Mobile Phones Should be Allowed on Airplanes

The easiest way to handle boorish people who want to have conversations in public places is to join in on their conversations. Ask questions, give advice, and eventually the person will hang up in self defense.

I have to admit, I’ve shifted my view on this one. I used to be fully against mobile phones on flights, but now I wouldn’t be against it.

Partially it is because we haven’t seen any disruption with the pay in-seat phones. In generally, nobody uses them, and they seem to have quietly disappeared from most flights I take. There doesn’t seem to be much of a thirst for gabbing on a phone while flying.

Mostly, though, it is viewing how people are using mobiles nowadays. Even in North America, more and more people are shifting from using mobiles as a voice device to using it for text or email. Even on the ground most people just have quick calls on their mobiles, and often use them for text or email.

I just don’t think the disruption will be as bad as feared.

I never saw many (if any) using seat back phones when airlines had them. I know I used one once because I was coming home early and didn’t have time to call a friend from the airport (before cell phones) for an earlier ride home. But that was a quick call.

I have been on a commuter train where you could hear people talking half a car length away and I have had the person sitting next to me talking on the phone and didn’t even know it since they were very quiet and the train makes noise that helps cover the sound up.

So you will have naturally loud people next to you and others who are as silent as a mouse. Those wearing ear phones to listen to a movie or music won’t even know. If people understand ahead of time the cost is high to use their phone, they will not do it other then for a quick call home to let their pickup person know to leave the house now. One exception will be business travels whos company will pay for the call. They will make long calls that are not business related knowing it won’t cost them anything.

David Parker Brown hits it on the head here with the descending cost argument. Additionally, I don’t think that you can compare seatback phones, which in their heyday charged truly exhorbitant connection fees and minute-by-minute rates, with current international roaming plans.

Yes, it is easy to rack up big bills when roaming internationally, but think about it: who is most likely to be yakking away on his or her Blackberry in these types of situations? Cranky is right that it won’t be the teenage girl (she’ll be busy texting, and that’s just fine). No, it will be even worse than that. It will be every bottom line-driven, type-A business person with a company-funded mobile device and an expense account. That eight-hour transatlantic flight (or, even worse, the 14-hour transpac) will now provide hours of de facto office time, replete with the ability for people to expose the entire plane (or at least the rows around them) to their crack bargaining and negotiation skills. After all, if you can make it rain in Tokyo while jetting off to London, why not do so if you’re already on the company clock and dollar?

This might be good for business, but I’m selfish in my own right. I don’t want to hear you talking 20 decibles louder than is necessary about your eight-figure deal with no means of escape beyond earplugs or noise canceling headphones. The deal can wait until the plane lands, but that’s not how many business travelers think, and it certainly isn’t how corporations operate.

I vote nay on cell phone use, at least for conversing.

As a frequent world traveler I object to the suggestions that Americans are boorish. Frankly there is a world full of boors (and A**%OL#S). We don’t have a corner on the market of jerks. Most of the Americans I meet overseas are generally pretty cool. There are some other nationalities I wouldn’t say the same about.

Cell phones on planes is a bad idea because many people dont realize they are being obnoxiously loud on their mobiles. And while many times there is one or two loudmouths on a plane you can tune them out because it is a natural conversation. Phone conversations are unnatural, thus more noticeable, and more difficult to tune out.

I completely disagree with this notion of allowing voice cell phone use. Think about when you land and the number of people who have insanely loud sound clips that play when they turn on their phones? Or, what about the person who can’t hear and speaks so loudly that most of the plane can hear them? It will certainly make an already (at times) frustrating experience that more unbearable. Furthermore, I reject people’s assertion that it’s just us “Me” generation folks who are completely uncouth and lacking in phone etiquette (I and my pride ourselves on being appropriate users of phones, thank you very much). I once sat across the aisle from a condescending 50-60 year old man who was trying to speak with his stock broker about changing selling some stocks. The connection was bad, so he kept speaking louder and louder and trying to re-iterate his request. Not only was it gauche to be talking about his money matters, but it was supremely irritating. And don’t get me started on the older generation of cell phone users who dial up their speaking voice when talking on a cell…just because… Oh, and they’re just as clueless as the young “teenage girls.”

Cranky – You’re wrong. Period. You often have strong convincing arguments, but on this one I think you’ve earned your own award. ;)

Go for it Brett! It has been a lonely place taking a stand in favor of in-flight calls. Glad you joined the ranks of those in favor of in-flight calls. It never used to be a problem and won’t be in future either.

Last time I was in an airport lounge, I learned about a lady’s gastric problems and a gentleman’s million dollar deal. For some reason, people talk loudly and in public on cell phones. The reason may be that the poor feedback on the other end makes them think they have to speak more loudly.
Instead, on airline flights they should be able to use visual communications such as the Blackberry or text messages.

CF,

I normally agree with you, but not this time. Sadly, civility is already quite low on airplanes. Allowing cell phones on board will allow the most boorish on board to make bad flights even more unbearable.

JM