Cell Phones and Airplanes
The topic of cell phones on airplanes is once again making headlines and once again terms like "civil liberty" is being tosses around like old socks. As much as I don't like being told what I can and cannot do, I have to say that I can't blame the airline industry for standing firm on this point. Cell phones should not be allowed on airplanes, but not for the reasons that they are stating. You see, the airline industry states that interference from electronic devices (cell phones, blackberries, game boys) can cause a malfunction in the electronics of the aircraft. Many studies have been done, many by the cell phone industry, many by the airline industry, and many by independent consultants. While the results are more or less inconclusive as a whole, individually the results lean more towards that these devices don't cause enough interference to affect anything at all.
Now I personally don't feel that "inconclusive" is a strong enough argument for allowing an item that may make an airplane fall from the sky to be used while in flight. Some people do. I feel, however, that the airline industry is going about this the wrong way. If they don't want cell phones used on airplanes, they need to just step up and say, "they are our planes, we make the rules. Don't like it? Don't fly."
Fact is, cell phones are disruptive. Can you even imagine sitting in an airplane packed shoulder to shoulder with 200 people, three-quarters of which are on their phones almost non stop. I find air travel unpleasant enough (I'm tall, I don't fit well in the seats) If I had to sit next to a bunch of people and listen to their conversations for an entire flight they would have to shovel bodies out the door as soon as they land.
"But what if there is an emergency!" This seems to be a common argument. History lesson alert! The first commercial flight was made in a zeppelin in 1910, followed by the first airline flight in 1914. Jump forward in time to 1947, the invention of the cell phone (really, 1947). Though the cell phone was invented then, it didn't really take shape into what we would consider to be a cell phone until 1994 when the FCC cleared the 1900MHz band for PCS technology. So for 84 years of flight somehow people managed emergencies without the use of cell phones. Why can't we do that now?
I can see the point of the people who want to use their phones, I really can. It's an ever changing world and constant communication is sometimes a must, but its not a right. So do us all a favor, turn your phone off, sit down in your seat, eat your peanuts and enjoy your flight. If you just can't manage that, take the bus.
Comments
I use a cell phone constantly while in flight, of course it's hardly a 737 that I'm flying in and the aveonics aren't nearly as sophisticated but we've not crashed yet as a result of cell phone use.
I agree, however, that people need to not chat constantly while in airplanes. Air travel these days is stressfull enough what with the TSA offering free recal exams and stealing whatever they find up there. We don't need the din of 150 cell phone junkies all trying to yell a coversation about their dog Fifi's bowel habits over the roar of two jet engines and 149 other morons who also can't go an hour without making some idiotic phone call.
Posted by: Jordan Frazer | April 4, 2007 05:36 PM
The real reason that cell phones calls are not allowed is fear of crowd control problems if calls are allowed during flight.
read more here:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9015839
Also, the airlines like keeping passengers ignorant about ground conditions.
The two publicly known reasons, interference with other systems, could easily be tested, but neither the FAA nor the FCC manage to do such testing."
***Reply***
MythBusters tested it and determined that a cell phone provides absolutely no interferance at all. I belive the crowd control theory; keeping my controlled in a crowd where everyone is talking on their phones would be quite a task. Thanks for the site!.
Posted by: Anthony | April 8, 2007 09:45 AM
I don't want to know the ground conditions. Whats the point? I can't do anything to help land the thing. I don't want to know the ground conditions on commercial flights, and I don't want my pilot to tell me the ground conditions on my mission flights. I don't worry him with my patient's condition, he doesn't worry me with flying stuff, we all get along and sleep better. If he says it's good to fly, it's good to fly.
Posted by: Jordan Frazer | April 20, 2007 09:44 PM
Using a cell phone in my opinion on a flight should only be used to let your family members know that you are going down with the plane and that you love them very much and to please let anyone else you love know that you loved them as well. Cell phone usage on planes, I feel eventually will be used primarily on business flights or specified cell phone available flights. If someone wants peace and quiet on a flight they can choose the quiet flight. While were at it, let's make up some more specified flights such as, the really noisy obnoxious children flights, the disgusting little puker flights, and how about the "hey I don't fit in this seat" flight. That's the one that squeezes you between two of the most obese and smelly people ther are.That we all know and love, sorry if you are one of them. In all seriousness, I feel that business flights will allow for cell phone usage in the future. There are enough distractions on planes as it is, I don't feel we need another by letting some cell-phone-reliant people disrupt our flights. People in general are already rude and self centered.
***Reply***
Joe, why haven't you commented before? Your pithy sarcastic comment fits in perfectly with mine. And no, I'm not one of the North American Albino Hippos you see trying to squeeze their enormous ham hocks between the arm rest of the coach seats all the while complaining about how 30 inches of seating surface should be investigated by the ACLU. In short, Joe, I hope to hear from you again.
Posted by: Joe | August 9, 2007 06:23 PM