We give the right to have someone arrested to highschool drop outs ;)

Nothing worse then giving power to people who will use it to feel important.

Seems you think your right to use your phone is more important than the safety of the rest of the passengers

Just because you're a know-it-all geek doesn't mean the airline employees know how every phone works. There's enough problems on flights already without you adding to the chaos because you think your right to use your stupid phone is being violated.

You should have been arrested anyway for not shutting it off regardless because you didn't obey the flight attendant. End of story

If he had a laptop, the attendant would say nothing. They never check to make sure that Wifi and Bluetooth are turned off on laptops.

You would think that they would use a WiFi detector, or some similar device if they were really concerned.

This brings up my memory of the flight attendant had the mother kicked off the plane prior to takeoff because her kid kept saying "Bye Bye plane!" to a passing jet.

This is a classic case of giving somebody too much authority without proper background screening or training. Like a large scale version of the Stanford prison experiment.

I would have arrested him for watching such a stupid movie..

It does not matter what rule is written or what you are doing. If the flight attendant tells you to do or not do something you must obey. Take it up later when on the ground, making a scene in the air is not only annoying but possibly dangerous. In the least this person violated the FAA rules by not obeying the flight attendant.

Sounds like that flight attendant had a tiff with his boyfriend before the flight and he was just being his own flaming gay self and blew something way out of proportion without reason. Either that, or he had an iPhone that is now an iBrick and is pissed that someone else has a working one.

This is common problem with allow people with no sense having the ability to get you arrested. The firs thing I want is for you to pull out a manual showing me what I'm doing wrong. And not doing what you say can't be in the manual.

with cellphones being so dangerous on flights i'm just waiting for the terrorist to board a plane with ten of them and threaten to turn them all on if their demands are not met. i just don't get it, i'm not allowed a bottle of shampoo but my cell with its potential for destruction is perfectly fine as long as its turned off. i'm not buying it.

Looks like you'd better do your homework if you're taking a multimedia phone on an airplane.

I wonder how tech savy the general public is. If this was an Ipod touch would the flight attendent have said the same thing? "Turn it off!" "oh wait its ok, its an Ipod touch not an Iphone"

The guy should have been arrested just for being stupid. You don't ever want to fight with someone on an airplane... especially a flight attendent it is literally a federal offense!

It is common sense that it's impossible to write out every allowed model that supports airplane mode, or even regulate everyone who is using a cell phone in flight "to actually have the airplane mode feature turned on".

First, the starting point is about safety. Everything starts from putting the crew, fellow passengers and yourself at risk in thousands of feet in the sky. If the plane that this dude's riding got into an accident, no one's gonna care **** about the airplane mode but more or less blame him.

The best I can describe about the flight attendant is.. annoying, and compelling to be rebellious against (words like, starting to yell; i'm going to have you arrested etc..). BUT, we are still talking about the safety of all passengers onboard.

Because of this man's behaviour, he is also affecting other passengers when they are aware that someone's using a cellphone onboard (regardless it has airplane mode or not). I'm sure not everyone's aware of this feature, what it's for or what it CAN do. They just know a guy's using a cellphone which in most cases shouldn't be . Definitely wont be a peace-of-mind trip to them. IMO, this guy is totally inconsiderate to others.

For whatever reason, the starting point is for safety reason, even if it's a written policy of the company OR NOT. It's just common sense...

Better safe than sorry.

I think flight attendants should be trained in new devices that support such features. This attendant was being a real prick...

and what's this, "You have to do everything I say," crap? It's still the United States, is it not? Laws shouldn't change just because you're 10,000 feet above the surface.

The flight attendant obviously didn't understand, of course..."women"...aren't great with technology, Wink Wink. ;) All the same he should have turned it off when instructed, when they ask you to do something you do it, good thing he wasn't arrested, at least the police understood.

This man wasn't nearly arrested because he was using an iPhone, he was nearly arrested becuase he didn't comply to the order he got about shutting it off. Why would he do that? There's no reason whatsoever he couldn't just shut it off right away, at the first notice from the flight attendant. I really think he should've been arrested. Then he might've had a chance to think it over in a cell overnight.

There is nothing unsafe about having a cell-phone on during flight or takeoff. There isn't a single case of a cell phone causing airplane equipment failure.

"J. Doe" apparently has a "submit to all authority" complex and never stands up for his rights. Meanwhile, it most certainly IS the duty of a flight attendant to know what a "flight mode" is; any that does not is deficient and should not be flying. END OF STORY.

Hasn't anyone seen Mythbusters Episode 49, "Cellphones on Planes...?" It's a myth.

