If you use your GPS on AA, be discreet about it

[Ifly2]

Guess you missed the part where AA had updated the policy?

And that, sir, might also imply that your name-calling me "know-it-all olsen" might actually be accurate in this case.

If customers don't draw attention to dumb policies, they'll never get fixed at AA.

According to y'all, AMR considers its employees a distraction, a liability and just another line item on their financial statements, so they won't listen to you...

Ok...

I am sitting here with a current up-to-date AA Flight Manual Part 1. The policy on Portable Electronic Devices is same as it has been for years, and does not allow use of portable GPS on board... ever...

I don't think a cut and paste job on this would be good for my career, so I won't...

Have you access to a better source of AA policy?

Please don't try to claim the American Way magazine trumps the FAA Approved FFlight Manual...

 

[Ifly2]

Hey Know-it-aall...


This form AA.com, today:

All portable electronic devices must remain off and properly stowed during taxi, takeoff, approach and landing until the plane is at the gate and the seat belt sign is off. Cell phones may be used on certain aircraft after landing in the U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, once authorized by a flight attendant. Your flight attendant will tell you when you may use approved portable electronic devices in-flight. Devices with transmitting capabilities may only be used if the transmit capability is turned off and can be verified by a flight attendant (example: combination cell phone/PDA devices or laptop computers with wireless capabilities).

During flight, never use cell phones (to make or receive calls), two-way pagers, radios, TV sets, remote controls (example: DVD, CD, game, or toy remote controls), a cordless computer mouse, commercial TV cameras, or Global Positioning Systems. Radio transmission using personal communications devices (example: walkie-talkies, two-way pagers, or wireless headphones) is prohibited, as it may interfere with the aircraft's communications and navigation systems. Devices that are not allowed to be activated at any time are those, including e-cigarettes, that could cause damage to equipment or diminish the design, function, or capability of the aircraft.


Feeling confident of your "expertise"?

 

[Mach85ER]

Ifly2,

We both know what passes for a Flight Manual from this Flight Dept is pretty much nothing but low grade toilet paper.

The GPS thing reminds me of when the watches with altimeters came about. Legend was more than a few times a "observant" passenger
urgently warned the FA's to tell the Captain that they wouldn't clear the Rockies since his watch indicated a 8,000' (pressure) altitude. :blink:

 

[Ifly2]

Mach,

I agree the manuals, all of them, suck...


However, we both also know that however poorly written and/or organized, they do define AA policy and procedure.

Can't say the same for American Way. Right?

Cheers 😉

 

[eolesen]

Considering it took until 2005 to get AA's IT department to upgrade people from Windows 98, I don't put a whole lot of faith in the website.

IIRC, the flight attendant's PA says a complete list of devices that can be used is in the magazine. I guess they should change the PA to say "check the Captain's flight manual" or something like that, eh?

Tell you what.... I'll gladly ask a few of my contacts at AA Publishing and in Flight to check it out. Too bad you don't have those electronic manuals that the low cost carriers have -- they get policy updates at the time they happen, as opposed to waiting for something to go to the printer, get distributed to the bases, and ultimately wind up in your binder some six to eight weeks after the policy actually changed...


There's no excuse for not obeying the crew, but if it wouldn't it be ironic if it turns out the whole chain events took place because some Sky NAAzi was quoting an outdated manual?.... The update is in the 8/15 magazine, and this took place a day or two later.

 

[wcs]

... it turns out the whole chain events took place because some Sky NAAzi was quoting an outdated manual?....

I don't want to read sometime into what someone meant to say. But you're not trying to equate an American Airline employee with a member of the Nazi party are you? I asked a similar question before and don't recall receiving a reply.

 

[kirkpatrick]

IIRC, the flight attendant's PA says a complete list of devices that can be used is in the magazine. I guess they should change the PA to say "check the Captain's flight manual" or something like that, eh?

The problem is that the government leaves it to the airlines to determine which devices are likely to interfere with navigation or not. That's a cop-out. Airlines should not be required to set up labs and experiments to make this decision. The government should review the whole issue and determine which devices are safe and which are not.

