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Flight Attendants Want Stricter Gadget Rules Reinstated

Posted by timothy on from the killjoys-in-uniform dept.

stephendavion writes You might be super happy to toil away on your phone or tablet the entire time you're on a plane, but not everyone is pleased to see your face buried in your device during takeoff and landing. The Federal Aviation Administration's new, more relaxed rules on gadget use aren't sitting well with one group — flight attendants. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the nation's largest flight attendant union is now suing the FAA to have the ban on gadget use during takeoff and landing reinstated. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA argues that the change has caused many passengers to ignore flight attendants' emergency announcements, and that the new rules violate federal regulations requiring passengers to stow all items during takeoff and landing.

13 of 406 comments (clear)

  1. That's not the reason you're being ignored. by sbaker · · Score: 5, Insightful

    People don't listen to that preflight announcement stuff because they've heard it a hundred times before. People who've flown even a couple of times before don't need to listen. People who are on their first flight, where it's all new and exciting are paying attention.

    So, no - I know how to wear a seatbelt and that my seat cushion can be used as a floatation device and to check where the nearest exit row is...yadda yadda yadda. I can stick my nose into my phone and I won't miss anything important.

    What's needed is either to make those instructions INTERESTING (like the Southwest Airlines people often do) - or to only give the routine instructions to people who need it. That way, when something truly important comes up, people will pay attention.

    --
    www.sjbaker.org
    1. Re: That's not the reason you're being ignored. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This is wrong on so many levels. The only reason why flight attendants still exist is strictly for safety. They are there to protect the passengers in the event of any sort of problem be that mechanical or some drunk idiot. You rarely hear that as fortunately there are rarely problems that require the to do their "real" job. Remember the miracle on the Hudson? It was the flight attendants who made sure everyone was safe and made sure they evacuated in an orderly fashion. They were the last ones off the plane. THAT is why they are there and I for one am glad to see them.

    2. Re:That's not the reason you're being ignored. by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This is a classic example of "mission creep". The decision to ban electronic devices originally had nothing to do with making people pay attention to flight attendants. Yet that is now being used as an excuse to keep the ban. The only reason for the ban was RF interference. That is no longer a problem with modern devices, so the ban should end.

    3. Re: That's not the reason you're being ignored. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You mean the Miracle on the Hudson where exactly 0% of the people took their seat cushion which can be used as a flotation device? Well done, flight attendants. Well done.

  2. What about books? by Len · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why were books, magazines and newspapers never banned before? They're just as much of a distraction (at least, they used to be until smartphones took over). Heck, they give away magazines in every seat pocket.

  3. Simple solution: bring cookies. by FreonTrip · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously - bring a package of cookies for the flight crew. The flight attendants will leave you alone except to check on you, and will probably sneak you a non-alcoholic treat at some point during the flight. And it's not a job that's appreciated terribly much - look at the comments in this thread, just for starters - so it goes a long way.

    1. Re:Simple solution: bring cookies. by ledow · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Sorry, I don't bribe in order to receive good service from people whom I'm paying money for that service in that first place. Provide of don't. That your job is bad isn't my problem. I won't make it any worse, so long as you do it. But I'm not going to bribe service from you.

      And it's "under-appreciated" for a reason. They serve drinks. And do a little safety panto. Sure, they probably have to do training to get there, but I have to do training to say I can safely climb a stepladder at work these days - it means nothing.

      P.S. Tips are optional. And voluntary. Always have been, always will be. But I know some of us on here live in a country where not paying the tip is actually PENALISED with attempts at humiliating you. Try it on me. Just try it.

      If I choose to reward good service, it's done AFTER the service has been performed for me, if the service was exceptional, and on the condition that it was never expected (Bellboys holding their hands out?! Get outta here!).

    2. Re:Simple solution: bring cookies. by FreonTrip · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What a way to view the people in your world - as an endless series of economic actors to whom you feel superior or against whom you rationalize your lower standing. I hope I never work for you.

  4. Unions by Jodka · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "...the nation's largest flight attendant union is now suing the FAA to have the ban on gadget use during takeoff and landing reinstated."

    An excellent example of how unions supplant an eagerness of workers to meet customers wants and needs with an attitude of wanton truculence.

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une signature.
  5. Re:It's the passenger choise to listen or not by jabuzz · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The moment you stop caring about your safety is the moment you put *MY* safety at risk. A simple one would be total brainless morons who inflate their life-jacket inside the aircraft because they where not listening and as a consequence impede my exit. Yes this does happen there are a number of well documented cases of aircraft ditching and people inflating life-jackets inside the aircraft and people needlessly ending up drowned.

  6. No more $6 drinks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If they were serious about everyone performing in an emergency, they'd ban the $6 alcoholic drinks and screen everyone for benzodiazepines or GABAergic drugs before they stepped on to the plane. Ask yourself (i) whether you'd want to live in a world where you couldn't knock yourself out on a 15-hour flight, and (ii) whether the extremely rare chance of being in an evacuation is worth that level of imposition on basic developer-society human rights (access to physical/mental health care, and the freedom to consume the food/plants of your choice)... and then we'll be in the right area of discussion.

    Captcha: inhibits

  7. Re:I thought they loved it! by deadweight · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I am a commercial pilot. You are an utter moron. I have fllown through weather that would crack your skull open if you wre not belted in tight. You are also a danger to everyone around you when your dumb fat ass lands on them.

  8. Re:I'm a pilot by spaceyhackerlady · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Well, then you're a pretty crappy pilot if you don't have it memorized by now.

    I've made a point of not memorizing checklists. Good pilots always work from their printed checklists. It lessens the chance of missing something.

    ...laura