offer to call them back a little later. Actually - I prefer to call them back. Usually the conversation isn't that important.

Sheesh - does anybody remember the days before cell phones?

[bealine]

Thanks - it seems like I have your support!

Indeed, the point Alt Pax makes is good - if your phone call occurs at a time neither party is busy, both of you enjoy each other's full, undivided attention!

Nothing like a bit of stress and anxiety to help you say something through the ether that you regret later!

:D

[timzsta]

This is one of my biggest bug bears. I have developed a tried and trusted method:

1. Pax comes to desk talking on phone. Hands over passport and reservation bumpf, continues conversation down the phone.
2. I do nothing.
3. After about a minute they say "hang on a minute" to the person they are on the phone to, with a grumpy expression on their face. They say to me "is there a problem?". I say "Yes, you need to end your phone call so I can ask you the questions that I am required to ask you BY LAW".
4. Pax ends phone call.
5. Check in as normal.

Also - using mobile phones on the ramp. Mobile phones are not to be used on the ramp (JAA regulations refer). This is not to do with aircraft nav equipment but to do with fuelling of aircraft. This is a growing and serious safety problem. The CAA are currently cracking down on dangerous goods, the money is on mobile phones next.

[Heathrow09L]

Well I agree that customers should not use Mobile Phones when you are doing Check in transactions,

All I do is sit still and wait for them to finsh talking,

they then look at you as if saying "What are you just sitting there for get on with it?" I explain that I need to ask security questions or they will not be checked in.

This has been pointed out that not everybody is selfish and lacks common sense, but some of our Customers when they check in and thier phone rings they quickly say to me we "sorry excuse me a sec" and tell the person who's phoned that they will call them back when they have finished check in.

I also hate it when as BA when we thru check ( tag all the baggage through to your final destination for example you have

Mr XXXX

MAN-LHR with BA then onwards to Dubai with Emirates.

We can put all Baggage through at pax's request, on there ticket to London is say baggage allowance 2PC's each not exceeding 32 KGS just to London only. On thier onward flight with EK they are only allowed max 20KGS, so when you weigh all the baggage and h/lugge and point that they have excess and that they can only pay for it or you put the bags to Heathrow only and they take it up with Emirates EK, they think it's BA that being akward but they don't realise that EK will quitely except and then with pleasure charge BA the full amount.

I hate it when gate comments come up when inserting boarding Pass and when you read the comment it says "Pax used full allwn wld not pay x'cess no h/bgge" and they deny having any problems at check in and claim nobody told them they where not allowed h/bgge.

I had one person to Lagos with suitcase weighing 67KGS and h/lugge of 26Kgs.

[nickmelb]

hmm interesting forum!

mate of miine who works for an airline here in australia told me this once.

If a pax turns up at his counter on the mobile fone, disregarding him and not paying attention. He just pops them into the last seat at the back of the aircraft....NASTY!

but people have to learn some manners i guess!

[bealine]

Chuckle, chuckle, Heathrow 09L - I remember the Lagos flight and its baggage excuses well!

How about the pax flying from the US to London with Delta, Continental, US Air etc who get their full 2 pieces at 32kg allowance, pay USD5.00 for the oncarriage London to Aberdeen with BA and get all that weight transported for them!

As I said in another thread, it's about time one airline dared to go it alone and screw IATA agreements and gentlemen's handshakes - Give All the Passengers a Truly Fair and Equal Deal.

How about a fare reduction for the business traveller with less than 10 kg hand baggage 9 (including laptop)?

[PAXboy]

I agree bealine, let's have those rules enforced!! People think of the 20Kgs and 1 hand piece as a starting point these days. If discounts were offerred for less baggage weight, or for fewer hand pieces?

[ratsarrse]

A plea from common sense and decency?????

I suspect that any plea for either of the above will fall on deaf ears. From the few jobs I've had in the past where I've had to deal with the General Public, I've learnt that people in general seem to be at best slightly stupid, and at worst downright ignorant. Nice people (like myself ;) ) are at a premium. That's why I work in IT now - you know where you are with computers...and you don't get arrested if you hit them!

[nick24]

Am I correct in saying that at the ticketing desk in LHR T1, next to departures, there are signs on the desk asking for mobile phones to be switched off as they interfere with the computers? Now, this may or may not be correct, but it's a good enough reason to start with.

What really gets on my wick are those who talk whilst seated on the plane - admittedly, doors are still open, engines not running so they are entitled to do so - but I'd far prefer a blanket "phones off when you enter the plane / ramp (see fueling issue above)" just out of courtesy to other pax. I'd also like to see better cabin control at taxi after landing, as despite being told not to use phones until they are well inside the terminal building (definition of 'well inside' anyone?!) you are often faced with a wall of beeps informing the cabin that those who can't follow simple instructions have voicemail messages waiting for them. :mad:

[Tiger]

...adding that mobile phones MUST REMAIN SWITCHED OFF until the aircrafts engines have been switched off, and the seat belt signs have been turned off by the pilots. Please don`t switch the thing on as the wheels hit the runway. This seems to be the latest craze.

Oh and the gentleman who called me an F*****g C**t last week when I asked you to turn your mobile off before going on to the coach to take you to the terminal as the aircraft was being refuelled at the time...its like being in a petrol station.
B O O M

yes certain parts of a mobile phone can make an excellent bomb.

