U.S. government may ban in-flight cellphone calls, airlines voice disapproval

24

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 74
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    They should ban it permanently. I don't want to be stuck next to the dbag who can't hear the other caller and forgets to use his indoor voice.
  • Reply 22 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grblade View Post

     

    FAA says cell phones could technically be safely used, but DOT says no one wants to be forced to listen to your neighbor talking for 5 hours. I approve. Thank you, DOT.


     

    Thing is, that would never happen. 

     

    Airlines want the ability to have in-flight calling because they get a cut of the roaming fees. When you're on a plane, you aren't connected to AT&T or Verizon's network, your phone is connected to a microcell on board the aircraft, which is operated by a third party company the airline contracts with which acts as an in-flight roaming provider. That third party charges roaming fees to connect you to your cellular provider, and the airlines get a portion of that revenue. 

     

    Look at how much it costs to make phone calls aboard airplanes in Europe or the rest of the world - $2-4/minute. That means a 5 hour phone call would cost the person between $600 and $1,200!! 

     

    All this batshit crazy paranoia people have about in-flight phone calls makes no sense when you think about how this service will be monetized, how much the charges will be per minute, and how cheap people are. 

  • Reply 23 of 74
    freerangefreerange Posts: 1,597member
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    Wait, didn't the FAA approve in flight cell phone usage? How does then another federal agency supercede that decision? Especially one I had no idea had jurisdiction over air transportation.

    FK the airlines! I do not want to sit anywhere near some loud mouthed asshole talking on their cellphone in flight. And FK the airlines if they are protesting as they want to charge extra fees for those wanting to use, or sit away from some asshole on their phone!
  • Reply 24 of 74
    freerangefreerange Posts: 1,597member
    kgscott86 wrote: »
    Do we really need a government agency passing law that would prohibit this? Let the individual airlines make that decision. I get tire of all the over regulation this government does.

    Fine, we'll seat you with all the assholes on their cellphones! BTW - the overwhelming majority of consumers want to keep a ban on cellphone calls on airplanes. And guess what, regulations are implemented to protect the public interest. What part of that do you not understand?
  • Reply 25 of 74
    tenlytenly Posts: 710member
    They would have to ban "talking on a mobile device" in order to make sure they cover VoIP calling such as with FaceTime/FaceTime audio on any of the other dozens of voip apps that exist.

    I know that someone will want to reply to this saying that data speeds in the air are not nearly fast enough and the latency is too high for VoIP apps to be useable - and they'd be right - today - but possibly not tomorrow. And let's not forget apps like HeyTell and the new voice messaging features in iMessage... While not a true "call", I think they would be equally annoying and disturbing to other passengers.
  • Reply 26 of 74
    freerange wrote: »
    Fine, we'll seat you with all the assholes on their cellphones! BTW - the overwhelming majority of consumers want to keep a ban on cellphone calls on airplanes. And guess what, regulations are implemented to protect the public interest. What part of that do you not understand?
    I never said I wanted cellphone use on planes. What I'm saying is we don't need the government to regulate that. Leave it to the airlines themselves. So we will sit you with the other assholes just because you're an asshole.
  • Reply 27 of 74
    paul94544paul94544 Posts: 1,027member
    how dare the Government restrict our freedom who the hell do they think they are. We are supposed to live in a free country.
  • Reply 28 of 74
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Paul94544 View Post



    how dare the Government restrict our freedom who the hell do they think they are. We are supposed to live in a free country.

    Nothing is free.

  • Reply 29 of 74
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member

    The airlines' sole interest in this is making people pay for it. Want to use your cell in flight? That's in rows 1-10 only and there's a fee to sit there.

     

    The airlines are going to insist this is their decision because of the Airline Deregulation Act. "Rates, Routes, and Services." The FAA will insist it is a safety issue. Wait until a fight breaks out over someone bitching about "can you hear me now?"

  • Reply 30 of 74
    yoyo2222yoyo2222 Posts: 144member
    "The airlines probably want to be able add a fee to passengers who want to make cellphone calls, and also add a fee to passengers who want to sit in a section where cellphone calls aren't allowed."

    Exactly!!!
  • Reply 31 of 74
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    How does this help Amazon? :p
  • Reply 32 of 74
    tenlytenly Posts: 710member
    quinney wrote: »
    How does this help Amazon? :p

    LMAO!
  • Reply 33 of 74
    It's should be a Crariers decision but they should teach people to not shout when on a phone call.
  • Reply 34 of 74
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    georgeip5 wrote: »
    It's should be a Crariers decision but they should teach people to not shout when on a phone call.

    I picture an elderly librarian type with a sound level meter and a large ruler at the ready to hit you in the back of the kneck every time your voice reaches a certain octave. No! Wham! Sssshhhhhhhh!
  • Reply 35 of 74
    freerangefreerange Posts: 1,597member
    kgscott86 wrote: »
    I never said I wanted cellphone use on planes. What I'm saying is we don't need the government to regulate that. Leave it to the airlines themselves. So we will sit you with the other assholes just because you're an asshole.

    It makes absolutely no sense to let the airlines regulate this! The overwhelming majority of people DO NOT WANT IT! Period. BTW - you weren't called an asshole, just the people that would use a cellphone on an airplane . But if you think the airlines should be able to allow such use, then most certainly, hopefully, you would be the one sitting next to them. Then tell us how you feel. Do you really think the airlines would do what's in the best interest of their customers? Just look at the condition of US air service now. It's absolutely pathetic by world standards.
  • Reply 36 of 74
    waybacmacwaybacmac Posts: 309member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Kibitzer View Post



    The issue has nothing to do with safety…

     

    The heck it don't! Just wait for the fights to break out. If you think it will be bad enough with inconsiderate callers, wait until alcohol gets tossed into the mix. Flying for hours with strangers in the sardine-can environment of economy class is bad enough, but OMG there are so many people out there who really don't give a damn about anybody else. Allowing unrestricted phone calls on flights is such a bad idea on so many levels and at any altitude. I am so much against this I hope the airlines go so far as to actively block all cell phone signals from take-off to landing.

  • Reply 37 of 74
    rptrpt Posts: 175member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    Protecting the public from rude cellphone users is the FAA's job. /s

    Couldn't agree more! Wish DOT could pass a law prohibiting any passengers in my car to use their phones, we really need more laws regulating all aspects of human behaviour which I oppose! 

  • Reply 38 of 74
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RPT View Post

     

    Couldn't agree more! Wish DOT could pass a law prohibiting any passengers in my car to use their phones, we really need more laws regulating all aspects of human behaviour which I oppose! 


    Like passing gas in public.

  • Reply 39 of 74
    kibitzerkibitzer Posts: 1,114member
    waybacmac wrote: »
    The heck it don't! Just wait for the fights to break out. If you think it will be bad enough with inconsiderate callers, wait until alcohol gets tossed into the mix. Flying for hours with strangers in the sardine-can environment of economy class is bad enough, but OMG there are so many people out there who really don't give a damn about anybody else. Allowing unrestricted phone calls on flights is such a bad idea on so many levels and at any altitude. I am so much against this I hope the airlines go so far as to actively block all cell phone signals from take-off to landing.
    I wasn't thinking about safety in the sense that you are, so point well taken.

    Given the vehemence of your comment, however, I have to wonder if you might be among the first to instigate one of those brawls you decry ... Hmmm? :err:
  • Reply 40 of 74

    They could make the back 10 rows the cell phone rows.  They have quiet sections on the train, why not the plane.

Sign In or Register to comment.