[safety_first]

I am writing to complain about the way a Southwest Airlines flight attendant handled an incident on Flight 2221 from Los Angeles to Oakland on August 13 2007.

This flight attendant repeatedly ignored my assertions that the passenger sitting next to me still had her cell phone on even though the crew had already announced that all electronic equipment must be turned off. The FAA requires that all cell phones be turned off during the flight because they may interfere with the plane's navigational system. The flight attendant's response to my concern for safety was to tell me not to talk to the passenger again. Meanwhile, the passenger starts screaming at me, telling me to "relax, and have faith in my God."

When the plane leaves the gate, the passenger's phone starts to ring, which is a violation of both FAA and FCC rules.

Finally, a second flight attendant comes over and shuts off the passenger's phone. The first flight attendant, however, demands that the plane return to the gate.

When the passenger is escorted off the plane, several passengers assure me that I did the right thing. To my utter surprise after a few minutes I am asked to leave the plane because I raised my voice to the other passenger. While I realize that this was a mistake on my part, I was being verbally abused and was also frustrated that the flight attendant wasn't enforcing FAA security rules.

Had the flight attendant taken my concerns for safety seriously the first time,

(1) FAA and FCC rules would not have been broken.
(2) I would not have had words with the passenger and had to leave the plane
(3) The other passengers would not have been delayed by our return to the gate.

I am angered that I was punished by Southwest Airlines for doing the right thing. My removal from the plane sent the message that if you raise a concern about safety you will be ignored and then punished if you persist.

I have sent a complaint to Southwest Airlines and to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division. I would like this flight attendant to be
reprimanded and made to understand that it is her duty to enforce FAA security rules.