I always try to remember how wonderful the world was with out mobiles. How free we all were. It was so great not being contactable!

[Globaliser]

Mind you, airlines could help themselves a bit more by some better annoucements about mobile phones. How about:-Please ensure that your mobile phone is switched off NOW and remains switched off until the aircraft engines have been switched off. It is very dangerous to leave a mobile phone switched on even if you are not talking on it, because it could cause the aircraft to go out of control and crash, or cause an explosion or fire on board.Whether or not any of that can be proved to be true, I'll bet that it would have more effect than a vague reference to "interfere with the aircraft's navigation systems". Too many pax just think they are more important, or know better than, the airline, the crew and all their fellow pax.

[christep]

Tiger

Are you able to produce any evidence that a mobile phone has ever caused a fire or explosion in a pertol station? I don't know anybody who bothers to switch theirs off when they stop for fuel. And I have never seen a petrol station ask anyone to do it.

[bealine]

christep - it could be similarly argued of a lot of things:

My father used to have a lit cigarette dangling from his lip when filling the lawn mower with petrol. The mower never caught fire!

You see Railway Workers sometimes sitting on the electrified third rail eating thir lunch. They don't get electrocuted (not often, anyway!)

That having been said, small sparks are emitted from the aerials of mobile phones - hence why the petroleum industry insists on "intrinsically safe" phone cases for those working in oilfields and refineries.

Risking your own neck is one thing - risking someone else's is criminal and it's high time examples were made of persistent offenders!

We're only a couple of years away from mobile telephony that
will be safe to use on aircraft. Is it so hard to wait till then?

In the meantime, I've developed my own technique for dealing with check-in offenders........

I phone one of my colleagues upstairs and say "Any chance I can be relieved in a minute please?"

They know what I mean, so they watch and wait. When my passenger finishes his call, they ring my mobile so I say "Oh! Just hold on would you, please. I'll just have to take this call!""

Revenge is so sweet!

:D

[nick24]

About 5 years ago I did a piece of work at a gas refinery. Upon entering the compound, I had to leave behind EVERY item which was powered by any form of electricity. Which meant that the laptop stayed at the gate, so did the mobile phone (which at the time was a rather large slab of plastic, unlike today's phones) and do did my car key fob. It had a light on it, powered by a battery.

Now, gas, just like jet fuel / petrol is a very flamable material and I'm quite happy that the staff at the refinery took my safety seriously. I only wish the flying public took the same precautions and listened to people who are employed to keep them safe.

Oh - and next time you visit a petrol station, christep, have a look at the pump and the vast majority will have a sticker asking drivers not to USE (but not switch off) phones, CBs etc, whilst on the forecourt.

[Tiger]

During my course with MI5 (to train security to crews) we went off and played with guns and bombs as well as other things...

Not going into too much detail here, but a mobile phone does make a good explosive device and with the right combination of explosive gasess and your fab little all singing and dance mobile should ring or possibly short circuit, the smallest spark and Oh Dear.

Like previously posted read your mobile instruction booklet have a look in the next petrol station you visit....

And I believe there has been an explosion regarding a mobile and a petrol station a couple of years ago.

It isn`t the fuel...its the vapours!

[christep]

As I thought. No real cases.

If the danger was that real there would be much stricter enforcement of the rules on fuel stations - after all, I have no control at all over when someone calls my phone, and in any case there is signalling going on more or less all the time...

I'm not suggesting that planes are the same as filling stations, but lets stick with facts rather than scare stories can we?

[Tiger]

Christep

Let just do what the pilots/cabin crew/ground staff/airport staff say and what been trainned to them by the CAA and any other aviation authorities. Whilst my manual says the mobile phones off when etc etc blah blah blah

In the petrol station it says mobile phones should be switched off! Hence no one can ring you!

Another know-it-all paxs guys!

[christep]

Tiger,

I have not commented at all in this thread on the correctness or otherwise of the rule about mobile phones in aircraft. And yes, I do switch mine off.

However, if you genuinely switch off you mobile phone whenever you drive into a filling station then you are the first person I have ever come across who does so.

[Tiger]

Well, Christep meet your first person who does switch their phone off when in a petrol station! "HI THERE!"

But there again I only have the thing with me when going to work and its switched off all the time. Only on when I want to make a call. When I`m out I`m out mate...like the old days...its fab. Try it. :)

[t3953]

Christep...

We may not have immediate proof that a mobile has caused any major accidents at a petrol station but if it is just a made up Urban Myth for the sake of Pprune (as a lot of things are here) why do all the Esso and Texaco stations in Ireland and Im sure the UK have a clear sign beside all petrol pumps advicing drivers to switch off all mobile phones before exiting their cars?

Sounds like a pretty expensive Urban Myth!!!

[PAXboy]

Mobile phones can cause sparks the reason that domestic petrol stations have the sign is primarily to protect themselves legally should anything go wrong.

The concentrations of fumes are much lower than at a refinery, so they have to take things very much more seriously there.

Incidentally, someone said "do not switch off but do not USE". This is because the act of switching the phone on or off will cause it to transmit, thus the possibility of a spark. Best to leave the phone inside the car and untouched. If it is on your belt and you get out of the car - best to place it back inside the car.

If some other accident occurred on the forecourt, the CCTV would already have shown you with your mobile phone.