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/04/episode_49_cellphones_on_plane.html

What if someone decides that all people of Middle Eastern decent should be kept off planes? Better safe than sorry, after all. What about keeping all males 18-25 off planes? Better safe than sorry. No babies or children on planes because they need milk/formula. Better safe than sorry. SAFETY HAS TO COME WITH REASON. Society fails to function if you do not use intelligence when you make rules. As such, the "Better safe than sorry" argument completely breaks down and holds no water.

A comment made earlier is a fine point about not being asked to turn off a laptop but immediately telling to turn off the iPhone. It seems to me that the flight attendant was taking precautions which I would hope they would do. I wasn't there so I don't know what words were used but when you tell someone who has power 'No', you piss them off with an equivalent feeling of backing a raccoon into a corner.

For the flyer. He should have complied and taken it up later with the management to find out what is appropriate. Fighting with a flight attendant is plain stupid. These days crowd mentality on a flight is very cagey as it is.

I do agree about giving these people that much power. Should they have near arrest abilities?

So where is the line, can a flight attendant really tell you to do anything and if you don't you go to jail? I don't think so. And besides, everyone on that plane could have pulled out there phones at the same time and called Afghanistan, nothing would happen.

I could see this coming when I discovered the function on my phone awhile back.
Eeto brought up some points, namely that other people will want to use their phone, meaning the flight attendant then has to explain to each person why certain people can have their phones.

Trouble with this story though, we're only hearing one side of the story!

Wasn't there a plane crash in Germany caused by someone sending a text message, a few years ago?

Although sensitive equipment on a plane now-days is shielded, it could always potentially have a break in any of the shielded cables that would cause interference with such equipment.

Turn it off!

it's gotta be has favorite movie :)

The airlines are horrible and so is their staff. The fact that this gay attendant is so mis-informed he almost had the passenger arrested is just another reason the airlines suck!

Unfortunately, even if the attendant is an idiot, the FAA rule is that he must be obeyed. All passengers implicitly agree to this by getting on the plane. The passenger may have a gripe with the airline for hiring and/or not training a drone, but he was obligated to obey the order when and as it was given. I'm surprised he got off so easily. A polite complaint to the airline may have resulted in a free or reduced fare on a later trip (and training or a new job for the drone), but as it is the airline may have lost his business. Oh well.

Do you all really think that there is a danger from having a phone turned on? Do you know many passengers fly everyday that don't shut their phone off. The rule is in place so I don't have to sit next to some jabber mouth describeing her strange itchy symptoms from Cali to NYC.

man that was a funny comment, r. decline. i started laughing in my school library. Yeah I side with the passenger on this one. Why can't he use his iphone if other people can use thier devices in airplane mode? Why does the flight attendant only not trust this person, when other people are surely using similar devices? maybe its what Giuliano said.

"casey wrote in his story to the publication"

the guy should have complied...more than likely he was being the ass...of course the story sounds one sided...he reported the incident...

-c

"with cellphones being so dangerous on flights i'm just waiting for the terrorist to board a plane with ten of them and threaten to turn them all on if their demands are not met. i just don't get it, i'm not allowed a bottle of shampoo but my cell with its potential for destruction is perfectly fine as long as its turned off. i'm not buying it."

Me either.
Also to the guys who blindly follow "authority figures", you've obviously never run into a cop on a power trip. If someone is in charge of enforcing a particular rule/policy/law, then this person should be properly trained and well versed in that subject. Kind of like putting a person on a jury who has never even sat in front of a computer to decide whether or not it is possible to spoof an IP address and then levy fines in the hundreds of thousands based on this. This world is f*cked.

AND place some limits on what flight attendants can tell you to do.

If they wish to invoke federal law in ordering someone to do something, there had better be clear limits to what they can order and be protected under law. They should be limited to things that directly threaten the aircraft or someone on that aircraft and legitimacy of their orders should be subject to heavy scrutiny in court if they have someone arrested for failing to follow them.

In the meantime, I can cross ATA airlines off the list of airlines I'm willing to fly.

"I think flight attendants should be trained in new devices that support such features. This attendant was being a real prick..."

Seriously, think before you say. Trained in new device... to distinguish what supports and what does. How many mobile devices are there in this planet.....

"You have to do everything I say". You do what others say based on situation, what is it about, and who that person is. It's about safety and considerate to other passengers. It's not like "everything I say" like taking off your pants in front of the all passengers to show that you dont carry a bomb inside.

We judge by the seriousness of requests. Apparently turning off a device that's entertaining yourself is something VERY simple and understandable to do.

