Gentlemen Terrorists!

[Dr. L. Ramakrishnan]

"The captain has switched on the "fasten your seat belt" sign; please switch off all the electronic equipments; please switch off your mobile phones" - this is an usual announcement whenever a flight takes off or lands.

Often I see people still using their mobile phones, in spite of repeated requests over the PA, when the plane has started moving. I have also seen that air-hostesses requesting the passenger to switch off ...but the gentleman passenger does not bother about the request. He often goes on speaking on the phone until the request is repeated many times. He switches his phone off with a lot of anger in his face - he is doing a favour to the air crew !. Often, sitting next to him I shiver in fear; if using the phone during "take off and touch-down" is a safety issue, what happens if this gentleman uses the phone during these phases. Am I going to be a victim of an air-crash because of his stupidity ?

How do we handle these terrorists in the garb of gentlemen ?

 

[Marc]

I wouldn't call people like the one you describe terrorists. That's a pretty strong word to use. It seems these days people use the word "terrorist" to describe everything and anyone. The "gentleman" may be rude, which isn't unusual in the world today, but not a "terrorist".

As to mobile phones and other electronic "gadgets", there really isn't any strong evidence that they make a difference. It really comes down to a decision to consider the possibility that a consumer electronic device could interfere with navigation or other systems. Since takeoff and landing are the most critical parts of any flight, they decided to ban their being turned on during those times.

But note: During flight the same systems are working and they let you use computers and all that stuff. To date there hasn't been a confirmed system failure or malfunction which could be linked to the use of a consumer electronic device.

It's OK in my opinion that they do make people turn their devices off, but I don't consider it a significant safety issue.

 

[Dr. L. Ramakrishnan]

Thank you Marc for your views. I have used the term "terrorist" to mean "a person who terrorizes or frightens others" (from Dictionary.com). The base word "Terror" means "to Frighten". As for "whether using a mobile phone during take off and landing is really a dangerous act", I leave it to the subject experts; as far as I don't know the subject and consequences, I would follow the "precautionary" principles. Hence I am frightened if someone does not follow safety instructions, the consequence of which may affect me too.

By the way in our local use of English we even refer to children (naughty and highly active), school teachers (very strict) et al as TERRORS ! Greenpeace even called the company I worked for earlier as a TERRORIST just because they were the largest manufacturers of GLS lamps !

 

[Guest]

I think the issue is not so much that they will interfere with electronics but that during take off and landing people should really pay attention to safety.
I fly a lot and I make it a point to always watch the safety demonstration and read the flight safety card, locate the exists etc.
During take off an landing being on the phone or playing computer games means these people aren't paying attention and if there is a crisis then it may be that their reactions will not only impact on their own survival but they may interfere with other people's chances.

I found it strange that in the massacre on that island in Sweden, when if I was being hunted down by a deranged killer I would be doing everything possible to save myself, some of the young people where updating their Facebook pages and phoning home etc. This is the wrong behaviour for survival.

 

[Dr. L. Ramakrishnan]

Hi

Thanks for pointing out yet another reason which is probably a major reason for asking us to put off the phone during take-off and landing.

Regards

Ramakrishnan

 

[Dr. L. Ramakrishnan]

India has lifted ban on the use of mobile phones in planes a few days ago, following such actions by the USA and the EU. Now passengers in India can use mobile phones in the "flight" mode even during take-off and touch-down of the plane.