BMI to allow mobile phones from Summer '06

[preiffer]

Yup, doomsday has finally arrived... [:0][}:)]

Thread on FT

Announced today, BMI are going to allow the use of mobile phones on all UK & European flights at £1 above normal network charges.


I can predict an increase in Noise-Cancelling Headphone sales next summer already... [V]

Personally, I don't want to here my seat-neighbour's conversation with the wife (or whoever) while I'm trying to read or eat.[:(!]

Cheers,
VS045

Ahh yes, just what we want, Star Trek, Crazy Frog, Who's the Dude, Beethoven's 5th, and any number of irritating calls let alone irritating callers with no where to go to move away. I think this is dreadful, as bad as the news that the London Underground will have it too.

Do airlines realise that the few who want to make calls are outweighed by the many who know that having someone 20" away yelling into their mobile does not a good flight make!

How about it V-Flyer community - campaign now to say no before Virgin jumps on this?

Would be a smart move for virgin not to do this.
They could then use this in advert campaigns 'the onyl airline not to allow the use of mobile phone!' That would be great. I anticipate passengers who sit there listening to their ringtones loudly, or others playing games loudly... or my personal fav (and unknown until todays journey on the bus) playing a poorly done recording of some pop song through your phone as a ringtone, as the phone cant play mp3's or have headphones. I was forced to endure this terrible quality (both the song and recording were bad) which was made worse by the fact that it was still audiable above my k750i's headphones at full volume. I hate people who think its fun to share they're ringtones with us.

Originally posted by slinky09

How about it V-Flyer community - campaign now to say no before Virgin jumps on this?

I'm in on this one!!

I can't stand the thought of it.

I turn my mobile off in a restaurant when I eat, and likewise, I'll always have it turned off on a plane.

I'm hoping that customers would be priced out of using it (£1 a minute is a lot to pay), in a similar way that in flight phones now are, in my experience, hardly used through cost.

Should there ever come the day that VS adopt it, I'd campaign for a mobile free zone in Upper Class, PE, and Y!

Rich.

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by slinky09

How about it V-Flyer community - campaign now to say no before Virgin jumps on this?

There have been some good ideas put forward on V-Flyer, but this is one of the best.[y][y]

Don't join in with the rest VS, have 'mobile free flights' ... the ad men could have a field day with the theme.

Nick

[preiffer]

Reminds me of the advert at the cinema, with the "Nokia Tune" - dada dudu dada dudu dadadala daa... (or however it goes [:p]).

"Don't let a phone ruin a good movie..."

Originally posted by preiffer
dada dudu dada dudu dadadala daa... (or however it goes [:p]).

Excellent. Have you ever thought about a career in writing tunes in plain text?

Paul

[RichardMannion]

Do you not rememeber the 'Earth Calling Service' from a few years ago where you could have your mobile calls delivered to your seat (at the lovely rate of $9/min)?

Thanks,
Richard

[mitchja]

Originally posted by RichardMannion
Do you not rememeber the 'Earth Calling Service' from a few years ago where you could have your mobile calls delivered to your seat (at the lovely rate of $9/min)?

Thanks,
Richard

I seem to remember it didn't last long!!!!

I'm 100% for a 'Say no to mobiles on VS flights' campaign

Regards

[preiffer]

UCS becomes UCPB?


(Upper Class Phone Box) - 4 perspex walls and a sound-proof roof.

(Free yellow pages to Au holders...?)

well thinking about it, should the worst ever happen (and VS implement it) they would surely have to ban mobiles on "good night flights" wouldn't they? ;)

A bit of a contradiction otherwise......

[Pete]

I'm 100% behind the 'no mobiles on VS campaign' - all we need is a far catchier monika and a big logo to slap on the homepage...

[preiffer]

Official press release from bmi has now been published here.

"Our research tells us that our premium passengers have two key concerns. These are getting quickly through the airport and the ability to carry on working during their journey," said the bmi CEO.

Those would be the same "Premium Passengers" that they've just ripped Business Class, assigned seating, inflight catering and FF miles from, would it...?

good spot preiffer

BMI's marketing logic has gone a bit topsy-turvy hasn't it!

[Pete]

A friend of mine is also a friend of Michael Bishop's. I mentioned to him this afternoon what a dumb idea it would be to allow mobile phone calls on planes, especially as the changes to bmi have driven away the premium passengers anyway. The remaining passengers will no doubt spend the flight in chav Dom Jolly mode.

Anyway, as he's seeing Sir Mike on Monday, he said he'd pass on my comments. Since the pair have been pals for years, he might even take note. Ok, nah. It'll never happen.

Bugger. I wish bmi hadn't flushed themselves down the lav. I used to enjoy flying with them.

Pete

Agree with the anti-phone sentiments - it woudn't be as bad if people had their phones on silent and were considerate enough not to speak as if they were trying to call long-distance without using a phone (HELLO - YES - I'M ON A PLANE - IT'S REALLY CRAMPED HERE - I CAN TOUCH 8 DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT ONCE BY JUST MOVING MY LEFT ARM!). But they're not. Furthermore, if people started having chavtastical "I'll play you my ringtone really loudly, so that it sounds like a fly in a tincan, if you'll play me yours" games, then in a confined space, nerves wouldn't hold out for more than about 4.6 seconds...