How about this: On every passenger jet, have a clearly marked box in every section that is basically a fire safe, with minimal ventilation to somewhere other than the cabin?
Basically if someone's laptop or cel phone erupts, you throw it in there and slam the lid shut to smother it and let it burn somewhere it won't hurt anything.
I think this is worth it even if they end up banning laptops actually... #airlines
@fuchikoma: I think the answer is even more obvious than that. Airlines should start placing all passengers, and whatever they want to bring on board, in explosion-proof cargo boxes. If something blows up, they just clean up the cargo box and call the next of kin.
Besides, it can't possibly be worse than flying on Delta or US Airways anyway and at least you wouldn't have to deal with disgruntled flight attendants. #airlines
this is why Apple products have Non-removable batteries...
Maybe they know something we dont...
I'll be funny in a no to far future, to see all the apple fanboys (including me) going through the checkpoint with no problem... while the PC laptop user dont...
Tip of the day:
"Always carry a ziploc bag" #airlines
@ZERFLO:
"Please remove your battery and place it in this box, sir"
"I CAN'T remove my battery. It's built in."
"Well I'm sorry, but our policy says that for any personal computers allowed onboard, the batteries must be placed in this box and weigh no more than 990g."
"I can't help your policy - the battery CAN NOT BE REMOVED from my computer."
"Then I'm afraid I can't allow it on the plane sir, I'm sorry. You can leave it behind or rebook your flight for another time, but you cannot bring it on the plane."
"AAARG, THAT'S SO STUPID - it's just like any other laptop!"
Although, not to rain on the funny parade, but the cartoon above is making fun of TSA which is a sub-agency of DHS. FAA is a sub-agency of DOT and has nothing to do with the screenings of passengers at the airport. Just saying. #airlines
I imagine that business fliers are a large portion of the airlines business, if they outlaw laptop batteries they'd lose costumers/money. Airline security is more about the 'appearance' of security than actual security.
"In other words STFU and don't ask questions and we wont have to strip search you." #airlines
I assume you mean the sexual connotation of perverted. Which I don't think I've ever seen.
Creepy would depend on your sense of humour I suppose.
Or do you know the cartoonist personally and he perhaps groped you?
I just can't think of an xkcd that is perverted or creepy; socially awkward - definitely, disturbing - definitely, perverted socially or philosophically - yes, but for the sake of humour.
I can't wait until the Airline industry gets reprogrammed (either hardware or fleshware (personnel) so that I can use my phone in AIRPLANE MODE. #airlines
@SuperTuna: haha okay I see. Yeah they always ask me "is that off?" and have to chuckle because you think they'd be briefed about airplane mode by now #airlines
What is even better is lithium batteries in a Magnesium frame laptop, if the battery goes critical then the resulting fireball will burn a hole out the bottom of the airplane. #airlines
@Yerzriknot: No, it's very true -- if you assume that all of the Li reacts at once upon "catastrophic failure". Fortunately, when these batteries do fail, not all of the lithium reacts at once, it just burns, rather than explodes. That's not very pleasant either, but it's better than an explosion. #airlines
@Duckspwn: Haha, it's all relative; we're MORE fortunate that it burns, rather than explodes. But, yes, you're right: I wouldn't call burning batteries FORTUNATE ;) #airlines
"A laptop battery contains roughly the stored energy of a hand grenade, and if shorted it ... hey! You can't arrest me if I prove your rules inconsistent!"
Reposts of XKCD always lose the funny provided by the alt text. #airlines
Are you, sir, saying that a woman who's job is essentially to be a glorified waitress in the world's worst restaurant might not be well informed on gadgetry?
I've flown from California to Paris France over 5 times during the past 5 years. I also fly all across the US about once a month. I never turn my phone off, or my laptop, or any of my electronic devices during takeoff, flight, or landing, simply because there is no evidence to support the fantastical claim that my electronics will have any effect whatsoever on the airplane. I don’t buy the ridiculous argument of "Wellllll it hasn’t proven to be SAFE either". I have a message for all those folks: It has NOT BEEN PROVEN that using the internet WON'T give you cancer of the left buttock. Therefore, you should NOT use the internet because it MIGHT cause cancer of the left buttock because it’s never been proven to NOT cause buttock cancer. Please turn off your internets immediately!
