Man removed from flight for a common habit—‘I didn’t know anything about this’
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In today's fast-paced world, where capturing every moment on our smartphones has become second nature, it's easy to forget that there are times and places where this habit can land us in hot water.
This was a lesson learned the hard way by a father and travel vlogger who found himself in a sticky situation on the tarmac that led to him being temporarily removed from a Jetstar flight.
Jimmy Mitchell was embarking on a journey from Sydney to Brisbane with his wife Pauline and their two children when he decided to snap a photo of his family on the aircraft's staircase.
It was a moment he wanted to cherish, but it quickly turned sour when a Jetstar staff member reprimanded him for using his phone on the tarmac, even calling him an 'i****' in the process.
The incident, which Mitchell shared in a video, escalated when he confronted the employee about the remark.
‘I basically stormed over to her, and I was like, “Are you serious? What did you just call me?”’ Mitchell narrated.
The Jetstar staff member notified Mitchell that the use of his phone on the tarmac was prohibited, to which he responded that he was unaware of this regulation, saying, ‘I was like, “wait a minute, I didn’t know anything about this.”’
‘“My phone was on flight mode, what does it matter?”’
Mitchell admitted to wearing noise-cancelling headphones, which prevented him from hearing any announcements about the restriction.
‘I didn’t hear it. When I went to the gate, there were no notifications about it, no signage, nothing,’ he argued.
‘What if I was deaf?’
Mitchell asserted that he persisted in disputing with the Jetstar staff member, who then informed him that he was denied boarding the flight.
Subsequently, he was required to remain inside the gate area for a duration before ultimately being readmitted onto the flight and rejoining his family.
The travel vlogger conceded that he probably reacted excessively to the incident, although he found the Jetstar employee's response lacking in professionalism.
‘I think I probably overreacted to be honest... but when someone calls you an i**** in front of your family, it’s a fight or flight reflex,’ he said.
‘All she had to do was say something constructive. “Get off your phone, you can’t have your phone out.” I would have been like, “OK, sorry,” (then) got on the plane, moved on with my life.’
While Mitchell called for an apology from the airline to his family, Jetstar, in a statement, emphasised that the tarmac is an 'operational space' where phone use is prohibited for safety reasons, and that customers are reminded of this via gate announcements.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) noted that restrictions on phone use on the tarmac can vary between airlines and airports.
However, the underlying principle is that the tarmac is a hub of activity where safety is paramount.
Distractions from electronic devices could potentially lead to accidents or interfere with the complex operations that go into preparing a flight for departure.
You can watch Mitchell’s full video here:
This was not the first time that Mitchell was involved in a controversy and shared it on social media.
Recently, he made a very controversial statement about a state in Australia which sparked debates online.
Have you ever encountered a similar situation or been unaware of certain airline regulations? How do you balance the desire to document your travels with the need to adhere to safety protocols? We encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
This was a lesson learned the hard way by a father and travel vlogger who found himself in a sticky situation on the tarmac that led to him being temporarily removed from a Jetstar flight.
Jimmy Mitchell was embarking on a journey from Sydney to Brisbane with his wife Pauline and their two children when he decided to snap a photo of his family on the aircraft's staircase.
It was a moment he wanted to cherish, but it quickly turned sour when a Jetstar staff member reprimanded him for using his phone on the tarmac, even calling him an 'i****' in the process.
Jimmy Mitchell was removed from a flight for using his mobile phone on the tarmac while boarding. Credits: Shutterstock
The incident, which Mitchell shared in a video, escalated when he confronted the employee about the remark.
‘I basically stormed over to her, and I was like, “Are you serious? What did you just call me?”’ Mitchell narrated.
The Jetstar staff member notified Mitchell that the use of his phone on the tarmac was prohibited, to which he responded that he was unaware of this regulation, saying, ‘I was like, “wait a minute, I didn’t know anything about this.”’
‘“My phone was on flight mode, what does it matter?”’
Mitchell admitted to wearing noise-cancelling headphones, which prevented him from hearing any announcements about the restriction.
‘I didn’t hear it. When I went to the gate, there were no notifications about it, no signage, nothing,’ he argued.
‘What if I was deaf?’
Mitchell asserted that he persisted in disputing with the Jetstar staff member, who then informed him that he was denied boarding the flight.
Subsequently, he was required to remain inside the gate area for a duration before ultimately being readmitted onto the flight and rejoining his family.
The travel vlogger conceded that he probably reacted excessively to the incident, although he found the Jetstar employee's response lacking in professionalism.
‘I think I probably overreacted to be honest... but when someone calls you an i**** in front of your family, it’s a fight or flight reflex,’ he said.
‘All she had to do was say something constructive. “Get off your phone, you can’t have your phone out.” I would have been like, “OK, sorry,” (then) got on the plane, moved on with my life.’
While Mitchell called for an apology from the airline to his family, Jetstar, in a statement, emphasised that the tarmac is an 'operational space' where phone use is prohibited for safety reasons, and that customers are reminded of this via gate announcements.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) noted that restrictions on phone use on the tarmac can vary between airlines and airports.
However, the underlying principle is that the tarmac is a hub of activity where safety is paramount.
Distractions from electronic devices could potentially lead to accidents or interfere with the complex operations that go into preparing a flight for departure.
You can watch Mitchell’s full video here:
This was not the first time that Mitchell was involved in a controversy and shared it on social media.
Recently, he made a very controversial statement about a state in Australia which sparked debates online.
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