After hearing today what American Airlines had to say about their special passenger, I decided to share with you what flight attendants are saying behind the galley curtain:

Jake*: After reading about Alec Baldwin being removed from a flight for refusing to turn off his cell phone and verbally berating the crew, it got me thinking about enforcing the electronics policy. How little is too little? How far is too far? For me, I tell them it needs to be turned off and walk away. End of story. I really can’t be bothered policing every single electronic device. And giving a written warning for a phone! For some reason I can’t even see e-readers (wink, wink), which, by the way, do not use electricity unless the page is turned. What about y’all?

Beth: I inform and walk away!

Kim: Inform, not enforce.

Seth: Depends on my mood. Lol!

Sara: I’m an informer. It is ridiculous. If we really enforced everyone to turn off their electronic devices we’d never get a plane off the ground!

Carol: Inform once, remind once, then stare at them, roll your eyes and walk away. I am wearing as many hats as I can. Police is not one I signed up for.

Kris: “Informers not enforcers” also means we can inform the enforcers of the violators.

Angel: What happens when you have to evacuate and they aren’t paying attention because they are too busy on their electronic device to be paying attention to you? …just playing devils advocate.

Jay: Sounds like their personal problem to me. Maybe they’re live Tweeting the evac?

Jason: Which begs another question: how responsible are we for people paying attention to the safety demo and other critical phases of flight? The other day I had a lead flight attendant make an announcement prior to the demo requesting that all passengers cease conversations and focus solely on the video screens, no matter how well traveled they were. That was extreme and annoying!

Grant: I wait for the lead to make their announcement. Then arm the door. Then make my OWN announcement to turn them off. Then I go through the cabin from the aft and lean in and say “We’ve asked you three times now I’m telling you turn it off” It works every time.

Casey: I guess I’m in the minority, but I don’t mind asking as many times as needed to get the electronics turned off. It’s just another in a long line of regulations that passengers need to comply with, and the passengers that do comply aren’t very happy if others continue to use them. But, I’m nice about informing!

Lisa:  Pick your battles. somethings aren’t worth it when the company comes to you and gives you the 3rd degree for enforcing their policy!

Diane: I inform and enforce….it’s a FAR (federal aviation regulation) and I don’t want a big personal fine from the FAA>…I am not sure why everyone thinks we just inform and not enforce?

Cindy: I also inform and enforce. Had a guy in first…I asked him to turn off his computer….then he turns on his phone. I asked him to turn it off….after asking twice I said “Sir, this is the third time I’m asking you to turn off your phone” He gave me the look…I said, we can always go back to the gate. Passenger behind him said :Turn off your f*^%@*g phone!!!” He did 🙂

Sam: I find it sad how complacent most flight attendants have become about customers using their electronic devices. We have gotten this “whatever” attitude about it, but I find it personally annoying when I ask them to turn it off and they roll their eyes at me and give me this…Well, they didn’t make me on the last flight. Well, they didn’t give a rat’s ass on the last flight, but I do, so, turn it off…thank you. Not enforcing it creates the a-holes like Alec…..

Nadine: Remember the movie Clueless when being “a Baldwin” was a good thing? Perhaps we have a new catch phrase for the peeps who don’t turn off their stuff. 🙂

What do you all think? Everyone argues how stupid and/or mean flight attendants are, because we inform you that you need to turn off your electronic device. The reality is flight attendants are doing their jobs. It doesn’t matter what we think, it is a federal aviation regulation that we must enforce. The airline and the flight attendants can be fined for not enforcing this rule. The flight attendant can actually lose their job. It is pointless to tell a flight attendant your opinion about it, it’s not a judgement call.  Do you turn off and stow your electronic devices? Do you wait to be informed when the flight attendant walks through or do you do it on your own when you hear the announcement?

Any questions about air travel? Join me on Facebook/theflyingpintoblog or @theflyingpinto. You can also join me in The Crew Lounge and hang out with me and some of my flight attendant friends while we discuss industry news, and have great conversation with our guests! Have a kindle? Subscribe to The Flying Pinto for automatic downloads….just be sure to turn it off when informed;)

*All names have been changed.