Chatter rising over phones on planes

By JASON M. BRESLOW – MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

It didn’t take long for Congress to respond to the European Commission’s decision in April to OK the use of mobile phones on airplanes. In just a matter of days Rep. Peter DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat, introduced the cryptically titled “Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace Act of 2008.” If passed, H.R. 5788 would “establish prohibitions against voice communications using a mobile communications device on commercial airline flights.”

Despite Mr. DeFazio’s concerns, however, “Predictions that in-flight mobile phone usage would at best prove a nuisance and at worst provoke an onslaught of air rage episodes haven’t materialized,” writes Mary Kirby over at the popular blog, Runway Girl.

Kirby details new findings from OnAir, a partnership between the aircraft maker Airbus and the aviation communications firm SITA. According to OnAir, there are three reasons why cell phones on airplanes would not be so bad: Aircraft cabin noise should mask travelers from the sound of fellow passengers talking on their cell phones; the average length of a phone call on an airplane should be no longer than two minutes; and current systems support just six calls at a time.

A study released last week from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics found Americans are essentially split over whether cell phones should be allowed on planes, with older travelers more likely to oppose the idea. In the end, though, passenger attitudes may not make much difference. As Ms. Kirby quotes OnAir in her post, “The ancillary revenue and service differentiation potential is evidently winning the board room over.”

What do you think? Should passengers be allowed to talk on their cell phones while flying? Share your thoughts in our comments section below.

Photo courtesy MHJohnston, Creative Commons.

Tags: airline, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, cell phone, travel