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I like to see hands, do you turn off your cellphone in flight?

1 points by orn ↗ HN
I have been wondering how many people actually turn off their cell phone in flight. Many people just turn off the screen and don't bother. Others seem very concerned and make sure the phone is truly OFF. I was thinking about this the other day when I was on a flight and my iPhone power button had stopped working, I certainly had mine on. I think we all know it doesn't matter though, with of the devices out there I'm sure each flight has at least 50 devices still on in a plane carrying 200 people.

I bet there is a good portion of us that doesn't bother, can I see hands are you ON or OFF ?

2 comments

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SethKinast
I put mine into airplane mode. There is no scientific reason to need to turn it completely off; the announcement is just because it's an easy common denominator.
ISL
I switch mine off - compliance with crew instructions is a federal requirement, as far as I know.

The instructions are, of course, rubbish. Constructing a cell phone with out an "off position" is sufficient to comply with instructions that state "any device with an off switch must be turned off at this time".

The instructions certainly clean up the plane's RF environment, but it's silly to expect compliance from even well-meaning humans at the 0.3% level (all of 400 passengers turn off all their devices).