First of all, one should not argue with a flight crew member even if he is wrong. He should have asked for the head flight attendant and abided by their decision.
Second, flight attendants can't be proficient with every piece of electronic equipment, nor should anyone expect them to. These rules are for passenger safety; stray electronic signals can interfere with aircraft systems including navigation equipment.
Third, many passengers flat out lie because they think they are special and rules don't apply to them. Last of all, looking out for the safety and comfort of the passengers is a tough but rewarding job; the majority of the problems come from a handful of stubborn or ignorant passengers.

The truth is wifi, bluetooth and cell phone signal have no affect (zero) on the crafts avionics. The real story is that they don't what you operating devices going up or down that might trigger a bomb or could help a bad guy track your plane at low altitude. The over zealous flight attentant is an ass. I have seen my share as a pilot in my 32 years of flying.

This perosn watching one of the worst movies ever made is not going to understand flight safety. And the idiot posting before me...YES things do change 10,000 feet above the planet. Most airline companies are private enterprise. They do have to jump through some govermental hoops. But for the most part they do make the rules. Don't like it grow your own wings and fly.

Turn the thing off, don't engage in a argument with a flight attendant with 100s of people around you waiting to testify how you were a prick.

Sorry to all that read this but its been proven its not a safety thing. It will not cause the plane to fall, equipment failure or interferance. Not just the many studies prove this, but even mythbuster tv show did this too. Even air crafts all around the world are starting to add cell signal to planes for people to make their phone calls.

I think this person showed the phone in airplane mode. I fly a great deal and the "new" power given to airline staff is really going the way of insain. No one should be told what to do with - obey me or you will be arrested. Due process? More over - Laptop is right - users leave them on all the time. Before you tield your rights to Home Land Security - think about it and ask yourself - whats next if you can be arrested for misunderstandings? Training or not - a law should not allow the un-informed to bully!

you REALLY think cell phones would disrupt airline equipment? that's total bs. if that were the case then all the radio towers and radio signals from the other planes should be disabled. then you might as well blame 9/11 on cell phones because they used it to send their last words and that caused the plane to crash into the wtc. idiots.

Mrph, *you* are the moron.

Next time you're on a flight, and the flight attendant tells you to bend over so he can put his fist up your anus, you better comply or you'll have violated FAA regulations. Idiot.

The flight attendant was obviously too stupid to read up on FAA guidelines and too stupid to understand what the passenger was saying. The passenger was well within his rights to watch that crappy movie during the flight. The attendant should be sent back for more training.

This is just another case of an uneducated person with a dead-end job going on a power trip because someone wouldn't obey his authoritiahhhhh...

The flight attendant issued an insutruction which served no useful purpose and which, likely, would not have been supported by the airline in question.

That said: There was nothing inherently illegal, immoral, or otherwise unreasonable in the request itself ("turn off the device"), and by not complying the guy was violating federal law.

"Because I don't think he should have told me to" is not an affirmative defense.

Correct action would have been to turn off the phone. If there was a supervisor to the attendant on the plane, I would likely have asked to speak with her. If not, it can be handled with the airline on the ground.

If it's really that distressing, file a charge against the attendant (I'll have to research, but I'm pretty sure they are responsable for justifying such instructions); though you may not win as it may come under "discretion".

It's about time that REASONABLE request from flight attendants have to be obeyed, but any others do not.

This was not a reasonable request at all, especially when the iPhone was in airplane mode. Perhaps it is simply time to remove the restrictions on cell phones from the books, considering that we now know that they have NO effect on the instrumentation of the planes AFTER takeoff.

Something similar happend to me on the way to Maui this August! I was watching music videos and the flight attendant asked me to shut off my phone. It wasn't a big deal. I just shut it off. Why protest? This guy sounds like a freaking trouble maker. Thank God I had my back up Video U2 iPod!

In a few years what are going to do? Air travel is becoming increasingly inconvenient as security is tightened. It will become a training issue for airlines to try to figure out what could actually interfere with flight operations and what will not. A bluetooth IPod OK but IPhone not? Laptop with an inexperianced user OK but a Blackberry will get you thrown off? That's why I drive as much as possible.

I'm an engineer that works on engine controls and flight navigation. The amount of EMI (Electro- Magnetic Interference) testing and other various testing procedures that goes along with all FAA approved components is off the scale. Even if it wasn't in airplane mode, it wouldn't have mattered. Everyone on that plane could be trying to place a phone at the same time and the chances that would affect ANY system on that airplane is like 0.00001%.

Personally the guy should have listened and turned it off but I don't think he was all that out of line, but the flight attendant should not have been a so rude when dealing with someone who clearly knew what he was talking about.

The guy was technically correct. However, he should have put his toy away, asked the flight attendant for his info and filed a proper complaint with the airlines to get that idiot attendant reprimanded.

Going through all that hassle, possibly getting detained/arrested, over a crap movie like "I know what you did last summer" was a bonehead move. That guy sounds like an uberdouchebag, just like the powertrippin' attendant.

