Passengers jetting off with popular budget carriers might be in for a shock if they flout a not-so-obvious rule. People travelling with Jet2, Ryanair, easyJet and TUI – as well as other airlines – could be kicked off their flights due to an obscure regulation about taking pics on the tarmac.
A traveller’s TikTok video went viral, alerting flyers of these airlines to the rule after he was booted from a flight for what seemed like a harmless blunder. Jimmy Mitchell got the boot from a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Brisbane and took to social media to share his ordeal while stuck at the airport terminal.
The father whipped out his mobile to take a quick snap of his wife, Pauline, and their kids as they hopped aboard the aircraft. Unbeknownst to him, there had been a warning against using phones on the tarmac during refuelling.
After being escorted off the plane, Mr Mitchell vented his anger: “This is the worst experience I’ve ever had flying. I try and get on the plane, I take a photo of my kids as they get on the plane, in flight mode, and the lady calls me an idiot.
“I turned around in disbelief because I was half way up the stairs at this point. I basically stormed over to her and I was like, ‘Are you serious? What did you just call me?’ She was basically saying ‘you can’t take photos on the tarmac, you can’t take photos on the tarmac’.”
Jimmy suggested that the situation could have been handled more effectively if he had simply been asked to put his phone away. Typically, airport security zones and tarmacs are areas where passengers are instructed to stow their phones.
While there’s no law against taking photos in public spaces, UK airports are private entities and thus reserve the right to prohibit photography – a rule most enforce, especially in secure areas.
When not in a secure zone, and when the photos are for personal rather than commercial use, it’s generally acceptable. Areas before Customs Arrivals usually impose restrictions on electronic devices and photography.
Airlines and airport staff often exercise their discretion to determine when to permit photography and when to request passengers to cease.
Jetstar clarified that phone usage is prohibited on the tarmac “as this is an operational space and we remind customers of this via gate PAs”.
A representative for the airline stated: “All our customers and team members have the right to feel respected when flying with us or when at work and we’re looking into what took place in this instance.”
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