But many don't disconnect at a concert or the movies. Depending on the concert, who cares? (If it's loud. A symphony or something... different attitude.) The movies? Grrrrrrrr... At least at the store you could get away from it. At 30,000 feet you're trapped. If phones are permitted, I foresee a LOT of problems.

@JimmyD
What are some of these foreseen problems?

Sure it's annoying when somebody is jabbering away on their phone disregarding those around them, but is it really that difficult to ask them to shut their pie hole if they get too loud? You could even ask the flight attendant to do it if you're too scared.

And who's to say that a flight is only a few hours? What about those international flights that last 3 times as long? Next time you get stuck in a flying sardine can for 10 hours I'll bet you'd want to use the internet, or give the people at your destination an update on where you are.

And I can think of more annoying things than someone on the phone that you have to deal with all the time like the kid behind you kicking your seat, or the person in front who decides to recline into your knees, or the flight attendant who seems to ignore you, or the fat guy who traps you into your seat. And it's not even like people have never been able to talk on the phone on a plane anyway. I've seen plenty of people use the payphone in the front of their seat and that never seems to be a problem.

If you really want to disconnect from the world for a while, go on a good camping trip; I dare you.

I like the idea of Wifi on planes, but think that phone calls should not be allowed: If someone doesn't wish to disconnect for the period of the flight, that's their own choice, but they certainly shouldn't be audibly annoying other passengers with their actions. Maybe allow strictly discreet, quiet phone conversations to take place in a 'phone zone' on the plane, to minimise annoyance?

Though locating this section somewhere on the outside of the plane is pretty damned tempting.

I had heard that the best response to your friend in the supermarket is to place yourself where they could hear and see you, and call a friend, or even just your voicemail. In a loud voice say, "I just heard the most fascinating story!" and then go on to recount everything she had just said into the phone.

WiFi on planes? Yes please. Cell service? Hell no!

Slantsixx: That's just it. I've experienced, too many times, the asking of a person to keep it down. Politely. Sadly, most of the time one is told to mind their own business. People have a sense of entitlement these days that is out of control.
I, personally, would ask the flight attendant to deal with it. With mobile phone addiction as high as it is, flight attendants will have only so much power. I can easily imagine physical confrontations. It happens over unruly children, it'll happen over loud, long talkers. I can easily imagine police waiting for a plane to land to take some belligerent person aside.
I love the idea of wi-fi. I don't think people need to be talking for an entire flight. And we know people will, if allowed.
I KNOW people who would talk as long as their flight.

Slantsixx: Oh... and all of those things you mentioned? Rude behavior does not invite more rude behavior. And I'm not really sure how I should respond to your: If you really want to disconnect from the world for a while, go on a good camping trip; I dare you.
I DARE YOU? How old are you??
I've been camping. I've encountered rude people while camping.
Sadly, we live in a society where people do what they want, when they want. Why do I get the feeling you'd be one of those chatting for an entire flight and then getting all upset when someone asks to to keep it quiet.
I didn't say YOU ARE. I said I GET THE FEELING you are.
I disconnect from the craziness of the world (I live in a huge city) every day. I don't live on my phone or my computer. I turn the TV off. I read, listen to music, take a walk. I don't need to leave the city to disconnect.

I have had my cell on in flight and my answer is no. In my mind the only way people are gonna be able to talk on their phone on flights is if there is some sort of repeater on the plane, and they would most definitely charge for that service so the only difference would be you're talking on your own phone for around $4 a minute instead of their handset.

I think cell phones should be allowed on planes, but if a person is being too loud or obnoxious, the attendants can always ask you to leave. This would be an especially fun policy when you're already mid-flight.

Airplane going down. Everyone calling on cellphones. Horrific voice mail messages recorded and played on TV. Greedy Trial Lawyers loving it. Now you know why they don't want you to use your cell phone on the plane.

Oh yeah, then there's the $5 per minute in-seat phone nobody ever uses.

I totally agree with Jimmy D. I take commuter buses often and one of the rules with this company is "no cell phone usage within 3 rows of the driver".

It's printed on the back of your ticket

there is a BIG sign that says that when get on the bus.

the driver says it at the start of the trip

Yet people still feel that they're allowed to use it because they're flat out A-holes. The driver asks them to get off the phone or move their seat, I've seen some grumble and get off the phone, some say "oops sorry" and the best others flat out refuse to get off the phone. To the point where the driver had to pull over and treat them like a child with "we are not moving till he gets off the phone"

God I would hate to see how it is on a plane

As someone who flies almost weekly, many overseas.... all I have to say is "Hell No" to phone calls.
Texting and internet would be fine... but even in the terminals, the phone chatter has gone to rediculous levels. I have heard everything from buisnessmen talking about how big their new stock ladies boobs are to someone telling their wife they want a divorce. Except for the boob conversation, it is fricken annoying.
Having the internet would be a good thing. That would definatly pass the time better.