Sadly, it is a federal offense to not follow orders by an airline steward(ess). I'm waiting for the power-hungry steward to order people to remove clothing. There are no restrictions on what they can/can't ORDER you to do. You have to listen. It doesn't qualify the rule as "follow all Reasonable orders" it just says to follow everything.

Reminds me of a McDonalds manager, lawsuits, and other quality American goodness. http://abcnews.go.com/Primetim...922&page=1

First, I'm tired of this myth that a cell phone causes a plane's antiquated nav system to malfunction. I say "antiquated" because it's in reference to the DME- and VOR-style navigation technology. Old stuff. But as long as the plane's equipment is properly installed (e.g. someone didn't tear the VOR receiver circuit board out of the metal box it comes in, and remembered to connect the antenna leads), a phone won't do bupkiss to it. The ones who don't want cell phones on planes are terrestrial cell providers - because some of their equipment can't process the signal transients - and the Airphone providers - because they lose revenue. Mythbusters did a show on this myth even, and busted it. Also, most commercial jets navigate by GPS now. My phone has a GPS receiver and its a phone, but the GPS never seems to be bothered by the Google Maps images the phone is downloading...

There is indeed an FAA regulation that all radio waves transmitting devises on airplanes should be turned off during take-off and descend... it cannot be proven that they won't interfere with the flight control system (haw to prove a negative).

I personally hope they never change this rule, though there is no real technical nescesity for it. Just image the annoying brat in the back of the plane - "Oh, you know, i was like, you know..." I'm pretty sure that would create dangerous situations.

As for the federal offence for not heeding flight attendant instructions... So if they tell me to leave the plane in-flight, take off my clothes or other such nonsense, I'd be breaking the law by telling them to fuck off???
Before someone gains the right to boss me around, shouldn't they be certified or something. Yes, all radio emitting devises must be turned off, but if it doesn't in fact send during the flight.

It's been proven that cell phones have no effect on the instrumentation or communication systems of a plane...

...that illegally invading countries to steal their oil is slowly affecting the common man in America. Paranoid, you've got good cause to be...

This guy clearly doesn't watch "CSI". If you saw the episode in which the sick guy got pummeled to death on an airplane, you'd think twice about screwing around in an argument with a flight attendant.

The police were pretty nice. The guy did indeed commit an offense by failing to obey crew member instructions. Yes this is in the U.S. and it's a "free country", but nobody is requiring anyone to fly on a commercial airline. If you choose to do so, then you choose to submit to applicable regulations. Just like if you choose to drive a car, etc.

You guys are idiots. There actually isn't a cellphone out there that can take down a plane. the thing that it messes with is the landing runway needle. So In other words it's that thing the pilots use to line up the the aircraft with the runway. the only thing you have to fear is an idiot pilot.

If Casey showed that is it definitley in airplane mode, flight attendant, let him use the iPhone as an iPod. You do let people use iPods, don't you?

The flight attendant definitely could have conveyed himself more clearly. Ie, "we do not allow any celphone device, whether it has an airplane mode or not, to be turned on during our flight, blah blah blah". The fact that the attendant got upset and started fighting with the individual means that that attendant requires more communication and anger management training.

On the other hand, whatever happened to some common sense and picking one's battles? A flight attendant DOES have the federally backed right to tell you to do something and you must comply. If they are having an issue with you using a celphone device, which the iphone is and has proven that even when off, it is transmitting network data, is technically and in reality, a cellphone operating and transmitting in a plane, which is in violation of FAA rules.

It would have been a better course of action for the individual to acquiese, turn off the device, and ask for the attendant's name, badge number, and manager, and report the indcident, instead of creating the risk of inciting panic on a plane. The individual should have realised there was something not quite right about the flight attendant and taken action to ensure his own personal safety.

Instead, both parties decided to let pride and self importance dictate their actions and clash over an issue, which given ANY normal circumstance, the passenger would have just turned off the device and the attendant would have gone on their merry way.

No, it doesn't make sense and there are definite loopholes in the current safety and travel policies, that makes you wonder what was being smoked by whom, but that doesn't change the fact that there are currently rules in place that puts people in some pretty crappy situations.

Didn't MythBuster show that commercial airline equipment was not affected in the slightest by cell phones, laptops, etc?

How could the flight attendant be so stupid and try to have someone arrested for this? I've seen it countless times while flying someone using a device that can broadcast wifi or bluetooth. There are so many different devices that have that capability, everything from the Nintendo DS to the Sony PSP to any laptop from the last five years to even wireless headphones. They all have the same wireless power as that phone and I don't see flight attendants stoping the kids on flights for playing video games.

