TAIPEI, Taiwan – A woman onboard a plane in Taipei was fined NT$80,000 (S$3,500) for texting her friend right before take-off despite warnings by the crew.
In the afternoon of Dec. 4, 2009, 49-year-old Chen was on a Mandarin Airline flight from SongShan Airport to Kinmen.
After the crew notified passengers to stop using electronic devices, she kept on inputting on her cell phone, typing up a text message to her friend, according to the Taipei District Court.
Crew members tried to stop Chen as soon as they noticed, but Chen refused to turn off her cell phone and yelled, “I must do this. It’s important!”.
The plane was directed back and the woman was arrested at the gate by aviation police.
The Taipei District Court handed the woman a NT$80,000 fine for breaking the Civil Aviation Law.
The case is open to appeal.
As stated in Article 102 of the Civil Aviation Law, using disruptive electronic devices on a plane is punishable by a sentence of up to 5 years, detainment, or a fine of up to NT$150,000.
Offenders causing death could receive a sentence between seven years to life. Offenders causing severe injuries are punishable by a three-year to ten-year sentence.
