ust a day after the New York Times published a precarious part of a USAir company memo regarding use of airline phones during an emergency, the airline confirmed the memo was in fact authentic, but that certain language had since been rescinded.
The Aug. 2 memo, written by USAir Capt. Paul Sturpe and sent to all pilots, announced GTE Airfone had been contracted to supply its Advanced Digital Airfone Service to USAir’s fleet, said GTE Airfone spokeswoman Laura Littel. The memo included information such as installation times, customer costs and the procedure for reporting any problems with the phone service.
The memo’s questionable paragraph, which quickly was retracted, stated, “There may be occasions where an in-flight anomaly could occur where it is desirable to disable the phone system*…*USAir prefers to furnish press releases for in-flight anomalies instead of having this information reported live via telephone from the aircraft! The captain is encouraged to use his discretion in deactivating the phone system by pulling the circuit breaker in these instances.”
What the New York Times article reported is true, said a USAir spokesman who asked not to be named. He wouldn’t comment further than to say “the language has been rescinded.”
Another USAir spokesman said the memo aimed to prevent situations where a phone call from a passenger could compromise the safety or security of the airplane. He added that USAir senior management was unaware of the memo’s language.
GTE Airfone announced its USAir contract in June. Under terms of the agreement, GTE Airfone is beginning installation of its in-flight phones and service this month on 2,000 USAir aircraft. Passengers that use the service will be charged GTE Airfone’s new flat rate of $15 for unlimited calling, said Littel. The service allows customers to send and receive voice and data information, including faxes, and provides access to e-mail and voice mail.