As what someone stated before, if they are really that concerned before, they should have wifi detection devices.

Also for a side note, I've accidentally left my laptop on sleep mode in my bag for a whole flight, so it was trying to connect to a wifi network for the whole flight, and guess what, the flight went just fine. If these devices were really that dangerous, they would be banned outright from the first place.

The airline should definitely train better its employees. And the stubborn guy should definitely get arrested for not complying. He has the option of choosing the airline when buying his ticket. Once on board he should obey no matter how uneducated and unjustified the safety measures seem. Over 90% of the disasters are due to the lack of discipline of the pilots, crew, maintenance or passengers. The chance of crashing with a good airline is 1 to 4 million. Then why all those stupid safety measures? To keep it that low.

The reason you cant use a phone during flight is not a safety issue, it's an FCC rule so that a plane with 200 phones does not tie up chains of cell towers every time it flies near one. I applaud him for resisting the flight attendant, because he wasn't doing anything wrong. When people start giving up their rights for the latest episode of "security theater" they end up losing big time in the end. If they really cared about devices transmitting, they would design a very simple spectrum analyzer and after one pass down the aisle the attendant could tell who was transmitting and make them turn it off. This is a perfect example of how ignorant people can be, talking about Bluetooth and WiFi as though it has any impact on safety. They dont, and neither do cell phones in a plane, the wires are all shielded.
Also, these people do have far to much power and influence over my liberty considering how dumb most of them are. Like when the bodybuilder was assaulted by police because he was in diabetic shock and they thought he was drunk, and the retarded man who was tazered by four cops at once and died because he was having a seizure and thus was "resisting arrest". Want to feel safe? Recently the man at this site (His blog is great) proved you can board an airplane with NO ID AT ALL. So if your on the no fly list, you make a reservation with a fake name, then claim to have lost your ID. He did it, and so can any terrorist, but old ladies cant board planes and I have to give up my 3oz bottle of water. Security theater, because the bulk of people are clueless uneducated hicks and I am being punished daily because their ignorance on the whole is what allows insane laws and policys to be enacted. I dont like the direction this country is going, do you?

A Great Read
http://www.schneier.com/blog/

Give me liberty, or give me death!

is now,

Give me safety, and you can take whatever you want!

...and all the others saying that the user is an idiot. The plain reality is that the Media Device that happens to also be a phone was being used safely and according to its present purpose at the time. The user had the right to use it as such or any other device of that nature; portable DVD player, MP3 player, CD player, etc. The flight attendant ignorant of the device and should have checked with the captain to verify before flying off the handle. The user should have had the wisdom to recognize the attendant's ignorance and courtesy enough to not make it an issue. Then the user should have lodged the complaint with the airline and make it clear that he would NOT fly with them again. Airlines have allot to deal with but ultimately they don't want to lose customers. Also, all of the Luddite posters that rail against the user when he was using his device properly should just go back to your horse and carriage and stay home!

Obviously the problem isnt about what the truth (technically) is. There is also no need for someone to prove a point along with all other passengers onboard. Like many people above say, comply, and file a complaint.

We are definitely not the ones who make the rules. Asking you to strip off your clothes and turning off your cellphone is clearly two very difference degree of seriousness requests.

Regardless, I would definitely comply because I think it's stupid to bring 100 passengers along with me to prove a point. Safety, time, disturbance... whatever it is.

I derive a certain amount of pleasure seeing iphone people getting harassed. On the other hand have been verbally harassed at airport security for carrying expensive camera equipment. Getting harassment from an guy with GED is pretty insulting considering that they don't even know their own rules. I have also encountered a number of rather rude attendants. All in all I think all this power has gone to their head and they need an attitude adjustment or pink slip.

From what I have heard about the use of phones on planes is not for the interference, but instead the phone companies can't track phone usage that travels that fast across multiple cells.

Although I have heard lately some companies are allowing you to do sms while in flight.

For all those people who think Mythbusters are the ultimate proof on any issue, give me a break. What they do can hardly be called scientific despite any appearance that seems to be able convince some of you to the contrary. It's a TV show that strives to make things interesting for the viewer and generate sales of the series. The effects of radio waves are extremely complex and the rudimentry experiments undertaken by Mythbusters is totally inadequate to come to the conclusion that mobile phones have no effect on an aircraft. Consider also that while there may have been no detectable effects on the aircraft they tested on, there are plenty of aircraft still flying that were built before mobile phones etc. became prolific and may not have been designed with "hardened" electrical systems in an effort to help prevent any undesirable effects. I would expect that all of us have heard the interference generated by a mobile phone on our clock radios beside the bed when the phone communicates with the phone tower. I for one am glad that airlines are strict on the no phone policy while in the aircraft but at the same time believe that if the device has a flight mode, ie. radio turned off, then it should be allowed. I dont believe it is unreasonable for a flight attendant to request proof that the device is in flight mode though.