The airplaines that I've been on are those little tiny sardine cans, the ones that have 1 seat on the left and 2 seats on the right. You know, the express flights. Sometimes they have 2 seats on either side of the plane though.

But whenever I've been on the plane it's been so loud that you can't even hear yourself think let alone hear the person you are speaking to on the phone.

Whenever I talk on a cell phone I talk the same volume as I do when I'm talking to a regular person who is standing 1 foot from my face. I'm always asking people why they are so loud because the person they are talking to I bet you are holding the phone about 2 inches away from their ear because you are talking TOO LOUD!

I was just on a flight where a guy 3 rows back spoke non-stop in a very loud voice to his unfortunate seat neighbor. On and on and on about the most uninteresting boring subjects. I could hear him even with headphones on. If I had to hear this from 20 people on a plane I guarantee there would be popular uprising. But that won't stop these greedy fvcks who 'run' the airlines from doing it anyway. They could care less about you...

JimmyD
Only one question was for you. The rest was a response to the article, as indicated by the two line break. As to your question on how old I am, I was not aware that age mattered to make use of a rhetorical statement; you could ask the same question to the lady who wrote the article. Don't be so defensive, you said you foresee a LOT of problems; I don't foresee these problems, so I merely asked you what they were.

Every day I become increasingly less tolerant for rude people in public. The correct response to somebody who says "it's none of your business" is: "by talking about your business in public you make it my business; now if you'd be so kind, you're disturbing other passengers as well."

I want to be able to use the phone on a plane, and therefore I'd be the type of person to talk the whole time? No. Not even close. I should be able to talk on the phone on a plane because I should be able to choose for myself when to disconnect from the world, not the airliner. Dropping a couple hundred bucks to sit for a few hours in seats that are far too small for someone who is 6'4", and then have someone tell me I can't use the internet or make a call hardly seems fair to me. I use T-Mobile for the only reason that they have the cheapest phone plan available to me. It's $10 cheaper than either AT&T or Verizon. Why would I want a cheap plan? Because I'm a stingy bastard? No, it's because I'd rather pay $30/mo for a service I don't fully use than to pay $40/mo. My plan includes 300 minutes per month. Guess how many I use? Usually around 60. I get the feeling I would be the last one on the plane to disturb all the other passengers. However, whether or not I want to call my destination to tell them "we left a bit early and had good weather, can you pick me up 15 minutes early?" should be my choice, and not the airliner's. It would be incredibly easy for an airline to place sighs saying "please limit calls to 5 minutes." The airlines already regulate what you can or cannot bring or do, so it would be very easy to take your phone away if you become a nuisance.

Have a nice day Mr. D.

There was one time on the bus that this lady was seating about 3 rows up and to the left of the bus (i was on the right) with her headphones blasting.. and I mean so loud that I could hear everything she was listening to. Now the only issue was she kept looping the song "feel so good" from chuck mangione...

If I ever hear that song again I will kill.

Heck NO, cell phones shouldn't be allowed on flights.

Cell phones causes a loud clicking noise over the plane's radio system and it will drive anyone nuts.

Oh, but we've had cell phones working on flights at cruising altitude since at least September of 2001. Why would airlines need to install millions of dollars worth of highly sensitive electronics on aircraft? Cell phones work just fine at high speed above 8000 feet. Just ask the 9/11 Commission. Who needs to ask permission?

*chuckle*

LJ

After flying home to the US from the UK with a guffawing ass beside me, I am more resolute than ever about no cell phones on flights! This jerk watched nothing but comedies (nothing wrong with that) and laughed LOUD and HARD throughout the whole 9 hours! Imagine him with the option of telling his friend on the phone what was cracking him up on the plane!!! Grrrrr....

In Europe now, people are allowed to use their cell phone during flight, and in my opinion, that influence will eventually cause a strong desire to eventually allow cell phones to be used during flight in the U.S. However, one very prominent and prolific roadblock still exists. Business travelers and others want to make calls during flight, and airlines and wireless companies want to make revenue from this service, but most people onboard don’t want to be bothered by people yapping while they fly. So, why not have the airlines pass a rule that says you can use your cell phone during fight, but only if you use a Conversation Privatizer like device? See www.ZipItInc.com. This makes a Win-Win-Win situation for ALL!