Flight attendants: Please, no porn on the plane

Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:31PM EDT

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Has it really come to this? American Airlines' flight attendants are asking their employer to block access to pornographic websites from its new in-air Internet service, as they are concerned about abuses of the system by randy passengers.

Can you imagine? Sadly, I can. From time to time this has already been an issue, say flight attendants, with passengers that have printed or pre-recorded video matter. But opening up the skies to the Internet obviously presents a far wider opportunity for airborne porn: Now you don't have to plan ahead to bring your adult material on the plane, it's right there whenever you, ahem, need it.

The issue now becomes whether installing filters is a prudent idea, as it opens up questions of censorship and "how far" is OK for the company to block. Is it OK to shop for bikinis in the air? Read about disturbing medical conditions? It's the same kind of issues that have plagued libraries and other keepers of public Internet access terminals, only you can't simply ask someone to leave the building when you're at 30,000 feet.

Right now things work on a case by case basis and at the discretion of the flight attendants, and that would probably be fine going forward. But flight attendants are not out of line asking management to ward off problems before they start, if for no other reason than to avoid uncomfortable situations with passengers. Potential legal situations could also arise from passengers who felt harassed by exposure to inappropriate images being viewed by other passengers.

Should airlines proactively limit web access, and, if so, how far should they go? Sound off in the comments!

LINK: American Air Attendants Urge Filters to Bar Web Porn

Comments on Flight attendants: Please, no porn on the plane

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  • 6 Posted by vixengal on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    I'm really surprised that they don't simply let people browse wherever they want to go, and then have agents waiting when the offenders de-plane. In fact, why not bait the passengers? Isn't entrapment on the internet accepted now? In some jurisdictions, it's a favored means of showing how incumbents are strong on crime, and worthy of re-election!

  • 7 Posted by stejowal on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    Which is it, Chris: "attendent" or "attendant?" I know which is correct, but you used both!!

  • 8 Posted by wolverinemarky on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    lol stop picking on chris, I personally wouldnt want to watch porn with that many people sitting around me. We have to remember that kids fly on these planes as well and they dont need to be exposed to all of that. So i personally wouldnt be bothered if they blocked porn sites from in air internet.

  • 9 Posted by zwomann on Thu Sep 3, 2009 11:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think that all porn should be .xxx instead of .com and that any hotspot where screens can be viewed by more than just the computer operator can block that domain. I really thought .xxx was a good idea... as a mom and as someone who enjoys porn.

  • 10 Posted by pcofmind1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why limit it to laptops? I say let's provide porn for in-flight entertainment on the big-screen. Seriously, I see this as a non-issue. Sure, there will be some idiots insensitive enough to crank some porn, but these will be isolated incidents, simply because of the cramped-space factor. Much easier in, say, a library or Internet cafe'. I'm far more peeved at the idiot cellphone users who seem to think their conversation is important enough for the world to hear. Put a muzzle on 'em. If you are one of them, you have no idea who you are, as you're oblivious to your noise pollution.

  • 11 Posted by dbaliotti on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    It would be nice if we could count on people to behave themselves but we all know that isn't the real world. People will insist on their right to view porn even if a 5 year old is sitting next to them. People will start a fight with a flight attendant who asks them to stop viewing porn. We need to block the porn because of the jerks. Same goes for the cell phone jerks too. And the idiots who recline their seats in your lap - because they can and they paid for their seat dammit! I don't believe in censorship but - I also don't believe in common sense and courtesy anymore either.

  • 12 Posted by mtgote on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    wait, i can't recline my seat if someone is behind me?!

  • 13 Posted by rommelirico on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Adding synergy1154 and vixengal ideas: Why not fine the offenders and have those funds go towards free snacks and pillows for the normal passengers?

  • 14 Posted by ervinc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well, Christopher, did this discussion go where you thought it would?

  • 15 Posted by magpagbst on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    the last time i flew . . . i didn't bring my laptop . . . but the girl sitting next to me had her hand in my bathing suit area for most of the flight . . . nobody was the wiser . . . i just want people to know that they do not require a laptop to enjoy a pornographic experience while flying to their vacation haven . . .

  • 16 Posted by magpagbst on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    my suggestion would be for the airlines to establish "porn friendly" flights . . . they could preemptively cover the seats with plastic so that the excreted bodily fluids can easily be cleaned for the next plane load of porn lovers . . . the stewardesses (stewardi?) could do the occasional pole dance for tips to help defray the rising cost of jet fuel . . .

  • 17 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    They will have to start building privacy booth on airplanes, or, heaven forbid, use the OEM seats that the planes actually come with from the factory to give some measure of privacy between the people on the flight. I am sure that Congress can block porn on flights, because I am quite sure that 99.999% of people do NOT want to masturbate in public... For that other fractional percentage, this is like a dream for them... and it will all depend on how much raw cash that group has to buy an actual lobbying position for this... Where should it go? Airlines should re-invite aircraft and provide totally private suites for people to fly in... Then everyone will have the privacy they want and there would be a lot fewer issues...

  • 18 Posted by emv425 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    First Class? How about NO CLASS!

  • 19 Posted by davidburt2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    One concern this article doesn’t address is the very real possibility that forcing female flight attendants to be the porn police can create a hostile work environment. There is a well-known case, Adamson v. Minneapolis Public Library where a group of librarians who were subjected to porn-viewing library patrons won a $435,000 judgment. I have the full complaint from the librarians here, which is not reading for the faint of heart, on my blog at http://filteringfacts.org/legal/adamson/ --David Burt, filteringfacts.org

  • 20 Posted by brice_78 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    Mile High Club - Solo Aviator Division

  • 21 Posted by dubyac99 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    I personally enjoy surfing porn, but I have to say, I think I could go a 5 hours flight, without surfing. I say they make it against policy on flights, and have a designated unisex restroom available for those those who just can't wait an entire flight before needing to rub one out. But absolutely no self-pleasure in the seating area. How say you?

  • 22 Posted by jason_roggers on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why not just leave this be? People are making the choice to look at what they please, its the responsibility of the parents who send their children on flights with wifi access and giving the kids laptops with no restrictions that are causing this uproar. But obviously you cant block every porn related website "which leads you all the way back to page 1" of the beginning of the issue. This will never work out anyways since porn has such a general definition, This is essentially headed down the same path as the attempt to make all porn register to the .XXX domain. just as the editor went in depth to the future problems of this ideology.

  • 23 Posted by jgee357wzup on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    There goes the rush for initiation into the mile-high club

  • 24 Posted by arindra_s on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    yeaahhh...porn in the air.. awesome...stewardess must have 'extra service' to satisfy their passengers

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