Airline Attendent would not let Kindle go into seat pocket, had to go on floor

[duck833]

On a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Phoenix today I turned off the Kindle and put it into the seat pocket in front of me.  The Flight Attendant told me books and such must be on the floor or in the overhead and not in the pocket.  I told her I travel lots and this is the first time I have heard of such a thing, she and her partner replied that it is a FAA rule and you can have nothing in those pockets.

So my poor Kindle sat between my feet on talkoff, on landing I hid it next to me on my seat.

Has anyone else every been told to remove books or Kindle's from the pocket?

[mlewis78]

I haven't been flying since I bought my kindle, but another KB member left the kindle in the seatback pocket when she left the plane.

[scarlet]

"books and such"

Really?  I put books in the seat pocket all the time and have never heard this.  And an FAA rule, that makes no sense.  Sounds like a Flight attendant on a bit of a power trip.

[AddieLove]

That's so weird. I've only been on about four flights with my Kindle, but no one has ever told me to put my Kindle on the floor or in the overhead bin. I always just place it in my lap, and no one comments.

So she's saying you can't have anything in the front pocket when the plane is taking off or landing? Because I've had water bottles and magazines (which the airline puts there) and all kinds of other stuff in the front pocket.

[Anne]

That sounds wierd to me. I hate to Fly they want to  charge for everythng now. And now you cannot put books etc. in the seat pocket.

[Shizu]

So what do you put in the front pocket? We can't put anything? That is so weird. It must be a new FAA regulation if that is true. I've been on United many times with my kindle and use front pocket but never been told to do such thing.

[Annie]

That makes no sense at all because there's already stuff in there anyway put in there by the airlines. I think the attendant was just being a female dog and her fellow partner just backed her up.

[pidgeon92]

It does sound odd, but after having read what people leave in the seat pockets  , I think under the seat is a far better choice.

[Geoffrey]

'An FAA regulation' is the standard reason for anything a flight attendant wants you to do.  I usually take it to mean 'because I said so'.   I travel a lot and I've flown all over the world on numerous airlines and the rules for what one may and may not do during take off and landing varies by attendant pretty much everywhere.  Even within a single airline the rules change for each flight so you just go with it.

About 80% of the time I can read Brother Joshua during take offs and landings - and sometimes they tell me to put him away.  I travel with a little in-seat travel case with everything I need in it so I just put him away and put the case in the pocket or at my feet or between me and the armrest. 

And I keep an emergency backup pbook in there so I can comply with whatever rule that particular attendant feels like enforcing.  Its easier than arguing as many attendants will turn ugly quite quickly when you don't respect their authority.

[Betsy the Quilter]

I'm trying to remember, on this latest flight to London from the US, I think it was, they were much more strict about people putting things under the seats and not holding them or putting them in the seat pocket.  So perhaps there is something new...

Betsy

[Kathy]

I travel a lot and I have been asked to remove it from the front pocket twice. I just put it in my purse for the takeoff and landing. About 50% of the time I am told to turn it off. I think it varies by how much the flight attendant knows about the Kindle.

[Geoffrey]

About 50% of the time I am told to turn it off. I think it varies by how much the flight attendant knows about the Kindle.

most times I'm asked to turn it off are on US carriers.  Most of the European and Asian carriers either don't mind or don't notice or something. 

[sharyn]

I just flew on four flights on Delta last weekend (two out to San Francisco and two back) and wasn't even asked to turn my Kindle off during take-offs and landings.

[Ann in Arlington]

Well, if I had a bag to put it in on the floor, that's where I'd put it.  I don't generally put things in the seat backs as (1) I don't want to forget them and (2) I've found some things in seat backs that I don't want my stuff touching.  .

If I didn't have a bag on the floor to put it in, I would get out and put it in the overhead, if holding it in my lap wasn't good enough.  I've seen small items slide the whole length of the plane on takeoff and landing.

I guess I don't see the problem with just holding it, except I guess it's one more bit of evidence that they want you actually listening to the emergency escape stuff. . . .best solution is to wear an over the shoulder bag to stow it in.  Which would be under my sweater as airplanes are always cold to me.

[Leslie]

Although, think about it. Most people have a book in their hands on takeoff and landing. Has anyone ever been asked to put a book away?

I just flew back and forth to Chicago last week. I read my Kindle the whole time. No one ever asked me to turn it off or put it away.

I always put my purse under the seat in front of me and my backpack in the overhead bin. If someone did ask me to put my K away, I'd put it in my purse. Like Ann said, those seat back pockets can be nasty. And, I've read about a few people who did accidentally leave their Kindle behind and I wouldn't want that to happen.

L

[jgirvine]

Ok, Flight Attendant here.....34 year flight attendant...so one of those old f***s.

