We’ve written about device restrictions on airplanes before, but in the New York Times Nick Bilton presents an angle that hasn’t been as widely considered: what happens when people’s electronic devices aren’t so obvious? A PDA or smartphone is one thing, but what about a smart watch or even smart glasses that have their own computerized networking enabled?
“We’re not policemen. We’re not going to be able to get anything done if we have to ask people if they’re wearing sunglasses or computer glasses and if their watch is a computer,” [transport worker union president Stacy K.] Martin said. “My hope is that we will get some relief from the F.A.A., but I don’t expect them to step up and be prepared for these issues in a timely fashion. Technology is clearly 10 years ahead of the F.A.A.”
Of course, there is not really any proof that these devices can interfere with flight instrumentation (especially given how many airlines have started using iPads in the cockpit). Some suggest that the real reason the devices have to be put away on takeoff and landing is so that they don’t go flying across the cabin and injure someone in the case of turbulence or other aerobatics. Most wearable electronics would not have that problem.
It’s not so much the putting away as the insistence that they be physically turned off at the same time (Off! not put in “airplane mode” which turns off all radios in the device. Or just put in hibernate/sleep mode). But, on the last flight I took several weeks ago, it was only the phones that had to be off, not any of the other mobile devices like Kindles with their whispernet or 3G iPads or other tablets that have wifi or cellular data service.
Of course, they also don’t have any way to tell if you haven’t done so, if your device is put away. At least not without expensive equipment the airlines aren’t going to put in every plane. And not at all if it’s airplane mode does what it is supposed to do.
Since there are many people who do not follow flight attendant instructions in regard to electronic devices, and no plane has yet crashed due to those devices being on and connected, I doubt there is a real safety concern. If the devices were a real safety concern, the airlines and/or government would use a device that inactivates them or blocks their signals.
On our flight yesterday, the man sitting next to my mother read his Kindle throughout takeoff and landing and whipped out his cell phone for the last 5 minutes of the flight. The flight attendants did not notice and we did not crash.
I usually have my Wi-Fi off on my Kindle anyway, turn off the Wi-Fi on my Kindle Fire, and put my cell phone in airplane mode. That should be sufficient should there actually be a safety issue.