12
May
Today on CNN.com Katia Hetter writes about passengers who disregard flight attendant instructions and leave devices on during flight.
While more than 90% agree those flight attendant directions to turn off devices are clear, 59% say they always turn their devices completely off and 21% say they switch their devices to “airplane mode.” Some 5% say they sometimes completely shut down their devices.
As you can see from the image I carry many devices: laptop, iPad, Coby Kyros android tablet, portable 4G hotspot, and a WIFI router and I also have a GPS and my phone used to take the picture. On any given flight I have at least one device on when forbidden. I do, however, make sure I put my devices away. Don’t be that person flaunting your devices when the flight attendant comes by. He or she had no input on the rule but is required by the FAA to enforce it or incur fines. Don’t argue with the FA that the device doesn’t interfere with navigation equipment. Just put it away!
If you leave your cell phone on (and not in airplane mode) make sure it is silent. Nothing is more of a dead give-away that your device is on than “Thrift Shop” blaring from your seat. And at altitude put your device in airplane mode or you will drain the battery searching for signal. If you want to use Gogo pretty much every phone I’ve had allows you to put the phone in airplane mode and then turn on WIFI.
