Things Looking Grim for Airborne Cell Phones

Fri Mar 23, 2007 3:43AM EDT

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Back when I was editor of Mobile magazine, I wrote an editor's note about cell phones on airplanes. I figured most people wanted to be able to take calls while flying, and I didn't think most people would mind a little chatter considering the overwhelming drone of jet engines.

I was wrong.

I received some 200 letters from readers about the column, and all but one were rabidly against letting people talk on their phones while on planes. The biggest complaint: People simply didn't want to be annoyed by people chattering away in the seat next to them. (Better they talk to someone on the phone than to me, I said.)

Regardless of the etiquette of cell phones in flight, things aren't looking up for them, despite some tech advances that are making airborne phone calls a possibility. The latest snag: CTIA (the biggest cell phone industry group) has said that cell phones still cause interference with towers on the ground, despite tweaks that are supposed to have alleviated these problems. A possibly bigger issue: Cingular and Verizon don't want to share their frequencies with anyone else, which would be required for airborne phones to work.

Add to the mix the fact that consumers hate the idea and airlines don't want to spend money upgrading their jets—plus the ever-present worry about someone's idiotic ringtone download causing a plane to crash—and you've pretty much got yourself a recipe for a technology that's going nowhere. 

My advocacy for airborne phones is really more a devil's advocacy than anything else, but I'm still curious if the winds have changed on this topic. Is anyone out there interested in opening up the friendly skies for cell phone use? Let me know in the comments.

LINK: Jet passengers may not get to chat on cellphones after all

Comments on Things Looking Grim for Airborne Cell Phones

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  • 6 Posted by venmex on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    Please...Is there nowhere that anyone cannot be subjected to those who like to share their personal conversations with everyone within earshot? I have an idea. Why not make it a law that in-fligt cell phones can only be used in designated restrooms. That way, people can take care of two (or three) things at once, and no one would have to listen to inane conversations. I say designated, because if all of the restrooms were available to phone users, no one who just wanted to use the room for its intended purpose would ever get the chance. Better yet, shut up and take advantage of the forced downtime; read a book or go to sleep.

  • 7 Posted by ytech_robinraskin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:58PM EDT Report Abuse

    How about this? Make the front of the airplane the quiet car and give people a discount for sitting there.

  • 8 Posted by remag1234 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    Cellphones are people molesters. The majority of convservations are inane and are nothing more than Bull Chips. Public places such as restaurants, houses of worship, theaters, etc. should be mandated to install telephone jammers. Please do not say it could be an emergency. If you're more than 30 minutes away from the "emergency" there's nothing you can do about it. Doctors have an answering service and will not interrupt their evening out when some intern at the hospital can handle any problems.

  • 9 Posted by shellyejo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    I don't care if someone wants to use their phone on the plane. I usually have my noise cancelling earphones on and would be blissfully unaware of their conversations.

  • 10 Posted by windy_acreage on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    Well, this is one place for sales persons to take a break, and relax! So take a break and smell the roses, ie. enjoy the scenery, and environment around you. Other things you can do is to read a magazine, watch that airlines t.v. with the headset if they offer it, work a simple puzzle, offer some very brief conversation to the persons in the seats next to you, or listen to your portable radio with your headset if that is allowed..

  • 12 Posted by dwmet on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    Apparently I'm flying on the wrong planes. Once the take-off roll commences the ones I fly are too noisy to overhear other persons' potential conversations (rude or not) - at least until after final touchdown. (That's why we use headphones to watch the videos, etc., I think). How anyone more than one seat away could be truly annoyed by a one-sided conversation seems a wild stretch - as far as I'm concerned. I agree with shellejo . There should be places and times where airborne cell phone use is permitted. In spite of the cell phone carrier vendors. An enforced "quiet" time might be appropriate on longer flights, too. We probably all need to get a life and stop trying to run everyone else's business. In my view.

  • 13 Posted by daddyvan2005 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    No way! I fly international and the last thing I want is the person next to me spending hours chatting on a phone. It's noisy enough and an occasional nap is a nice thing. Please, no in flight cell phone!

  • 14 Posted by tc4792 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    I travel 300 days a year for business, I have two cell phones and God only knows how many devices to help me stay connected. The last thing I want is to be bothered during my only reading time of the week; during my flight.

