question about cell phones on planes

[maggiann]

OK, does EVERYONE turn off their phone during a flight? what would happen if you left it on, will they know? I have always turned mine off but I was just wondering.
thanks

 

[Lewisc]

OK, does EVERYONE turn off their phone during a flight? what would happen if you left it on, will they know? I have always turned mine off but I was just wondering.
thanks

The concern is some cell phones, in some parts of the plane, might interfere with some of the airlines electronic equipment. I suspect it's similar to the warning in hospitals, the airlines are erring in the side of caution.

I think if your cell phone rang or you were overheard using it, you'd be in some trouble.

 

[ducklite]

I always turn mine off. Although I'm not certain that having it on would actually interfere with any flight communications, it's not worth taking the chance of messing anything up, or getting caught.

JMHO.

Anne

 

[maggiann]

I always turn mine off. Although I'm not certain that having it on would actually interfere with any flight communications, it's not worth taking the chance of messing anything up, or getting caught.

JMHO.

Anne

thats true. like i said i always turn mine off i was just wondering what would happen. wouldn't want to get thrown off the plane on my way to disney...lol

 

[ducklite]

thats true. like i said i always turn mine off i was just wondering what would happen. wouldn't want to get thrown off the plane on my way to disney...lol

Oy! Can you imagine?

Anne

 

[Lewisc]

thats true. like i said i always turn mine off i was just wondering what would happen. wouldn't want to get thrown off the plane on my way to disney...lol

Worse case scenario you'll get questioned for hours, have your return ticket cancelled, get put on the no-fly list and have to stay in WDW or walk home.



The passengers on the 9-11 flight that crashed into the Pentagon used their cell phones. I read one of the issues is the cell phone system doesn't work properly for phones that high up and going that fast. Basically the signal keeps going from tower to tower much faster than the system was designed for and causes problems.

 

[pugdog]

I have NEVER shut mine off. And they still let me fly. As far as the phone in the hospital thing, It happened with a really old first generation machine and you had to be within 3 feet of it to cause problems.
So all it is is a we are not really sure what will happen, if anything senerio.

 

[bg4]

I have NEVER shut mine off. And they still let me fly. .

That is wrong on so many levels.

Why do people do what is right - because it is the right thing to do. Perhaps not stopping for a red light or stop sign would also be acceptable. You know what probably nothing will ever happen. But can you guarantee it 100%. NOPE. I used to say to let me know your cell phone is on so I can get off the plane but I realize you are not the only one. You should reconsider. If it were me I would not want to be the one saying to myself as the plane is crashing D'OH

And its still against the law- as far as I can tell.

 

[OKW Lover]

Its an FAA requirement. I'm sure there are people who inadverdantly leave theirs on. But I've noticed that even the most cell phone addicted people you would ever meet do indeed follow the rules.

 

[CarolA]

When it rings you get the WRATH of the Flight Attendants. I have seen them REALLY jump on some passengers when the phone rang and gave them away!

(And as for "Mr Rules don't apply to me" I REALLY hope your's rings someday and busts you. I also work in healthcare and your facts there can be WRONG depending on the generation of the equipment within the hosptial, but I guess that doesnt' really apply to you either!)

 

[taramarie]

I love the show MythBusters! And the episode the other day was why turn cell phones off on the airplane. They found that the signal is in no way disrupted on the plane at all. But the man who was a representative of the airline/airplane and in charge of electronics said that cell phones change daily and their equipment has 100's if not 1000's of signals going at once. Do you want to take a chance and mess with one of those signals in air? That was pretty much his exact words.

So no hard evidence....but do you really want to fall from the sky!!!!!

Tara

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have NEVER shut mine off. And they still let me fly.......

 

[twinklebug]

I love the show MythBusters! And the episode the other day was why turn cell phones off on the airplane. They found that the signal is in no way disrupted on the plane at all. But the man who was a representative of the airline/airplane and in charge of electronics said that cell phones change daily and their equipment has 100's if not 1000's of signals going at once. Do you want to take a chance and mess with one of those signals in air? That was pretty much his exact words.