On any given flight there are probably at least five or ten cellphones left on for takeoff and landing. We FA's do our best to check for compliance but short of doing a complete body search and luggage search on each pax as we walk down the aisle all we're really capable of doing is seeing that no cellphones are visible to us.

Reasonable laws are more likely to be respected than unreasonable laws. The government should be making the laws, not telling the airlines to do so.

MK

 

[Ifly2]

Yo, Know-It-All Dude,

Are you seriously attempting to claim that the American Way magazine takes precedence over what is published in AA's FAA Approved Flight Manual?

Could the magazine be wrong?

Or could you? (Gasp!!! )

Or, maybe it is only you...

I looked at the August 15 American Way online... As you say, it and the FA's announcement state that the FA's will let passengers know when it is ok to use approved devices... The actual list of approved devices is not there. However, the info in American Way is very specific, and nowhere does it state that GPS in one of these approved devices.

http://www.americanwaymag.com/08152009

Click on "Digital Editons" link to right of page, page 74.

Your own source gives lie to your claim. WTF?

So, l I gotta' ask... Is it really too much to ask that you follow the rules? Or are they only for all "those other people"?

And yeah, I personally think it is stupid... There is essentially no chance a GPS can cause a problem... but it is AA's policy. Just maybe, they have a reason for it.

 

[loco_o_que]

FYI -- most recent f/a manual update (15AUG09) adds GPS units to list of approved electronic devices on AA.

 

[Ifly2]

FYI -- most recent f/a manual update (15AUG09) adds GPS units to list of approved electronic devices on AA.

Ok.,

I'll take your word for that...

Guess we'll see how long it takes for the manuals to agree with each other...

 

[upsilon]

Ok., I'll take your word for that... Guess we'll see how long it takes for the manuals to agree with each other...

Guess Know it All DID know it all about the current use of GPS on AA.

As to 'Sky NAAzi', I too have experienced Storm Trooper like actions toward pax (including myself) by both in-flight and ground staff. And not just by AA.

I'm sick of having the most senseless, self-serving, and totally made-up-on-the-spot "demands" be justified in the name of "security".

 

[wcs]

As to 'Sky NAAzi', I too have experienced Storm Trooper like actions

Then you need to educate yourself about the Nazis and what Storm troopers were.
Some people including flight attendants or other employees may be rude, in your opinion, but don't call them Nazis. Doing so shows your complete ignorance or your use of unjustified hyperbole.
I wouldn't want to be around when you're ignorant enough to say that to someones face whose grandparents were concentration camp survivors.

 

[Mach85ER]

Guess Know it All DID know it all about the current use of GPS on AA.

As to 'Sky NAAzi', I too have experienced Storm Trooper like actions toward pax (including myself) by both in-flight and ground staff. And not just by AA.

I'm sick of having the most senseless, self-serving, and totally made-up-on-the-spot "demands" be justified in the name of "security".

One or more "Sky NAAzi" FA's made a snap decison to jump a 6'4" nutcase Jamaican turned Al Qaeda bomber while inflight from Paris to Miami.
Guess what? They aren't going to be perfect across the board. I'd rather have them laying down the smack on tech geeks sticking an exact replica of C4 on an aircraft window 10,000 times rather than sheepishly ignoring the real thing just once.

It's not going to be perfect. File a complaint after the flight if you feel wronged.

 

[FA Mikey]

No one implied that a guy with wires and an antenna affixed to the window or going after Richard Reid were examples of going over board. There are those who use "security" to attack people and things over the slightest indiscretions. Prime example I had a number 3 insist that a passenger be removed for swearing on board. She got in his face and in a confrontational manner insisted that since 911 people are not allowed to swear on board.

 

[Mach85ER]

No one implied that a guy with wires and an antenna affixed to the window or going after Richard Reid were examples of going over board.

Mikey,

The post was related to the title of the thread. Another thread title would be good to discuss the incorrect behavior you noted. There are going to be "grey" examples like I noted (and what occurred here), and "black and white" examples like you noted.

Thx