# Plane turns around because a cell phone was ringing... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 14, 2006, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646 "2006-08-14T10:38:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/41 "2006-08-15T14:02:43Z")
[QUOTE=Gorsnak] Well what the heck? Why did I think Gander is in Labrador? It’s in Newfoundland proper. [/QUOTE] I was under that impression for a while too. Maybe we’re confusing it with Goose Bay. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/42 "2006-08-15T14:11:58Z")
[QUOTE=ParentalAdvisory] _ **Phones on a plane!** _ [/QUOTE] you win! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/43 "2006-08-15T16:41:13Z")
Another update, from the [London Times](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2313087,00.html). > [@](#): > > It was believed that the phone was left by a passenger who had flown into Britain, and so had not been subject to the extra security measures. Makes sense, i suppose. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/44 "2006-08-15T17:07:24Z")
If Iit was left before the restrictions went into effect, or from a country not enforcing restrictiond for travel to the UK. But for the first few days (including when this was posted), there was a “no electronics” policy in effect for planes into the UK from the US (and I think France, but the French sites are so contemptuous of all of this that I can’t quite tell). ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/45 "2006-08-15T17:14:11Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] If Iit was left before the restrictions went into effect, or from a country not enforcing restrictiond for travel to the UK. But for the first few days (including when this was posted), there was a “no electronics” policy in effect for planes into the UK from the US (and I think France, but the French sites are so contemptuous of all of this that I can’t quite tell). [/QUOTE] The plane may not have come in from the US, and the phone could have been on it for more than one flight. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/46 "2006-08-15T17:16:15Z")
Yes. I thought I conveyed that with “If Iit was left before the restrictions went into effect, or from a country not enforcing restrictiond for travel to the UK.” ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/47 "2006-08-15T17:46:42Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] The plane may not have come in from the US, and the phone could have been on it for more than one flight. [/QUOTE] Fairly unlikely a US phone would ring over Ireland/England. Most US phones can’t receive calls there (technically incompatible) and fewer are actually on a system that will allow forward of calls there. Not impossible, but less likely than a European phone. Any word on whether the pilot said, “Don’t make me come back there” to the passengers? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646/48 "2006-08-15T21:34:44Z")
Tri-band (depending on the bands) will operate equally in Europe and America. With a dual-band phone, I’ve received calls in France from the U.K. When I was in Brunei, my U.K. dual-band mobile worked just fine (if expensively). It depends upon whether the relevant phone companies have an arrangement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plane-turns-around-because-a-cell-phone-was-ringing/368646.md?page=2)