TheFly

Altercation breaks out on Southwest Airlines flight - El Paso Times

Posted:*09/05/2011 06:42:02 PM MDT

An altercation broke out Monday afternoon aboard a Southwest Airlines flight bound from Phoenix to El Paso when a passenger refused to turn off a cell phone in the process of landing, a Southwest spokeswoman said.
The passenger was restrained on board and El Paso Police Department officials met Southwest Flight 1833 when it landed at El Paso International Airport at about 5:45 p.m., Whitney Eichinger, a spokeswoman for Southwest Airlines, said.
Police officials interviewed witnesses who were on board the flight, Jeff Schultes, an El Paso International Airport spokesman, said.
No further information was available.

FlyJSH

He couldn't hang up, he hadn't told his wife what to make for dinner.

captfurlough

Ten million sperm and he's the winner.

forgot to bid

I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally left my phone on during flight, it's more of an annoyance because it kills your battery. I can assure you never once has it led to a crash and I've never been killed because of it.

Tell me someone didn't overreact because someone didn't turn their phone off and instead the guy was drunk or something else and the phone wasn't a real issue.

Swedish Blender

On final <1000', my captains cell phone rang. Like any good captain, saw it was his wife, said your airplane, and chatted to the wife the rest of the way to the gate.

One bonehead actually answered with a Fed on board. Oops

captfurlough

No doubt that there's more to the story...but why would you have the phone on during the last stages of the flight? Eager to check emails or find messages; especially those that can't wait until clear of the runway? You gotta be kidding me. And why would you not put it up the first time the FA asked you to?

As an aside, I have had some screwy things happen in flight a couple of times, and later learned that someone was using a cell phone. I think a lot of it has to do with the type of aircraft, where the pax is sitting (relative to antennas and the EE compt., etc., and the type of phone. Interference may not happen often, but under the wrong circumstances I wouldn't want to be the test pilot. (IFR low to the ground on autopilot Cat 3, or in RSVM airpspace, etc...) Just because Myth Busters couldn't duplicate it on the ground in a corporate jet doesn't mean it can't happen in other applications.

There's always someone who doesn't think the rules apply to them....

frozenboxhauler

Had a CheckAirman forget to turn his mobile phone off and it rang at about 1,000 feet on final. Good weather, visual approach and backing up with the ILS. Every time the phone rang we got about 1/2 to 3/4 dot on the GS and 1/4to 1/2 dot LOC deflection. I wouldn't have believed it if I haden't seen it for myself.

captjns

A former carrier I flew with had that problem covered.. first item on the pre-flight check list...'

'"Mobile phones....OFF"

Worked most of the.... ooops hold on there... my phone just rang.

80ktsClamp

I've seen similar! Pretty freaky when you see it in real life.

TheFly

First time I heard of a cell phone being on and ringing and actually getting interference on navigation equipment. Interesting......