Phones on a plane...

[Bazz]

CNET provide an update here on this long running debate.

Extract:

Over the past year there's been a lot of discussion about allowing cell phone use on airplanes. For the moment, cell phone use remains banned on flights, which leaves airplanes as one of the few places where you truly can be completely out of touch for a few hours. I admit I sort of like the feeling, but as more airlines float the idea of in-flight cell phone use, our quiet reality may change before too long. Personally, I'm not a fan of the concept. I'm not being a Luddite by any means; I just don't savor the idea of sharing a small space with people talking away on their phones. No matter what anyone says, talking on a cell phone is not like talking to the person next to you. Not only do people on a cell phone talk louder but their conversations always seem to be so dreary. And I don't think I'm alone here. Most of the people on our Make the Call forum answered with a resounding "No" when asked if phones should be allowed on airplane flights.

and in Hospitals!

I seem to remember some recent debate in the UK over easing the restrictions on Cell Phone use in hospitals.

My wife has just had an operation in a chinese hospital and is now on the ward recovering. They have none of these stupid rules over phone use in chinese hospital (then again they seem pretty slack on non-smoking too!)
Of course there are places were phone use is probably unwise and unnecessary such as the Operating Theatre or ICU, but I've just seen my wife having an ECG/Blood Pressure check whilst on her phone with no affect on the instruments at all.

On the plus side, being able to easily communicate between hospital and the outside world takes away a lot of the stress involved by all parties during a hospital stay.
I remember the stress during my dad's hospital stay of trying to find out news, and the added burden these constant phone calls must put on the nursing staff.

SO... Bring on the approvals for use on planes, and follow up with approval for use in hospitals. As I'm fond of saying, "it ain't like this in the far east"!

Taking this thread away from planes and into hospitals ! (sorry) ....... The technical aspects of phones interfering with equipment aside. I cant think of anything more annoying then laying in a hospital bed feeling groggy with someone in the next bed shouting into their mobile phone as people often do. As well as the phone ringing in the middle of the night, text messages bleeping etc etc etc. Whilst it may relieve the stress of a hospital stay for some, it would increase it ten fold for others ![:(!]
Just my 2c worth.

Mark:D

If I wanted to fly a route where there was a choice of 2 airlines, both of reputable quality/standing, and one allowed cell phone use, I know exactly which I'd choose...

The sound of silence.

Maybe a poll is in order.....

Originally posted by mas66
Taking this thread away from planes and into hospitals ! (sorry) ....... The technical aspects of phones interfering with equipment aside. I cant think of anything more annoying then laying in a hospital bed feeling groggy with someone in the next bed shouting into their mobile phone as people often do. As well as the phone ringing in the middle of the night, text messages bleeping etc etc etc. Whilst it may relieve the stress of a hospital stay for some, it would increase it ten fold for others ![:(!]
Just my 2c worth.

Mark:D

Totally agree! use in hospitals would have to be dictated by common sense and courtesy. But many hospitals now have these highly expensive bedside phone and internet systems - but they are mostly a money making exercise, and are highly expensive to phone both in and out of - but you still get people talking too loudly at all hours with those.

And as I have said before - look at how many people use the at seat phones on aircraft. Very few.
I'm probably against use on planes, but introduced the hospital example to show that technically it doesn't cause problems in other countries. (Though I will agree, lack of common sense and courtesy does - but after 4 years in the far east I'm used to people constantly shouting into mobile phones in all situations)

I suppose the real issue is for the airlines to stop fobbing us off with "don't use mobile phones as they interfere with aircraft systems", and just tell us straight "don't use mobile phones as we the airline and the majority of you the passenger have decided we just don't like it".... because it will then be easier for people to ignore?

[Decker]

Originally posted by PVGSLF

I suppose the real issue is for the airlines to stop fobbing us off with "don't use mobile phones as they interfere with aircraft systems", and just tell us straight "don't use mobile phones as we the airline and the majority of you the passenger have decided we just don't like it".... because it will then be easier for people to ignore?

Whilst waiting for a colleague on the VS18 last night announcements were made "As a courtesy to fellow travellers you may only smoke in designated smoking areas which are outside" rather than "no smoking indoors IT'S THE LAW". So the opposite at play here...

[fozzyo]

Is anyone aware of any airline doing research into this ... is it something that pax want? How do attitudes change in different classes / pax groups.

Never been party to any kind of questionaire on the subject from an Airline.

Though I'm sure you will probably find the even the loudest most persistant phone users will tut-tut when it isn't them on the phone, so the feed back will be an almost unanimous NO!

[Pete]

I've been lucky enough to have the use of a private members club when I go into London for meetings, and a common theme amongst most of these establishments seems to be mobile phones are not allowed in the bars & restaurants. The reason for this was brought home at the weekend, when a friend and I were sitting in a swanky hotel bar enjoying a very pleasant afternoon until the guy on the far side of the room - some 40 feet away at least - received a call on his phone and then proceeded to talk very loudly in it for the next 10 minutes. Why people talk so loudly into phones, I'm not quite sure. Maybe they speak louder in relation to how much trouble they're hearing the person on the other end. Maybe they don't realise their phone has a volume control (on my phone, if you put the phone on full volume, you have to hold the thing a distance from your head, because it's *too* loud). If people spoke into their phones at the same level they would to a person sitting next to them, then maybe they wouldn't be a problem; but what they do is suddenly speak very loudly and ruin the tranquility of any space they are in. Put them on a plane for 8 hours, and you're going to have an air-rage situation.

For me, a big thumbs down to phones on a plane.

Doesn't matter what class we're in, planes are tightly enclosed spaces where peoples tolerance may be lower than on terra firma.

Phones, babies and the like annoy me on buses (yes... I do use them!) so phones in the air would have to be a complete no no. I have never had the urge to phone someone at 35000 feet.

Somehow bringing in broadband, which seemed to have been flirted with on other airlines would be a great bonus though

Dean

[HighFlyer]

Originally posted by Pete
For me, a big thumbs down to phones on a plane.

Absolute ditto!

I came home from London yesterday in the quiet carriage and as i entered there were two passengers on their monile phones, then a third joined in as the train pulled away. This continued for about the next 15 minutes. As one passenger put his phone down another took a call. In the end i became that old miseryguts who complained to the conductor.

The last thing i want to hear onboard is someone elses phonecall. But ... bring on in-seat Internet access!

Thanks,
Sarah

[Pete]

I too would love broadband onboard, as long as they block the ports to Skype!

[Scrooge]

A big no from me as well. I cherish the quiet times on a plane.