USE OF PORTABLE; CELLULAR PHONE ON ACFT WHILE AT THE RAMP.

Narrative

WHILE BOARDING FLT WHICH WAS LATE; FLT ATTENDANT WAS ASKED IF A PAX COULD MAKE A CALL ON HIS PORTABLE PHONE. I ALLOWED IT WITH THE STIPULATION THAT HE TURN OFF THE PHONE PRIOR TO CLOSING THE CABIN DOOR AND PUSHBACK. THE PHONE WAS TURNED OFF PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. LATER; WHEN DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE FO; HE SAID THAT PORTABLE PHONES WERE NOT PERMITTED ON THE ACFT AT ANY TIME; NOT JUST WHEN IT IS MOVING. I VERIFIED THIS BY REVIEWING APPROPRIATE REGS AND COMPANY MANUAL. THE MORAL IS: IF IN DOUBT; LOOK IT UP. MY WILLINGNESS TO HELP THIS PAX ALLOWED ME TO BREAK A COMPANY POLICY. WITH THE PRESENT SPOTLIGHT ON EMI INTERFERENCE IT IS BEST TO ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR FELT THAT THE USE OF THE CELLULAR PHONE DURING A 'NO OP' PERIOD AT THE GATE WAS NOT A CAUSE FOR ANY VIOLATION. THE INTERESTING PART OF THE PAX REQUEST WAS THAT THE PAX WAS WITH THE FAA; IN THE INFLT DIVISION; CHKING FACILITIES. WHEN ASKED WHAT WAS ALLOWED; THE RPTR READ FROM HIS ACR MANUAL AND IT FOLLOWED THE FAR 91.21 FAIRLY WELL SO FAR AS ACCEPTABLE ITEMS AS DOES ANOTHER ACR'S PLTS OPERATING MANUAL. THE ADDITIONS WERE THE 'NOT ACCEPTABLE' WHICH THE FAR DOES NOT SPELL OUT AND THEY VARIED SLIGHTLY FROM THE OTHER ACR'S. THE ONE COMMON ITEM NON ACCEPTABLE WAS THE CELLULAR PHONE. NO ALT EXCLUSIONS WERE GIVEN FOR THAT. WE AGREED THAT EACH ACR SEEMED TO HAVE ITS OWN GUIDES.