The guy should have turned it off. Who cares if it have airplane mode? Great, you're right -- now turn it off. Instead he got himself detained and will get nothing from the airline, at best a $150 voucher. If they don't check laptops, well then, I guess he should have brought a damn laptop. Blame APPLE for calling it an iPhone.

The flight attendant has a simple job -- provide food and service to the passengers and make sure safety regulations are followed. The Captain doesn't want to hear that shit either. The simply and quick solution is to shut it off. These two had a catfight mid-flight and probably had more in common than the article lets on (it was a MALE flight attendant, afterall...)

He/she doesn't have to argue with some stubborn passenger. Turn it off means turn it off, it doesn't matter if the thing is harmless. The attendant doesn't have to take your word for it or believe you. The safety (or perceived safety) of the passengers and crew is paramount. You could be any nutcase, and arguing doesn't help. Unless they tell you to "walk the plank", suck it up, buttercup.

Besides, would it really kill him to finish the flight without seeing Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar?

From now on, I'm going to invest in subcranial cyberneticly implanted cell phones so if the flight attendant has some crap to give me, i'll just use my telepathy and shove a ring tone up their ass,

99c BITCHES!

I don't think you understand why the faa prohibits cell phone usage. By now the airplanes should have
fixed those interferance issues. I would say that

the real reason is to prohibit those who would do harm from conspiring on the plane.
Until all conversations can be recorded for real-time, there shall be no hope for cell phones.

Authority on an airplane is derived from that authority given to a captain of a ship in international waters. Even though the captain of an airplane may be over territorial space, the need for immediate authority is extended because the airplane is in a more precarious condition than a ship. Therefore, the captain of an airplane has total authority while the airplane is in the air. He/She may have to answer for his/her decisions upon return to earth, but while in the air, the captain's authority is total. There is no "freedom" in an airplane, period.

The rest of the flight crew derives their authority from the captain. The crew is required, in as much as safety of flight dictates, to operate the aircraft in accordance with appropriate regulations of the governing body (FAA, ICAO) and also those directives administered by their company. However, while in flight, the Captain can choose to go against any regulation or directive if, in his/her judgement, abiding would create an unsafe condition. However, upon termination of flight, the captain would have to justify such action.

Airlines stay in business by pleasing customers. So, it is in the airline's interest to convey every possible convenience to their paying clients, and to avoid making them angry by capricious decisions. However, that still does not limit the flight crew's authority. It does mean that the flight crew should be trained to provide the best possible environment for passenger convenience while maintaining a safe flying condition.

Bottom line. That flight attendant was poorly trained, and should be severely repremanded for putting the company in a bad light. However, the flight attendant was within his/her legal right, so long as his/her actions were supported by the captain.

The passenger may have been correct about the phone. The passenger my have been completely supported by FAA/ICAO regulations and company directives. I say nothing about whether a cell phone is safe on an aircraft, because the matter is irrelevant. As soon as the passenger violated the flight attendants order to turn off the phone, that passenger was wrong. Legally, wrong.

...was ask the attendant: "So you want me to turn the phone off?"
ATTENDANT: "Yes."
FLYER: "OK."
Then fumble with some of the buttons. Turn the phone portion off by placing it into airplane mode.
FLYER: "There. I have turned off the phone. Thank you for pointing that out to me. I am now going to watch my movie on my media player."
Then go back to watching his movie.

It is hard to believe that a cell phone with a max power of a fraction of a watt would do more than the HDTV satelites in space. They have to travel a much further distance and transmit more data. Or the megawatt radio towers they fly over.
Nevertheless, in my incredibly vast (haha) experience, it takes two people to argue. Both of the people sound like somebody pi$$ed in their oatmeal that morning.

Those are fighting words. You would only say that to infuriate someone or to egg them on. It is no wonder why the passenger did not listen.

The easy solution which requires a professional, which I think the attendant is not: would be to send another flight attendant and ask him to put the phone away. The second attendant probably could have initiated a better rapport with the pasenger or at least not annoyed him. Usually, when a person is told by multiple people the same need or idea they tend to listen better.

add into the pre flight safety message
"If you must use your phone in flight, if and only if it has a airport mode, may you use it after take off and after landing."

how difficult is that to explain to every passenger that some people with up to date equipment may use it in non critical situations.

i listen to them tell me how to crash, something that is yet to happen on the airline i fly...

It would have been easier if he had bought and broght a portable DVD player. There is no mistaking it for a cell phone and there are very inexpensive.

