Subject: [NEXTEL-1] AFA Wants Standard for Managing Use of Personal Wireless Devices

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 08:21:28 -0400

AFA Wants Standard for Managing Use of Personal Wireless Devices

Clear, Consistent Rule to Verify Disabled Transmitters is Lacking

WASHINGTON, July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Concerned with the growing use of
portable electronic devices (PEDs) containing transmitters whose
interference with aircraft systems may pose safety risks, the
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO, has joined forces with
industry groups to develop and recommend standard practices to manage
their use onboard aircraft in flight.  PEDs with wireless capabilities
perform a host of useful tasks.  In addition to transmitting and
receiving, they play games and music, manage contacts and schedules and
balance checkbooks.  Yet "with the current lack of standards, flight
attendants must rely on the verbal assurances of passengers, who in turn
may be unfamiliar with the specifications of these complex devices,"
said AFA President Pat Friend.

Several American carriers recently loosened their restrictions on the
in-flight use of multifunction wireless devices.  At these carriers,
cabin crews are now asked to verify that transmitters are turned off or
otherwise disabled.  However, this is a nearly impossible task, as today
there is no standard that ensures through a consistent and recognizable
symbol that a transmitter has been disabled.  It is also not possible
today for device owners to be certain that the transmitter on their
device is disabled, short of turning the power off or removing its
batteries.  "Airlines are jumping the gun on this issue," Friend said.
"I would encourage all carriers to wait until a realistic standard is
recommended by airline and technology industry stakeholders, and adopted
by device manufacturers.  We support efforts by such groups as the
Consumer Electronics Association to create an industry-recommended
practice that will serve to indicate clearly whether the in-flight use
of a given portable electronic device is permitted."

More than 46,000 flight attendants join together to form AFA, the
world's largest flight attendant union.  AFA is part of the 700,000
member strong Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO.  Visit us at
http://www.afanet.org.

SOURCE Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO
Web Site: http://www.afanet.org

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