FCC Upholds Cell Phone Ban on Planes

Yay!

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 by Zoomba | Discussion: WinCustomize News

Frequent flyers breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when the FCC announced that it would uphold the current ban on cellular phone usage on airplanes while in flight.  The stated reason was over concerns about interference with ground-based cell users.  However, the response they received from the flying public was largely emotional, with thousands of letters and emails sent in describing horror story situations that could happen if phones were allowed on flights.

Imagine the person sitting next to you spends the 6 hour cross-continental flight yelling into their cell phone about any number of inane topics.  Many people who complained to the FCC thought that such a situation could easily lead to in-air violence as people who can't escape are forced to endure constant yammering for hours on end.

So for now, cell phones remain banned on US flights, and we, the flying public, thank the FCC from the bottom of our hearts!

5 Reply 7 Referrals
jaximflash
Reply #1 Wednesday, April 4, 2007 11:42 AM
If it doesn't interfere with other electronic equipment, then FCC shouldn't be in the role of your mother. If someone is bothering you with their conversation, then have the courage to tell them. Or maybe airlines should have a policy that their customers can only talk on the phone for 10 minutes at a time. Let the marketplace figure out what the rules.

Drop125
Reply #2 Wednesday, April 4, 2007 1:16 PM
Uhhh. Hello the market has spoken..They overwhelmingly voiced their opinion that it was NO...Did you not read the article????....I for one would definatley start a fight over some jerk sitting there talking incessantly on his phone...and if that person didnt shut up I would start talking as loud as them to myself...Then some one else would get jacked and start....No one likes to have to hear your personal details and especialy if they are forced to have to sit next to you....good try...but you cant even have the sound on your laptop on or game system sound on. they will tell you almost imeadiatly to turn it off....So why should I have to listen to someone on their phone...

Pabloo
Reply #3 Wednesday, April 4, 2007 5:31 PM
I have to agree with jaximflash. This is a private matter between the airlines and their customers. The FCC, as a government regulatory agency, has no authority to get into "comfort" issues with private businesses. If there is no technical interference issue, then their job is done.

Yes, the market has spoken - and I agree with them, but it is the job of the private airlines listen and to regulate what their customers can do on their planes for the comfort and well-being of their customers. Perhaps they might like to have sound-proof phone booths, or other solutions to address such concerns and provide the best possible service to all their customers. It is not the job of the Government Federal Communications Commission to make sure you are not bothered by a rude person on a flight.

NightTrainthedark
Reply #4 Wednesday, April 4, 2007 6:11 PM
If someone is bothering you with their conversation, then have the courage to tell them.


That's exactly what will initiate violence.   

Shaggy from MeTV
Reply #5 Thursday, April 5, 2007 4:46 AM
How is someone talking on their phone (whether it be on a 'plane, train, bus, or in any public place, for that matter) any different to 2 people having a conversation in person? If you were sat beside 2 people on a 'plane who nattered away for the entire flight, would you be as bent out of shape? Yes, if someone is being obnoxious and yelling down their phone at an unnecessarily loud level then that's cause for the stewards to tell them to knock it off, but if the conversation is being carried out at a normal level of volume, what's the problem? For some reason, we seem to take greater exception to people conversing on a mobile phone these days than we do the exact same conversation being carried out in person and I fail to understand why. There are much greater annoyances on a plane than people talking, such parents who refuse to keep their little brats under control during the flight or people who insist on reclining their seat, driving it into your knees. If my phone does not interfere with any of the 'plane's equipment and I'm not being an obnoxious git while on the phone (which I'm not) then nobody has the right to tell me I can't use it in-flight. But, the law is the law and I guess we're stuck with it until someone realises it needs to be changed

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