Yes, another airline rant

[AfricanTech]

So can anyone explain why you are allowed to use your cellphone / smartphone while on the ground in an aeroplane but NOT allowed to use a tablet??

Airline regulations really boggle my mind

 

[KleinBoontjie]

Allowed?? Probably cause they say so...and because of regulations, rules and the fact that its airline property(the guys that makes the rules of what happens in their planes). And why not just sit back and saviour the moment.

 

[Richie35]

So can anyone explain why you are allowed to use your cellphone / smartphone while on the ground in an aeroplane but NOT allowed to use a tablet??

Airline regulations really boggle my mind

Hmmm called Flight Mode, they will not even know if it bit them in the a%s!!! Have used on Emirates/SAA/British Airways

 

[Wyzak]

So can anyone explain why you are allowed to use your cellphone / smartphone while on the ground in an aeroplane but NOT allowed to use a tablet??

Airline regulations really boggle my mind

You aren't actually allowed to use any electronic devices until the plane has parked and the doors have been opened.

 

[tty128]

Probably because the regulations were written in the 1970s and nobody has updated them since.

 

[orin76]

So can anyone explain why you are allowed to use your cellphone / smartphone while on the ground in an aeroplane but NOT allowed to use a tablet??

Airline regulations really boggle my mind

Which airline was this? I've used a tablet (in airplane mode) on Air France and recently on a 1time flight. Kulula gave me some flack a while ago, but I haven't flown with them recently so I don't know if they've changed their policies.

 

[GarethC]

I've also found it odd, but all airlines I've travelled with domestically have asked that you turn off all electronic devices when taking off until the seatbelt light gets turned off, and the same equivalent time when landing.

Sure the chances of any of this interfering with the airplane or its electronics is virtually nil, but it's really not that big an issue to turn off these devices for that short period of time.

The fact that an airline allegedly discriminated between a tablet and a cellphone I find peculiar.

I'm glad that we're now allowed to use phones etc. in plane mode, and the testing they're doing with wi-fi APs on board flights is also reassuring that these kind of regulations are at least getting updated.

 

[AfricanTech]

SAA, 30 minutes before take off. "Please switch off your device" when seeing me use tablet. No objections to me using cellphone.

Sigh, it's the inconsistent behaviour that gets me

 

[KleinBoontjie]

I think in the end, people tend to give the pilot or airlines more blame if something goes wrong than a passenger in seat F3 who thinks he knows better.

 

[Devill]

SAA, 30 minutes before take off. "Please switch off your device" when seeing me use tablet. No objections to me using cellphone.

Sigh, it's the inconsistent behaviour that gets me

Yes it is silly but they have to abide by the Rules and regulations. I do not get why they will let you keep working away on your phone but not your tablet though.

 

[Brawler]

I got this the other day as well.

SAA had no problems with tablet (except for take off and landing), BA didn't want me to touch the thing at all but the kid next to me was allowed to play angry birds on his Samsung galaxy smartphone.

 

[grok]

BA didn't want me to touch the thing at all but the kid next to me was allowed to play angry birds on his Samsung galaxy smartphone.

Just shows you which is the better device ..

 

[SaiyanZ]

If a little cellphone that's not switched off can cause a plane to crash or malfunction, I would be very reluctant to get into that plane.

 

[AfricanTech]

I got this the other day as well.

SAA had no problems with tablet (except for take off and landing), BA didn't want me to touch the thing at all but the kid next to me was allowed to play angry birds on his Samsung galaxy smartphone.

LOL - and then this evening BA was okay with me on the tablet right up until the seatbelt demo....

Go figure...