Here are some real world examples of how I did not die or cause a plane to crash by using my electronics:
1. On a flight over to Paris, France from Los Angeles, California I (get ready for this!) TURNED ON MY PORTABLE GPS UNIT WHILE IN THE AIR, DESENDING INTO CHICAGO!!! Yes, I was flying over Chicago at the time, and I wanted to see how fast the plane was actually going. As soon as I turned it on and data began to pour in, all communications on the plane were interrupted and the plane took a hurtling nose dive into the ocean and….oh, wait, no it didn’t. Absolutely nothing happened except I was able to see data pouring into my GPS unit. I kept it on for about 10 minutes before I got bored and put it away.
2. While on dozens of flights from Burbank Airport to Las Vegas I (ARE YOU FREKING READY FOR THIS????) LEFT MY CELL PHONE ON!!!!!1!1!!!! Each and every time I have done this, my plane has crashed into a fireball into the desert. Or……….…I landed safely without any incident just like the dozens of other folks who left their phones on in the same plane (some of whom were even….GASP….TEXTING!!!!). I'm going to keep the suspense going and let you GUESS at whether or not my planes crashed into the desert or if I landed without incident.
3. One time, while we were in the descent/landing process (PREPARE YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!) I ACTUALLY WITNESSED A 20 SOMETHING YEAR OLD SPEAKING ON HIS CELL PHONE TO SOMEONE!!!! OMFG!!!!!! The airplane instantly rolled over and crashed into the ground, causing a massive fireball that could be seen for miles………….whoops, wrong again. We actually landed without incident just like every other time I've left my portable electronics on.
So after taking those examples into consideration, perhaps we may conclude that either I (and apparently half of the passengers who I saw playing with electronics they were prohibited to play with) was INCREDIBLY LUCKY and, by the grace of God, landed safely when certainly the plane should have crashed….or…….perhaps we need to reevaluate these outdated (and unfounded) rules and regulations? But then again, I'm just basing that on my observation of numerous electronics being on during takeoff, flight, and descent which is the catalyst for me to raise questions based on actual real world examples and evidence which is, of course, JUST CRAZY TALK. Certainly, until something can be proven to NOT cause a plane to go down, it should be banned! Personally, I refuse to use soap and water on my body until it can be proven to NOT cause cancer of the RIGHT buttock (I almost certainly have cancer of the left buttock from keeping my intertubes turned on), and I think I made a wise decision. You all have FUN with your showers and ASS cancer; I'll just play it safe and not question the infallible logic of proving a negative!
Someone asked for the FAA to publish it's navigation freqs, those are well published, you have the VHF, and UHF radio bands, the VOR, DME, ILS, and GPS freqs for navigation.
The issue is not the frequencies but those random occurances where electronics are made incorrectly, that cause it to cause issues with the navigation equipment. It's rare but it happens, a friend of mine had one of those children laptops with a mouse (you know the learning laptops), that would result in a 10 degree deviation in the VOR when you moved the mouse in a particular direction.
10 degrees isn't much in cruise, but during landing, or take off in instrument conditions it can be the difference between another entry in the log book, or being a story in the news paper.
So in summary stop being lazy, and turn it off for a few minutes. You can live without it.
11/10/09
10/27/09
Basically if someone's laptop or cel phone erupts, you throw it in there and slam the lid shut to smother it and let it burn somewhere it won't hurt anything.
I think this is worth it even if they end up banning laptops actually... #airlines
10/27/09
Besides, it can't possibly be worse than flying on Delta or US Airways anyway and at least you wouldn't have to deal with disgruntled flight attendants. #airlines
10/27/09
Maybe they know something we dont...
I'll be funny in a no to far future, to see all the apple fanboys (including me) going through the checkpoint with no problem... while the PC laptop user dont...
Tip of the day:
"Always carry a ziploc bag" #airlines
10/27/09
"Please remove your battery and place it in this box, sir"
"I CAN'T remove my battery. It's built in."
"Well I'm sorry, but our policy says that for any personal computers allowed onboard, the batteries must be placed in this box and weigh no more than 990g."
