Skydrinking From United States of America, joined May 2009, 20 posts, RR: 1 Posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1361 times:
I was recently on a Turkish Airlines flight from Bodrum-Istanbul when about 30 seconds from touchdown at IST, the captain came on the horn and asked all passengers to please keep their cellphones off. The plane was touching down as he finished his request. I thought it rather bizzare as I had never experienced this announcement aside from prior to take-off. I don't fly very frequently but a few times a year for the past 30 years and I have never heard this. Can anyone speculate as to what happened in the cockpit for the captain to make this statement? I assume that on almost every flight flying today, there is at least 1 cellphone that hasn't been turned off. Is cellphone interference really a frequent occurrence?
Azjubilee From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 3555 posts, RR: 30 Reply 1, posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1313 times:
Many times a "buzz" will come through the radios and intercomm and create a distraction. What's more interesting about your situation is that the pilot thought it was acceptable to take his head out of the game and violate sterile cockpit to make that PA.
TK787 From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 4104 posts, RR: 13 Reply 2, posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1281 times:
I am sure Pilotaydin and Wing, a.net pilot members for TK call tell a bunch about this.
For me, I think it needs to be a clear message from all airlines about this. I have taken about 15 flights the last two weeks on DL, AA, UA, US, B6, VX, WN, NK and the rules are all over the place. The PA announcements are all different. Some let you turn the phone on at touch-down, some will ask you to keep them off until you are inside the terminal.
Because of this some people don't really take it seriously. I mean you can hear phones ringing just before take off and no FA rushes to stop this, nothing happens.
But I do like the new overhead sings on US where it says "Do not use electronic devices" where once it used to say "No Smoking" next to fasten seat belt signs.
ASAFA From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 167 posts, RR: 3 Reply 3, posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1218 times:
Quoting Azjubilee (Reply 1): What's more interesting about your situation is that the pilot thought it was acceptable to take his head out of the game and violate sterile cockpit to make that PA.
I hardly think this violates sterile cockpit. Sterile cockpit means you can't discuss topics that are not related to the safe operation of the aircraft. I would argue this announcement had everything to do with the safe operation of the aircraft because obviously if it was made from the flight deck the pilots were experiencing some sort of interference. Only one pilot lands the aircraft but both monitor ATC communications. I'm willing to bet the one who wasn't landing noticed the interference and made the announcement.
It also could have been a male F/A who spotted someone in the cabin with their phone on. Obviously I wasn't there but many people assume a male voice must be coming from the F/D. Unfortunately this perception means that male voices tend to be more effective in getting people to comply with requests. It certainly got the OP's attention (and probably wouldn't even be a topic if it had been a female F/A making the request).
Azjubilee From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 3555 posts, RR: 30 Reply 4, posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1212 times:
Policies amongst different airlines are different because of what the FAA has approved for each individual airline. It is an impossibility for the crews to know for certain if all phones are off. They can only enforce the rules when they see them being violated.
Skydrinking From United States of America, joined May 2009, 20 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1145 times:
Quoting ASAFA (Reply 3): It also could have been a male F/A who spotted someone in the cabin with their phone on. Obviously I wasn't there but many people assume a male voice must be coming from the F/D.
It was the captain who spoke as he announced himself at the at beginning of his message. What I'm getting at here is why make such a statement right before touchdown? Even if a cellphone was causing an interference, by the time a passenger turned it off we would have already been on the taxiway.
ClearedDirect From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 271 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 981 times:
Quoting TK787 (Reply 2): The PA announcements are all different.
So true. Here lately on DL/Delta Connection I have been hearing a few mentions specifically saying that 'Airplane Mode' was not acceptable. The phone has to be completely off.
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From United States of America, joined May 2009, 20 posts, 
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