B757-200 flight attendant found a passenger using a cell phone in-flight going into atl.

Attributes
ACN	582078
Time
Date	200305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 26r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	582078
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger electronic device cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Passenger Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon arrival, flight attendant told me she caught passenger on cell phone on approach. He said it was ok because it was VFR. Airline policy of cell phone use is ludicrous and confusing. Cell phones should never be allowed to be used on aircraft, ever! The policy that it depends on the aircraft door (open or closed) does not work. There is no way they know when it's open or closed. They then interpret it's ok anytime on ground or, like this guy, when it's non instrument WX. Get cell phone usage off the airport before we find out the hard way about interference.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLT ATTENDANT FOUND A PAX USING A CELL PHONE INFLT GOING INTO ATL.

Narrative: UPON ARR, FLT ATTENDANT TOLD ME SHE CAUGHT PAX ON CELL PHONE ON APCH. HE SAID IT WAS OK BECAUSE IT WAS VFR. AIRLINE POLICY OF CELL PHONE USE IS LUDICROUS AND CONFUSING. CELL PHONES SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO BE USED ON ACFT, EVER! THE POLICY THAT IT DEPENDS ON THE ACFT DOOR (OPEN OR CLOSED) DOES NOT WORK. THERE IS NO WAY THEY KNOW WHEN IT'S OPEN OR CLOSED. THEY THEN INTERPRET IT'S OK ANYTIME ON GND OR, LIKE THIS GUY, WHEN IT'S NON INST WX. GET CELL PHONE USAGE OFF THE ARPT BEFORE WE FIND OUT THE HARD WAY ABOUT INTERFERENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.