I had a an incident like this happen to me once. I politely showed the flight attendant how the phone is turned to "flight mode," physically showing her the menu options and the attena icon with a slash through it. There was no problem when I did that.

To the people saying attendants cannot know every model, give me a break. Every smart phone, iphone, pda, etc can have the antenna turned off. As professionals flight attendants should at least have BASIC knowledge. In today's world you cannot plead ignorance anymore.

Oh, and another fyi, the airline industry is looking to enable text messaging from cell phones in the near future, so don't buy into their bullcrap about phones causing communication problems.

Here this was from December of last year:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/1...ndex.html
The guy was in the wrong for not obeying, but the attendant was in the wrong for not following up properly. "My phones in Airplane mode" "Ok. Show me" "Ok. Thank you."
Very few respond well to demands. The attendant was poorly trained and has no idea how to properly handle the situation. The guy was rude, but he is the customer and could have easily been handle by someone who wanted to. If I was the attendant I'd kick his ass for being rude regardless if he was right or wrong.
Sb

This country is beginning to be so turned around it isn't really funny.

Damn right I am going to say no. I don't care what resolution was passed in a hasty judgement to make a flight attendant GOD. IT IS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL.

I may be arrested for disobeying their wishes, but I'll be damned if it isn't my right.

Don't they make some device that can detect wireless signals via either bluetooth, wifi, or cell? Arm these idiot flight attendants with this thing and then when someone won't turn off their cell, give them the reason why! Don't play Rambo airlines, you'll get burnt everytime. They make "airplane mode" on cells for a reason people! Also, MYTHBUSTERS RULE!!!!!!!!!!

"Some flight attendants really take their 'power' to the extreme! Our airline actually has a written policy that it's okay to use your cell phones in game or airplane mode above 10000 feet. To be quite honest, you get no cell signal above 10000 feet anyway, so I could care less if it's in regular phone mode at that point. You wouldn't be able to make calls at that altitude and your battery will drain pretty fast if it's not in game or airplane mode since the phone is continually searching for service. I do ask people to turn their phones off again once we start our final approach (decending through 10,000 feet)...Plus, to be honest, flight attendants are constantly forgetting to turn off their phones! I think we might be the worst offenders of that rule!"

The attendands should be equipped with radio (wifi, bluetooth, GSM, whatever) detectors that would alert them of any dangerous EM radiation and possibly track down the source (show the direction the waves are probably coming from).
Or it could be as well built into the plane (seats) itself (so you won't have to track down the source some funny way, e.g. like a minesweeper).

There are hundreds if not thousands of phones so knowing each one in detail isn't possible but flight attendants should be made aware of what airplane/flight mode is which goes back to the attendant not being properly trained. The article doesn't state whether or not Casey was rude initially or not but if the flight attendant just came up and ordered him to turn his phone off then I think many people would respond in a rude manner.

Ultimately the flight attendant was in the wrong in the way he approached Casey. His training was subpar and the fact that he didn't even ask for proof that the phone was in airplane/flight mode proves it. I keep my phone in flight mode everytime I fly but its also in my pocket. Although, I've never been bothered when I watch movies or play games on my wifi capable psp.

The answer is more training, both in technology and customer service.

In all the aviation history, there's a single case of airplane crashing where they could not find any good reason for the crash, and they said it could have been someone using a cellular. A single `maybe` occurence, and there's now planes with integrated phone relay & all... anyway, stupid flight intendant.

The Iphone was in airplane mode. With that feature enabled it was no different than an Ipod. With today's digital age, everybody should know what airplane mode is. When in airplane mode, all wireless functions are turned off. I read this individual's posting on the consumerist about his ordeal. He listened to music for most of the time and then proceeded to watch a movie. The flight attendent kept changing the story to the police. It appears that the flight attendent involved has absolutely no knowledge of modern electronics. It was a good thing the police let the guy go, he was doing nothing wrong. The only thing I saw wrong is that he was watching a cheesy attempt at an horror movie. I flew yesterday and saw one person using a iphone, the only thing I noticed with southwest's attendents aksing the guy on my flight was if wanted anything to drink.

You know it if funny this issue what about the cell phones you can't turn off they only have a flight mode that turns off the radio features. A good example of that type of phone are the Palm Treo's I have told a few flight attendants about that and never had an issue but again it goes to training the airlines should deal with that issue.

Cell phones don't affect airplanes in the least anyway. They have the potential to mess with ground networks but have no impact whatsoever on any part of the airplane. If there was even a tiny amount of danger they would just make you check your cell phones. More importantly the airlines don't want people talking on cell phones.

I can't remember the last time I turned my cell off during a flight becuase I can usually get enough signal and get my emails while flying - and as long as I don't wave my phone in front of a flight attendent no one cares.

