Mobile Phones on Planes? No Thanks!

I’ve noticed a lot of debate online and amongst friends and colleagues about allowing the use of mobile phones on flights. Views and feelings about the subject are mixed.  However, the overwhelming opinion I’ve heard is that it’s a very bad idea.  Sure, it would be nice for us all to have the personal convenience of being able to make or receive calls that suit us – it’s being forced to listen to the irritating conversations of others that poses a big problem!

Annoying, loud and silly ring tones are bad enough at the best of times.  What on earth would a long-haul flight be like if you had to withstand the cacophony that several hundred of them ringing at once might be like?  Or would there be a rule that you switch to ‘vibrate’ mode?  That might be an idea, but what would it do to the stability of the plane? That would worry me as I’m not a great fan of turbulence and I don’t fancy being constantly woken up by a vibrating seat-mate.  Very disconcerting. I think I’d pack myself a parachute and jump - or just give up flying.  It may well be that I am ignorant of technology and the boffins have come up with a way for mobile phones to work without ringing or vibrating?  However, with this new trend seeming to be inevitable we’ll have to hope we can still find affordable ways to fly with airlines who don’t jump on this bandwagon and will keep their flights phone-free.

I can recall train journeys where I’ve had to endure long, boring conversations – often shouted or repeated as signals wax and wane along the way.  I escaped to one of the so-called ‘silent’ carriages and found that people in there were totally ignoring the rule and making and receiving calls.  Locking yourself in a toilet seems the only way to get away from it.

I’ve been on buses containing people whose very existence seems reliant on phone or text contact.  It is an experience bad enough to send those of us with the greenest intentions screaming back to our cars for a phone-free and carbon-unfriendly solo journey to our destinations.  I think there should be a law against walking and texting too.  More and more frequently I’m bumped into or have to step off a pavement into oncoming traffic to avoid a prematurely hunchbacked individual texting intently and not looking where they’re going. 

So, I vote no for mobile phones on aircraft.  How about you?  The mobile phone companies are the only ones who’ll benefit and cash-in as annoying ringtones pollute the skies.  They will, no doubt, charge extortionate rates for providing a service most of us would prefer to do without!   Maybe the airlines should take a poll before they venture down this road. 

This entry was posted on Monday, November 12th, 2007 at 10:15 am and is filed under Airlines, Travel News .

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