  • 15 Posted by cat_vader5 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    I say keep the cell phone off unless it's really an emergency. Why not just make the call after you've deplaned? If the flight is really that boring, bring a book, or invest in a DS Lite or a laptop computer. Perhaps even a portable DVD player and some headphones? If the cell phones are more of a problem than anything else, avoid the stress of arguing with the flight attendent, and turn the darned thing off!

  • 16 Posted by livresny on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    Is it really necessary to use cell phones on planes and in cars, especially when there is the real possibility of potential danger? How about a modicum of quietness for those who cannot bear the self-important, insufferable boors who subject all of us to their cell phone stupidities? Cell phone addicts are unconscious, disrespectful, discourteous and obnoxious. Public transportation and areas; doctors' offices; theaters; restaurants; checkout lines; just about everywhere. In their own dream world walking like zombies in the street, or "driving" their cars. Their business, everyone's business. Unable to bear silence or be by, or with, themselves for a moment. Totally oblivious to---and inconsiderate of---their neighbors. Cell phones will be as ubiquitous in airplanes as they are in places where we are all held captive. These (ab)users ought to be relegated to their own soundproof cabin, compelled to suffer one another's inanities. For the entire flight. I, and hopefully those who share these feelings, will give our business to the airlines that have the sense to ban them. Emanuel Molho, New York, NY

  • 18 Posted by fcdbilotti on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    Absolutely against mobile phones on an airplane. Like a lot of folks here, I travel a lot and the big question here shouldn't be "do we" I think the question is "why?" While I know that everyone's job is important, and we all have important decisions to make each and every day, is it that important that you can't disconnect for the time of the flight?

  • 19 Posted by dlsayre@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    I am absolutely opposed to cell phone use on planes. Although as frequent flyer I agree with the comments that the drone of the engines would mitigate the noise of the conversations, we all know that there are an unfortunately great number of people who are loud in the waiting area and will be even louder still to be heard on the plane. Please - do something useful with your "down" time - read!

  • 20 Posted by sbh44@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    I would gladly write a letter to the FCC, every congressman and anybody in the administration who might make a difference if I thought it would stop any thought of allowing people on airplanes from using their cell phones. I do not even like these people to do that before take off and after landing because it is annoying and just adds to the existing confusion. The only way I would ever consider this option is in the case of an emergency.

  • 21 Posted by sgmissouri on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    Chris...Chris...Chris. Don't you have something better to do on an airplane than talk into that danged phone? I say...don't bother trying to fix the technology problems associated with flight travel. Just turn off the phone and enjoy the solitude. If you're truly an A-personality that can't sit still without overloading, read a book. (You remember what a book is, don't you?), take a nap, listen to music, write a letter (with a pen and paper), balance your checkbook, or just take a tranqualizer. I have a cell. So do most, if not all, of my friends. And frankly, I look forward to those rare stretches of time where I cannot be reached for comments. Disgustingly enough, I have friends that think it's fine and dandy to take and make calls from the bathroom. (YUCK! ...don't make me listen to your pee-patter or your grunting!) What's going on in the world? Cell phones are certainly a true convenience. But why have we blurred the lines between the need to be connected and the need to for personal and private time.

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

    I take a commuter train daily. You'd think the train noise would drown out the cell phone chatter, but it does not. Nothing in the world is more annoying than listening to some inane person jabber on the cellphone while sitting next to you. Simply awful. For the love of all that is peaceful and quiet, please do not permit cell phone usage on planes.

  • 24 Posted by lampkid on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    No cell phone usage on planes, please! As many have already commented, we are forced to listen already to how Johnny did in school today or how Susie did in her recital while we wait to get on the plane. I look forward to the chance to take a nap or read a magazine during the flight, and do not want to have to listen to those around me - who all too often have the speakerphone on. Yes, there are some fliers who absolutely must be reached. But if the fliers input is that important, why are they flying commercial? I would not mind limited use - but we all know that someone out there will be unable to understand that talk time, like car speed, has limits that have reasons. Perhaps we could have phone/no phone fees on planes. If you paid the extra (enormous!) fees you could chat on the plane, but if you chatted without paying the fee you paid triple on the ground after landing.

  • 25 Posted by colejnd on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    I travel frquently and at times I would like to read, work on my laptop, or just take a nap on the plane. I am not interested in hearing someone's private or business conversation. I am adamantly opposed to cell phone use in the skies.

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