There should be a sign over the doorway of all commercial aircraft operating in the United States that reads "Abandon all hope of common sense all ye who enter here." The latest example that I personally observed of the ridicuous rigid and often ill-logical rules that govern the conduct of passengers in the skies over the nation that claims to be the land of the brave and the home of the free occurred yesterday morning.
My flight out of Minneapolis was delayed due to a sleety snowfall that was pelting the area. Before we even left the gate, the captain informed us that the flight would not depart as scheduled because the aircraft would have to be de-iced before takeoff. As we prepared to taxi to the area where the plane would be doused with chemicals to avoid icy buildup on the wings, the flight attendant came on to make the cursory announcement that we were preparing to depart and that ALL electronics devices MUST be turned off and stowed.
Mind you this was shortly after the captain had already told us that we wouldn't be departing anywhere anytime soon. So during the short taxi to the tarmac where the aircraft would be de-iced and during the time that said de-cing was taking place it was VERBOTEN for anyone on the plane to turn on their Kindle or cell phone or iPod. Because using such devices could, you know, cause yet to ever be clearly defined or explained dirruptions to FLIGHT operations. This despite the fact that everyone aboard knew there was no chance that our plane would be achieving said state of travel above the ground in the near term future.
Yeah, makes perfect sense to me.
