Thoughts on in-flight phone calls?

[StarWarsGirl]

With the talk of the US lifting the ban on cell phone use in planes, what are your thoughts? Do you think it's necessary? Is it a good idea or bad idea? If some airlines offer cell phone service but others don't, would this impact your choice in air carriers?

 

[MOXOMUMD]

With my luck I'll be stuck by a Chatty Cathy that can't hear what the other person is saying. By the end of the flight I'll know a whole lot about them that I didn't want to.

 

[RandomPrincess]

I don't like it just because people are rude. I don't want to be stuck on a plane for 6 hours listening to peoples ringers go off and loud phone conversions. I would think they would need strict rules on silencing ringers etc and that would make life harder on flight attendants.

 

[SAV]

I hate the idea. People already are inconsiderate when using their phone, I can't imagine that in an enclosed airplane.

And my problem isn't so much the ringers and tones, but the people talking into the phone loudly. What happens if the connection is poor? People speak up louder to make up for it or if they can't hear because of other noise, they will speak up louder. And we all know airplanes aren't quiet to begin with.

I say, they can allow texting, but no loud conversations. Or put a rule in that you are allowed to use it, until there are passenger complaints about the loudness. Maybe one complaint, you are asked to speak quieter, next time you are told to stop the conversations and can't use your phone. (I know that is more burden on the flight attendants, so it really isn't realistic.)

 

[Hakunamatata]

Maybe it's just my ignorance on cell tower strength, but is there going to be a signal at 30k feet?

 

[unkadug]

Maybe it's just my ignorance on cell tower strength, but is there going to be a signal at 30k feet?

it gets liked to satellite at that altitude.

 

[Hakunamatata]

it gets liked to satellite at that altitude.

Well I was hoping it was going to be limited to 10k or less....

I wonder who the first will be to try to call in a pizza order for delivery....

 

[SagamoreBeach]

OMG! I don't know that I would get on a plane again. Some people are horrible with their cell phones as it is. One Sunday morning, a cell phone goes off. The guy pulls it out of his pocket and is looking to see who is calling him before shutting off the ringer. I lost it...I yell over to him...JUST SHUT IF OFF! Another time during a funeral, the same person's cell phone goes off twice! I couldn't believe it. No, most people just do not exercise any degree of discretion when it comes to cell phones.

 

[MattC]

Maybe it's just my ignorance on cell tower strength, but is there going to be a signal at 30k feet?

I once turned on my phone at cruising altitude to see if I got a signal and did not. So not sure how this would work. Maybe it was just the area we were in.

I don't want this to happen anyway. As with most things today, if everyone could be trusted to behave with some common sense, great. But we all know rude folks would ruin it.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I once turned on my phone at cruising altitude to see if I got a signal and did not. So not sure how this would work. Maybe it was just the area we were in.

I believe it would need to act similar to being on a cruise ship. I believe the ship has a system in place to act as a cell, relaying the onboard traffic to and from a satellite - with an added cost.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I once turned on my phone at cruising altitude to see if I got a signal and did not. So not sure how this would work. Maybe it was just the area we were in.

I don't want this to happen anyway. As with most things today, if everyone could be trusted to behave with some common sense, great. But we all know rude folks would ruin it.

I believe it would need to act similar to being on a cruise ship. I believe the ship has a system in place to act as a cell, relaying the onboard traffic to and from a satellite - with an added cost.

Airlines would have to equip planes with special antennas approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration before passengers could start talking

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/travel/fcc-cell-phones-flights/index.html?hpt=tr_c2

So even if the FCC allows it, it will ultimately be up to the individual airlines

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I say, they can allow texting, but no loud conversations.

I fully support texting on a plane. For one, that way you can communicate to someone who may be picking you up on the ground. And second, it's quiet. No different than people using the internet on the plane

 

[G00fyDad]

Texting would be fine, but I have a short temper for stupid crap. I know that I would get stuck sitting next to some d-bag that felt like talking as loud as he or she can on their phone. We've all seen this person in the terminal waiting for our plane. It is usually a business person that feels the need to loudly talk about his/her latest and greatest conquest in the world of business. The biggest moron I have yet seen came this past October when flying to WDW. Some overrated idiot wearing a pair of Google glasses felt the need to go to the lady at the gate to ask a question and when she was only half through answering his question he stops her by holding up one finger for her to wait. He then proceeds to carry on a lengthy and loud conversation with another equally unimportant person about his latest trip across the country and all of the places he visited. He was making sure everyone saw his Google Glasses so they could envy him. D-bag. Imagine having that moron next to you for even 30 minutes on a flight. No thanks. Air Marshals would be waiting for me at the destination for what would happen on that flight.

 

[luv]

I'm thrilled they finally lifted the senseless ban on electronics during takeoff and landing. It's about three decades late, but better late than never!!

It's hard for me to hear anything on airplanes, so I don't think I will mind if people talk on their phones during the flight. I usually have headphones on, anyway. It will probably be very nice for business people on long flights.

 

[senor_jorge]

I'm thrilled they finally lifted the senseless ban on electronics during takeoff and landing. It's about three decades late, but better late than never!!

It's hard for me to hear anything on airplanes, so I don't think I will mind if people talk on their phones during the flight. I usually have headphones on, anyway. It will probably be very nice for business people on long flights.

Flying has been like a sanctuary that I'll miss. I can't wait to be seated next to a conference call warrior. I'll take the three hours to review and prep for a meeting in silence

 

[Gabe1]

If we go back more than a decade, Flight 93 had passangers calling loved ones from that flight so believe it has been possible for a long time, we are just on a whole, rule followers. Me, I favor text and electronics over actual cell phone calls. No matter how quiet they are, if they are sitting two inches next to me, I'll be hearing both sides of that conversation.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I'm thrilled they finally lifted the senseless ban on electronics during takeoff and landing. It's about three decades late, but better late than never!!

It was such a ridiculous ban. I read a (credible) article online about it about a year ago and it said there was absolutely no interference. Given the amount of times I've accidentally left my iPod on in my pocket...yup. No issue!

I'm with you; I can't hear anything on a plane. My hearing isn't that great (don't worry, family trait, not from blasting music from ear buds too loud!) so I have to ask people to talk loudly or I have to lip read on a plane anyway. But I can see how it would be bothersome for some people.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

It really doesn't matter what they ultimately decide -- its up to the airlines themselves if they will permit it, and almost every single major airline has already announced that they WILL NOT permit the use of cell phone calls on their flights. The news story was generated by the media on a slow news days -- nothing to see here, move along....By the way, even when it is permitted to use them, you can NOT connect to your general provider -- it would need to be something that the airlines install on their planes at an extravagant cost per minute to the user, and they are NOT going to do that.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

It really doesn't matter what they ultimately decide -- its up to the airlines themselves if they will permit it, and almost every single major airline has already announced that they WILL NOT permit the use of cell phone calls on their flights. The news story was generated by the media on a slow news days -- nothing to see here, move along....By the way, even when it is permitted to use them, you can NOT connect to your general provider -- it would need to be something that the airlines install on their planes at an extravagant cost per minute to the user, and they are NOT going to do that.

I know Jet Blue was thinking of allowing it. My guess is that some of the international carriers, such as Virgin Atlantic, which has already been allowing in-flight phone calls on the New York to London flights, would allow it on US flights as well. Also, the US has had in-flight WiFi for years. Obviously airlines were willing to pay to install that. How is in-flight phone any different (cost wise)?

 

[luv]

I'm certain that if they ever did it, they would charge for it.