The first alert that something might be askew regarding this incident is that it was prsented on Breitbart.com. Those are the same folk that ambushed Planned Parentood and thrive thrive on taking stuff out of context and pressing questionable conclusions. I fly commercial as a passenger on average a round trip per week. What I can't believe is how rarely flight attendants reach critical mass with the flying public.
This strikes me as an attempt by United/Continental to instate an international flights "Wright Ammendment" in Houston. If competition is such a bad thing, maybe a look at the business model is more important. As for, ICE, somebody is already at Hobby. You can't count the number of XA- tail numbers parked all over the airport.
I am intrigued that the last couple of paragraphs make it sound like it is all the fault of the GPS manufacturers. Especially the flip crack about cell phone GPS. I wouldn't rely on my i-Phone to prvode me approach vectors and glideslope in IFR to an unfamiliar airport, nor would I want to be concerned that my positioning is compromised by someone playing Words With Friends.
Maybe a few front page stories about missed approaches, near collisions on departure, the flight that couldn't track on GPS because some jerk in the cabin was using his own 496, or how everyone on the Prime Minister's jet was on cell phones when it performed a controlled flight into terrain on an ILS approach might get these "entitled" people to understand that, yeah, it really does matter.
I fly these guys weekly, and this just sounds like Southwest (exceptional) business as usual. The way the flight crews treat returning service people, special occassions, first time flying kids and the like always impresses. This was over the top! Herb would be proud.
