Narrative:

While in-flight, I walked through first class and noticed a passenger's hand-held multi-device unit, which included a cell phone. I noticed the light indicator on the top of the device was flashing red and would change to green only for a flash then back again to red. Being familiar with this device, the light flashing is a signal light for the phone and 2-WAY capability. I advised the passenger the device's power needed to be turned off and was not approved. He became hostile with his tone and defensive verbally. He told me the device was turned off. I explained the power source needed to be turned off or disconnected. He claimed it was. I explained if there was no power there would be no light and pointed to the light flashing. Again I said it needed to be turned off. I called the captain to advise him of the passenger's device and behavior (using swear words). The captain agreed the device needed to be turned off. The captain made a PA advising passenger to comply with crew members' instructions. At the time the captain made the PA, I was again conversing with this passenger. I asked him to remove the battery from the unit to turn it off. He claimed the unit was off (still blinking) and that he did all he could do. I again asked him to remove the battery (the captain advised me to ask again). He claimed it was impossible and the battery didn't remove. Throughout this conversation, the passenger continued to swear at me using the same hostile and defensive tone. I was never able to confirm if he complied or not. I advised the captain of his behavior and I suggested the air carrier's disturbance report be issued. The captain did not agree. No further action taken.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLT ATTENDANT CONFRONTED A FIRST CLASS PAX ABOUT TURNING OFF HIS PHONE ON AN MD80 AND THE PAX RESPONDED WITH VERBAL HOSTILITY.

Narrative: WHILE INFLT, I WALKED THROUGH FIRST CLASS AND NOTICED A PAX'S HAND-HELD MULTI-DEVICE UNIT, WHICH INCLUDED A CELL PHONE. I NOTICED THE LIGHT INDICATOR ON THE TOP OF THE DEVICE WAS FLASHING RED AND WOULD CHANGE TO GREEN ONLY FOR A FLASH THEN BACK AGAIN TO RED. BEING FAMILIAR WITH THIS DEVICE, THE LIGHT FLASHING IS A SIGNAL LIGHT FOR THE PHONE AND 2-WAY CAPABILITY. I ADVISED THE PAX THE DEVICE'S PWR NEEDED TO BE TURNED OFF AND WAS NOT APPROVED. HE BECAME HOSTILE WITH HIS TONE AND DEFENSIVE VERBALLY. HE TOLD ME THE DEVICE WAS TURNED OFF. I EXPLAINED THE PWR SOURCE NEEDED TO BE TURNED OFF OR DISCONNECTED. HE CLAIMED IT WAS. I EXPLAINED IF THERE WAS NO PWR THERE WOULD BE NO LIGHT AND POINTED TO THE LIGHT FLASHING. AGAIN I SAID IT NEEDED TO BE TURNED OFF. I CALLED THE CAPT TO ADVISE HIM OF THE PAX'S DEVICE AND BEHAVIOR (USING SWEAR WORDS). THE CAPT AGREED THE DEVICE NEEDED TO BE TURNED OFF. THE CAPT MADE A PA ADVISING PAX TO COMPLY WITH CREW MEMBERS' INSTRUCTIONS. AT THE TIME THE CAPT MADE THE PA, I WAS AGAIN CONVERSING WITH THIS PAX. I ASKED HIM TO REMOVE THE BATTERY FROM THE UNIT TO TURN IT OFF. HE CLAIMED THE UNIT WAS OFF (STILL BLINKING) AND THAT HE DID ALL HE COULD DO. I AGAIN ASKED HIM TO REMOVE THE BATTERY (THE CAPT ADVISED ME TO ASK AGAIN). HE CLAIMED IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE AND THE BATTERY DIDN'T REMOVE. THROUGHOUT THIS CONVERSATION, THE PAX CONTINUED TO SWEAR AT ME USING THE SAME HOSTILE AND DEFENSIVE TONE. I WAS NEVER ABLE TO CONFIRM IF HE COMPLIED OR NOT. I ADVISED THE CAPT OF HIS BEHAVIOR AND I SUGGESTED THE ACR'S DISTURBANCE RPT BE ISSUED. THE CAPT DID NOT AGREE. NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN.

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.