On international flights to and from South Africa, as many as 15 mobile phones are left on, despite airlines’ requests for travellers to turn them off. An estimated five handsets on average remain active on domestic flights.
This is according to a recent survey of 7 600 South African travellers conducted by online travel agency Travelstart. The survey found that 3% of travellers never turn their devices off.
By contrast, a similar survey conducted in Namibia found that not a single respondent claimed to leave their mobile phone on during flights. However, in the Namibian survey almost 20% of respondents said they suspected nothing would happen if they were to do so.
Though South African travellers are allowed to use electronic devices in “flight mode” while in the air, they are requested to turn off all devices completely for takeoff and landing.
Earlier this year, The Huffington Post, an online news portal, asked a number of travel industry experts whether these sorts of surveys meant that leaving your handset on is, in fact, perfectly safe?
The consensus from respondents was that the rules governing mobile devices were put in place when they were less well understood. Nevertheless, some respondents, like commercial pilot Chris Cook, claimed they had never encountered interference while piloting aircraft, while others reported minor interference and buzzing sounds in pilots’ headsets.
US television channel ABC News published a report from the International Air Transport Association that claimed there had been 75 documented reports of “possible electronic interference” since 2003, which airline staff believed could be attributed to mobile devices.
However, there are no scientific studies to support the claims.
Nevertheless, there’s no doubt that electronic devices distract passengers during safety announcements and, with takeoff or landing being the most dangerous times during a flight, there may be good reason to ensure passengers are attentive.
Until scientific evidence supports airline authorities claims, it appears that passengers will have to continue being reprimanded by airline staff about turning off their electronic equipment for flights. But it also looks likely there will be plenty of travellers who’ll continue to flout the rules, whether deliberately or inadvertently. — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media
