Southwest Passenger Cited for Cell Phone Chatter

So right! Its hard enough for those pilots to try and navigate while in a drunken stupor!

They should cite them more often..it is ridiculous...passengers slump down in their seats to hide using their cell phones... continue to talk after they have been told to turn them off...they should be enforcing the fines.

Marilyn -MW wrote:

They should cite them more often..it is ridiculous...passengers slump down in their seats to hide using their cell phones... continue to talk after they have been told to turn them off...they should be enforcing the fines.

OMG Marilyn....your avatar! Anyone got a cell phone? Call 9-11!!!
Code blue!!! CODE BLUE!!!!

Whew baby, but that is hot.:o)

It's not up to FAs to determine whether a regulation is right or wrong. They are just trying to do their jobs, and people should simply follow the rules or suffer the consequences.

How can a cell phone possibly interfere with the electronics of the plane? Why doesn't all of the millions of other cell phones on the ground interfere with the planes? If the signal goes to up to satellites, how do they not interfere with the electronics? It seems as though the alcohol that they serve on planes would interfere more with the safety of the plane than cell phones. If a plane is not safe enough and fool proof enough for a cell phone not to cause it to crash, then we are way behind on technology, and no one needs to ride planes. Fine someone $25,000 for talking on a cell phone on a plane, and less than $5,000 for DUI. What's up with that?

Isn't this the same airline that let's little pee-on employees throw people off the plane if they don't like how they're dressed?

HANG UP AND FLY

Mike Christie wrote:

How can a cell phone possibly interfere with the electronics of the plane? Why doesn't all of the millions of other cell phones on the ground interfere with the planes? If the signal goes to up to satellites, how do they not interfere with the electronics? It seems as though the alcohol that they serve on planes would interfere more with the safety of the plane than cell phones. If a plane is not safe enough and fool proof enough for a cell phone not to cause it to crash, then we are way behind on technology, and no one needs to ride planes. Fine someone $25,000 for talking on a cell phone on a plane, and less than $5,000 for DUI. What's up with that?

Cell phone usage doesnt not interfere with any of the flight,communication or navigational controls of a plane. It was originally an FCC/FAA/FTC alliance to keep track of cell towers for billing purposes. The problem with cell phones on planes used to be you flew above and too fast for cell towers to keep track of you and they couldnt acurately bill you. Your signal would literally float around multiple towers...
Then they came out with a dedicated cellular transciever mounted on the planes which you as a passenger could use. They were essentially the carrier and controlled the billing solely.

I might be wrong on this point but I think ever since 9/11 theyve lifted the ban on in plane private cell phone use...afterall, it was private cell phones that let the world know what was happening on one of those planes.

The Roving Gambler wrote:

Isn't this the same airline that let's little pee-on employees throw people off the plane if they don't like how they're dressed?

Its nice to know the idiot floats about threads and shows everyone just what a moron he is.

JazzKeyz wrote:

<quoted text>
Cell phone usage doesnt not interfere with any of the flight,communication or navigational controls of a plane. It was originally an FCC/FAA/FTC alliance to keep track of cell towers for billing purposes. The problem with cell phones on planes used to be you flew above and too fast for cell towers to keep track of you and they couldnt acurately bill you. Your signal would literally float around multiple towers...
Then they came out with a dedicated cellular transciever mounted on the planes which you as a passenger could use. They were essentially the carrier and controlled the billing solely.
I might be wrong on this point but I think ever since 9/11 theyve lifted the ban on in plane private cell phone use...afterall, it was private cell phones that let the world know what was happening on one of those planes.

I don't know the technology behind it but you are still asked to turn off cellphones during takeoff and landing...

I also realise the seat belt you are asked to wear has more to do with holding your body in your numbered seat to make it easier to identify you after a crash...but I still buckle it...