So no hard evidence....but do you really want to fall from the sky!!!!!

Tara

We love those shows... they do their best to SHOW people results, even though they can calculate the results. (what fun is there in that?)

Fact is, yes, there are literally 1000s of electronic devices that comprise a plane, multipy each one of those by 100 (or more) as they have their own chips and signal relays and you have a MESS on your hands. It's amazing that technology has been able to take automation so far and pretty scary too.

Take it from me (my family & I have been into signal processing for generations now) DON'T mess with it ~~~PLEASE~~~ Turn your cell phones off!!!

If you feel it's necessary to leave your cell phone on during a flight, I'll be one of the first to help you find the exit (sans parachute!) Mess with your life alone... not a planeful of lives.

BTW, I hear Amtrak has nice coach seats... and the prices are still low compared to flying!

 

[JVL1018]

I always turn mine off when we fly..and in our library as the librarian told em the elevator would not work if anyone used their cell(which is a crock because I see people alll the time using cell phones there), some hospitals have the no cell please signs up, but when my son was in the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital at NY Presbyterian last fall they told us when they built the children's hospital they made sure everything was okay to use while cell pones were in use.
Not that I could ever get reception in there anyway. LOL

 

[deltachi8]

I work at a hospital and served 3+ years on the safety committee and we relaxed cell phone restrictions as modern equipment is not effected by cell phone use. However, to avoid questions, concerns, and mostly for privacy concerns they are only allowed in common areas and not in patient rooms.

As far as planes go, I have no idea what is true and what isn't, so why chance it. As long as its the rule and I'm a guest (paying or not) on thier plane, I'll follow it. Truthfully, what call is so important that it cant wait until you land? Even if (God forbid) a loved one had died, its not like the pilot can land immediately for you, you still have to wait until you get to your destination.

 

[Vivianne]

My husband has two cellphones and turns them off when we fly. Even if it's safe to use, Why would someone want to disturb others on the plane? I notice lot of people talk loudly on their phones.

I just came back from the library today and sure enough a man was using the speaker on his cellphone. Why do people have to be told they're disturbing others?

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I for one would not take the chance. I turn mine off on the rare occasion I get dragged onto a plane. But I consider airplanes flying tubes of death...and I would never do anything to remotely screw anything up. If the pilot told me that if I held my breath the flight would be safer...you'd see me in my seat, turning blue.

Yes, we drive to Orlando every year. hehehe

 

[Pinnie]

I have NEVER shut mine off. And they still let me fly. As far as the phone in the hospital thing, It happened with a really old first generation machine and you had to be within 3 feet of it to cause problems.
So all it is is a we are not really sure what will happen, if anything senerio.

I fly with one of my best friends who is an Air Traffic Controller. I notice that he ALWAYS turns his cell off the minute the cabin door is closed. THAT should tell you something!!

pinnie

 

[pugdog]

Ok here is my last post on this subject. Just read the following links on why cellphone use on planes and in hospitals are bunk.
link 1
link 2
link 3 link 4 link 5 link 6
So by the end of the year cell phone could be used. Do I want to hear everyone talking at the same time? Heck NO!! But with today technology don't tell me that it will bring a plane down.

 

[pezpam]

I always figured it was just erring on the side of safety, though I turned mine off since, really, I'm no expert and why take the chance. A couple of months ago, a study was released (well, it was all over the news anyway, could have been released earlier) that changed my mind. Airlines were studying whether to add equipment to the planes that would allow people to use their cellphones while in flight. The people doing the study said they expected to find that it was fine, but in fact found that cellphones can interfere with the navigation system even more than had been thought previously.

Will it happen every time? No. But it doesn't have to. One disastrous interference will be more than enough.......