I disagree with everyone who said that the guy was an idiot. Who cares... I'd turn my phone to ON and call my attorney just to tick everyone else off and bring the plane down!! :P

I can't wait for a flight attendant to order me to take sexual advantage of the person next to me. Apparrently, I would be required by federal law to comply. I suppose if they told me to rob a bank I would also be required to do so under federal law.

Idiots.

I can't believe you guys are defending this jerk. You won't turn off your phone in libraries, movie theaters, or even church. Now people like Travis think it's just fine to violate federal law and use a cell phone in flight. The "You have to do anything I say" line was obviously made up. People love to exaggerate so they can sound like victims. It's a shame the police didn't arrest him. He deserved to go to jail both for using the phone, and disobeying the flight attendant.

Saying it's in airplane mode is like waving a gun around saying there are no bullets in it. How is the flight attendant supposed to know what mode it's in? How would they know if the guy switched it back to phone mode as soon as the attendant walked away. Just turn the stupid phone off. Is "I know what you did last summer" really worth this kind of trouble?

If they can, they can read "Airplane mode". If not, they don't need to be in the skies. Everyone has to adapt to the now-a-day standards of learning a little bit about everything so you don't play dumb. If you are a flight attendant, read a little bit about computers and what is now on them and what to look for. Same way with cell phones. These days you can't go around saying "I don't know" or "I didn't know" and not get a stupid look from everyone around. It's just common sense.

I usually hear flight attendants requesting people to turn off all electronic devices before taxing. I've never flown on ATA, but if they requested the same thing as most other carriers, then he was just being defiant.

don't you guys know that all gay people including those emplpoyed in the service industries automaticaly have apple usage abilities and apple knowledge at birth.

Wondered how long it would be until the bigots came out the woodwork. What a fine example...

I think the iphone user had a point, But should have had enough respect for the flight attendant to shut it off after they requested.

The guy should have just claimed it was an ipod touch with no wireless features at all.

As it stands he could probably sue the airline for discrimination of some sort since it seems they only picked on him and humiliated him on the flight.

Here's a link to the full article:

http://consumerist.com/consumer/travel/ata-tries-to-have-you-arrested-for-using-your-iphone-in-airplane-mode-309421.php

(To prevent unnecessary comments due to not knowing the details of the incident)

The FA doesn't know what Airplane Mode is about?? OMG! I'm betting the cops thought the FA was an idiot and told the passenger to report him to the FAA.

His BF probably dumped him and he was getting ass fatigue from using the same dildo night after night and took it out on the passengers.

For some of the comments left... if a cell is in AIRPLANE MODE its does NOT WORK THE SAME! It becomes basically just an ipod.. so.. no SAFTY risk! DUHHHHHHHHHH. Plus... cell phone usage on an Airplane as reported by 20/20 and Dateline numerous times has NEVER been tested to actually cause problems with in air flight and the FAA says... ummm we have never actually tested the regulation.. we just have the rule in place as a precaution. So.. really no HARM done... poor ignorant flight attendant... just trying to use her little bit of power over someone to make her self feel better for a declining, boring, and low-payed career.

For you are the ones being blindly controlled by the authorities in this country, and you are those who DO NOT question authority.

This is, of course, what your "benefactors" want of you, and why they are succeeding in taken the rights our forefathers fought fore.

Think twice before you call someone a moron, the moron was the flight attendant who was too stupid and inept to realize there's something called "Airplane mode." and he should be removed from society.

If all idiots like this were removed from society society would be a MUCH better place, and of course, by removed I mean removed from society to a place where they teach people to be techno-friendly and not completely moronic when it comes to technology.

A place that taught people not to be arrogant, greedy bastards wouldn't be a bad idea either :)

First of all there have been several incidents where cell phones have affected sensors. One such incident took place in Europe when a passenger checked their powered on cell phone and it rang while in the baggage compartment. This signal caused the fire sensor to trip.

Secondly, the flight attentandant is there to enforce the rules. I personally do not want my attendant to be familar with all of our cell phones or laptops. I want them to be familar with safety and service.

In retrospect the attendandt should have asked the gentleman to show him the airplane mode feature and that it had in fact been enabled. But the man should not have disobeyed the order to turn it off.

You will be interested to know that cell phones are also forbidden to be used in private air craft. I don't know how true it is but it may have something to do with the cell companies. Normally cell towers service ground based people that are going to receive signals from at most two towers at a time, but in the air you could potentially receive signals from 100's of towers reaking havoc with the network.

OK SMART ONE PROVE A CELL PHONE SET OFF A SENSOR AIRLINES WERE USEING THAT AS A SCAPE GOAT