Yes, the Flight Attendant's were correct.  FAA reg says you are not to have anything "hard" in the seat back pocket.  If things go very very bad, they can come out and be projectiles to injure people.  So, if I see it, I am going to ask you to remove it.  As far as folks saying I have flown x number of times and never been asked.  Keep in mind we are walking down quickly, we have to get to our jump seats, as we are doing this we are looking for (usually in very bad lighting):

folks we would call on for help in an emergency.
Are seat belts fastened.
is the overhead bins good and closed and won't pop open
tray tables up
seat backs up
do the folks in the exit row meat the faa "exit row critiea"
lap children, do the parents have the seat belt around just the parent or have they placed it around themselves and the child (correct answer just the parent, hold the child)
if a child has their own seat are they in a booster seat (faa bans booster seats)
if a child is in a car seat, is it at the window seat (faa says car seats can not block a passenger getting to the aisle)
if a child is in a car seat, is that cars eat forward or aft of an exit row, (yep, faa says that is a no no also)
that the area around folks feet is clear so if there was an emergency evac on takeoff are they are not gong to trip over all that crap at their feet.
no bag set in the seat next to them
everybody is sitting up (faa says no laying down for take off and landing).
anything hard in the seat back pocket
and the every popular faa rule,  that every one is so willing to follow.... are all electronic devises off.


ps, a lot of flight attendants do not yet realize what the Kindle is....we are just start to see them in any numbers.  Everytime I bring mine out they are:
 "What is that?" 
"Oh, is that what I am seeing passengers use?" 
"IT"S ELECTRONIC???, I did not know that."

[LauraB]

  

I just flew on four flights on Delta last weekend (two out to San Francisco and two back) and wasn't even asked to turn my Kindle off during takeoffs and landings.

I think you were asked everytime during the safety announcement    When they say "if it has an On/Off button it needs to be in the off position" Kindles count   . On K1 it is on the top, K2 you slide the bar on the top 3-5 seconds, same on DX. I don't generally wait for a personal invitation to follow the rules, but I guess that is the second grade teacher in me   , I can't count how many times a year my kids and I have that conversation   . Before I taught 2ND grade I was an R.N. in a Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit and I get creep-ed out thinking about how dirty the inside of those pockets must be   . I get cold on planes, so I take my k2 when I travel and the inside of the Hard Rock Cafe jean jacket I wear has a huge inside pocket (for reasons I never understood until I began to travel with my kk) and that is where it goes.
@jgirvine:
"We have to get to our jump seats"
I met my husband skydiving, and I think of that everytime I walk by those jump seats 

[jmiked]

Ok, Flight Attendant here.....34 year flight attendant...so one of those old f***s.

Thanks for posting that. Always glad to see the people in the trenches furnish actual info. 

Mike

[Geoffrey]

I understand there are rules and it's all for my safety and all that stuff and that grownups should know better ... but I think the rule is as foolish as the no matches/lighters, random bag search or 3oz. per liquid container rules.  So, I don't necessarily comply.  (but then I don't necessarily comply with speed limits or jaywalking or removing the pillow tag rules either)  On the other hand, I won't cause a scene about it.


I do as the flight attendants ask - and usually crack a joke while doing it .... but that's because a) I've seen how awful life is for people who act the spoiled little monster on a plane and b) being nice to flight attendants (especially on long-haul flights) increases the chances of extras treats, free alcohol, entertaining chitchat and the like.

[ReconDelta]

The Kindle is a hard plastic/metal device that if it became airborne during a rough landing/take-off it could kill someone (especially a DX).   With the rash of recent airline issues, I am personally happy the airline is monitoring people so closely.  If a Kindle hit me over the head because some moron decided they were too good to properly store their device, I would be quite angry.   If it hit my two year old, their kindle would get shoved up their personal seat back, sideways.

Society as a whole needs to STOP with the ME and think about the whole.   I'm the guy who starts with dirty looks, then proceeds to walk over to chat with the cell phone talker who continues on AFTER being told to turn off their phones.   Trust me you're not that important your call can wait.   Also, your kid will remember to turn the VCR on to record the 4:30 Oprah without you reminding her.

So please do everyone a favor and just turn off the Kindle, cell phone, and other electronic devices, for the 20 minutes at take off and landing.  

 

[BruceS]

I can see why, in the event of a crash, placing it in the overhead compartment would be safer the holding it in your lap, but how it placing it on the floor supposed to be safer than the seat pocket?

It seems to me that an item laying on the floor is much more likely to become a projectile, than one which is in a seat pocket.

[JimC1946]

I was on two Delta flights in July, and I put my K2 in the seat pocket, as did a fellow across the aisle from me. No one said anything about it. My biggest fear of putting anything in the seat pocket is forgetting to take it with me when I get off the plane.

[Anne]

I was on two Delta flights in July, and I put my K2 in the seat pocket, as did a fellow across the aisle from me. No one said anything about it. My biggest fear of putting anything in the seat pocket is forgetting to take it with me when I get off the plane.

I would be afraid of putting it in the pocket because I may forget to take it too.

[Guernsey]

I was on a flight and a Kindle from a row or two back came sliding up the floor to my row on landing. I don't know how the person had "stowed" it but it wasn't secure. With some of the recent severe flight turbulence issues, I can see why flight attendants ask it to be removed from pockets if they see it.

[Crodley]

Quote: "FAA reg says you are not to have anything "hard" in the seat back pocket.  If things go very very bad, they can come out and be projectiles to injure people."

And then, Quote:"I think the rule is as foolish as the no matches/lighters, random bag search or 3oz. per liquid container rules.  So, I don't necessarily comply. "

I can only say wow to that comment.