Find Flights Annoying? Now Combine Flying With Loud Cell Phone Conversations!
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island on 04. 7.08
As airlines try to save money by cutting flights and even using lighter meal carts, combined with heightened security, lost baggage and the guilt over spewing CO2 into the atmosphere, it seems flying couldn't get any more unpleasant. But now, thanks to the European Union, your next flight in Europe will most likely include overworked businessmen and women talking on their cell phones, texting and even sending and receiving emails. That's because, under a plan approved monday, "cell phone users could make and receive calls through an onboard base station." The European Commission will be tasked with ensuring that customers aren't charged exorbitant prices for making the calls. Of course, there's still the nagging problem that loud talkers will drive everyone else on the plane absolutely out of their minds. The EU has left it up to the airlines to establish protocols for etiquette surrounding cell phone use. However, air travelers are already, shall we say, prone to anger from the stresses of travel; imagine an irate IT worker being asked by a flight attendant to lower his voice...it'll be like a scene from the movie Airplane!
Via: ::AP
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This summary sure puts a negative light on the story. People use cellphones all over the place. Planes shouldn't be an exception. Get over it.
I agree, I think that we've reached the day and age where using a cell phone in a casual public place isn't considered a nuisance anymore. If anything, we have become a society that not only tunes out cell phone talk, but general conversation thanks to the advent of MP3 players. I think the least an airline could do for charging me $50 for my second bag is let me use my cell phone during flight.
Any argument over such an annoyance on a plane could quickly get out of hand, and cause an emergency landing. After which, the offender of course would probably NOT have to pay for the mess.
Put that base station in an insulated 'airphone booth'.
Don't make me play 'Machine Gun' on my ghetto blaster every time
someone wants all the people around him to listen to the story of his life.
People do use cellphones everywhere, and they are extremely rude about it. They talk on the phone in line at the bank instead of conducting their transaction, they talk on the phone during movies, and they don't seem to care how loud they are. They walk down the street and talk on the phone, paying no attention to where they are going - and of course they do the same thing when they are driving.
Keep them off of flights.
I hate cellphones. Hate them.
i love my cell phone - almost had a little panic attack this morning when i got up and it wasn't working! luckily, the sim card was just loose and it's fine now, but. . . whoa, it was scary for a while there!
anyway, thing is, much as i love my phone, i never talk on the phone while trying to conduct a transaction, whether at the store or anywhere else! it's rude. if i have to be on the phone while waiting in line, it happens occasionally, i will hang up or make the person on the phone wait when it's my turn. i also try very hard not to shout into my phone, and will just end a conversation if the person on the other end can't hear me speaking at a normal volume.
And, even if using my phone while flying will be allowed, i doubt i'd use it - unless the plane was going down or something, you know?
in an enclosed space like a plane, even speaking with a normal tone and volume, your voice will carry annoyingly to at least the entire cabin, and who wants that many people listening to their conversation?! so, if not being rude isn't a good enough reason to shut up for a little while, protecting your privacy should be.
I wouldn't worry about this coming to US flights for a number of reasons.
Europe has been way ahead of us in cellular development for years. It didn't take them 10+ years to settle on a standard, they went straight to GSM. It saved them billions in competition and conversion costs.
On top of that they're just plain better at getting along with things like this, agreeing for a larger good (or market). American carriers will not try to divide up the pie, they'll each want a pie. The airlines are for the most part on thin ice due to rising costs, so they won't want to do that much baking. Retrofitting that many planes would be no small nut.
Last morning I saw on TV that 30% of young people soffer of panic attacks if their cell phones can't reach calls...do the arlines companies should lose this opportunity ;-)