"I can't help your policy - the battery CAN NOT BE REMOVED from my computer."
"Then I'm afraid I can't allow it on the plane sir, I'm sorry. You can leave it behind or rebook your flight for another time, but you cannot bring it on the plane."
"AAARG, THAT'S SO STUPID - it's just like any other laptop!"
"Just following the rules, sir!" #airlines
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
"In other words STFU and don't ask questions and we wont have to strip search you." #airlines
10/27/09
10/27/09
I assume you mean the sexual connotation of perverted. Which I don't think I've ever seen.
Creepy would depend on your sense of humour I suppose.
Or do you know the cartoonist personally and he perhaps groped you?
I just can't think of an xkcd that is perverted or creepy; socially awkward - definitely, disturbing - definitely, perverted socially or philosophically - yes, but for the sake of humour.
Please help me understand. #airlines
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
Fixed it for ya. :) #airlines
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
my bad #airlines
10/27/09
Reposts of XKCD always lose the funny provided by the alt text. #airlines
09/24/09
Gasp I say, Gasp.
09/25/09
09/24/09
Here are some real world examples of how I did not die or cause a plane to crash by using my electronics:
1. On a flight over to Paris, France from Los Angeles, California I (get ready for this!) TURNED ON MY PORTABLE GPS UNIT WHILE IN THE AIR, DESENDING INTO CHICAGO!!! Yes, I was flying over Chicago at the time, and I wanted to see how fast the plane was actually going. As soon as I turned it on and data began to pour in, all communications on the plane were interrupted and the plane took a hurtling nose dive into the ocean and….oh, wait, no it didn’t. Absolutely nothing happened except I was able to see data pouring into my GPS unit. I kept it on for about 10 minutes before I got bored and put it away.
2. While on dozens of flights from Burbank Airport to Las Vegas I (ARE YOU FREKING READY FOR THIS????) LEFT MY CELL PHONE ON!!!!!1!1!!!! Each and every time I have done this, my plane has crashed into a fireball into the desert. Or……….…I landed safely without any incident just like the dozens of other folks who left their phones on in the same plane (some of whom were even….GASP….TEXTING!!!!). I'm going to keep the suspense going and let you GUESS at whether or not my planes crashed into the desert or if I landed without incident.
3. One time, while we were in the descent/landing process (PREPARE YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!) I ACTUALLY WITNESSED A 20 SOMETHING YEAR OLD SPEAKING ON HIS CELL PHONE TO SOMEONE!!!! OMFG!!!!!! The airplane instantly rolled over and crashed into the ground, causing a massive fireball that could be seen for miles………….whoops, wrong again. We actually landed without incident just like every other time I've left my portable electronics on.
So after taking those examples into consideration, perhaps we may conclude that either I (and apparently half of the passengers who I saw playing with electronics they were prohibited to play with) was INCREDIBLY LUCKY and, by the grace of God, landed safely when certainly the plane should have crashed….or…….perhaps we need to reevaluate these outdated (and unfounded) rules and regulations? But then again, I'm just basing that on my observation of numerous electronics being on during takeoff, flight, and descent which is the catalyst for me to raise questions based on actual real world examples and evidence which is, of course, JUST CRAZY TALK. Certainly, until something can be proven to NOT cause a plane to go down, it should be banned! Personally, I refuse to use soap and water on my body until it can be proven to NOT cause cancer of the RIGHT buttock (I almost certainly have cancer of the left buttock from keeping my intertubes turned on), and I think I made a wise decision. You all have FUN with your showers and ASS cancer; I'll just play it safe and not question the infallible logic of proving a negative!
09/24/09
The issue is not the frequencies but those random occurances where electronics are made incorrectly, that cause it to cause issues with the navigation equipment. It's rare but it happens, a friend of mine had one of those children laptops with a mouse (you know the learning laptops), that would result in a 10 degree deviation in the VOR when you moved the mouse in a particular direction.
10 degrees isn't much in cruise, but during landing, or take off in instrument conditions it can be the difference between another entry in the log book, or being a story in the news paper.
So in summary stop being lazy, and turn it off for a few minutes. You can live without it.