JazzKeyz wrote:

<quoted text>
Cell phone usage doesnt not interfere with any of the flight,communication or navigational controls of a plane. It was originally an FCC/FAA/FTC alliance to keep track of cell towers for billing purposes. The problem with cell phones on planes used to be you flew above and too fast for cell towers to keep track of you and they couldnt acurately bill you. Your signal would literally float around multiple towers...
Then they came out with a dedicated cellular transciever mounted on the planes which you as a passenger could use. They were essentially the carrier and controlled the billing solely.
I might be wrong on this point but I think ever since 9/11 theyve lifted the ban on in plane private cell phone use...afterall, it was private cell phones that let the world know what was happening on one of those planes.

Cell phones DO NOT interfere with any of the avionics packages aboard civil aircraft as they are all operating on non citizen band frequencies. As for the reason why airlines don't want you to use your phone, it is because nearly all commercial carriers have "Air Phones" in the passenger compartments and they can charge exorbitant rates to use them. Any one of us can use our cell phone while in flight as long as we are below a 10,000 foot ceiling because that is the approximate range of the cell towers transciever limit. As advanced as cell phones are these days, they are still considered line of sight communicators as a cell tower has to basically be visible.
Myth Busters had a special on this too and, go figure, they disproved the theory as well. Me I learned in the military, it's part of Electronics Warfare training, "If you can turn it on, we can shut it down". the technology for "regular people" to interfere with civil aviation guidance and communications isn't available at Radio Shack.

I want to get to my destination when I fly. If it matters to the FAA & Airlines that we should not use our phones - FINE! We can be without our cell phones for just a little while. We did it when there were "NO" cell phones. If your desperate; use your computer & e-mail!!

susan wrote:

I want to get to my destination when I fly. If it matters to the FAA & Airlines that we should not use our phones - FINE! We can be without our cell phones for just a little while. We did it when there were "NO" cell phones. If your desperate; use your computer & e-mail!!

I agree with you. Mostly all I wanna do on a flight is sleep.

I dont know if cell phones interfer with airplane equipment or not but even if they dont, I dont want the guy next to me talking on his for the next few hours. Everyone knows that you are supposed to turn them off so just do it. Some people over rate their importance.

JazzKeyz wrote:

<quoted text>
Its nice to know the idiot floats about threads and shows everyone just what a moron he is.

Quite expected from someone whodoes not even understand the meaning of the word "moron."

Mike Christie wrote:

How can a cell phone possibly interfere with the electronics of the plane? Why doesn't all of the millions of other cell phones on the ground interfere with the planes? If the signal goes to up to satellites, how do they not interfere with the electronics? It seems as though the alcohol that they serve on planes would interfere more with the safety of the plane than cell phones. If a plane is not safe enough and fool proof enough for a cell phone not to cause it to crash, then we are way behind on technology, and no one needs to ride planes. Fine someone $25,000 for talking on a cell phone on a plane, and less than $5,000 for DUI. What's up with that?

You're confusing a satellite phone with a cell phone. Regular cell phones don't use satellites. Their (cell phones) electronic circuitry includes oscillators that could possibly interfere with navigational and directional controls. How would you feel if you knew your phone was the cause of an electronic "jam" resulting in a disaster?

Is this guy like a grown up rebel or something ? come on - just get off the phone, its a policy and for whatever reason the policy is in effect, just follow the damn rules.

For at least the people around him, he should not be talking... many sleep or try to relax. I bet this guy is those type that talk really loud and look around to see if anyone is listening like he's a big shot or something.

Emergency situations like 911- i'll break the rules too and will use my cell, but for normal everyday flights - give me a break and give the person near him a break - shut up and hang up.

Geez..........

Hey guy, its Kenny Tarmac! How ya doin shooter?

FedUpAmerican wrote:

Hey guy, its Kenny Tarmac! How ya doin shooter?

Hey Kenny, how are you? hows the wifes?

When the lead flight attendant says all equipment in the cabin be turned off, that is exactly what it means...WTH kind of emergency could it have been? He should have deboarded ... instead he puts the crew & passengers at risk ... If indeed there was an emergency there was nothing he could've done from the air ... Glad he got the welcome wagon on arrival!