We could start seeing folks getting calls while in the air!

http://money.cnn.com/2013/11/22/technology/cell-phone-flights/

Keeping customers connected to mobile networks in-flight would be a major opportunity for U.S. carriers -- potentially worth $2.4 billion plus a year, according to Akshay Sharma, a wireless network analyst at Gartner.




Now that the federal government is considering an end to its in-flight phone call ban, these companies might finally have a chance to dip into untapped potential revenue.

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NOT a fan of this idea. I like using my phone on flights to surf facebook and play games, but I don't need to make calls and I certainly don't want to hear someone else's conversation!

So what say you? Yay or nay?

Ugh. It's hard enough on a train. In the air, you're a captive audience.

Olympia said:

Ugh. It's hard enough on a train. In the air, you're a captive audience.

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right?! and it's a much tighter space... I'm okay with texting and internet usage on the plane, but not talking.

Ugh. Definitely don't want to hear someone talking on the phone during a flight. And you know the person will speak loudly because of all the white noise on the plane.

I went to New Orleans last weekend - plane was full because there was convention starting. My friend was sitting across the aisle from me. Another passenger spotted a friend who happened to be sitting behind my friend. This guy must've been standing there a good 30 minutes - the entire time he was standing between my friend and I - every now and then, he would brace himself by putting his hand on the back of my friend's seat. Totally considerate.....

THen another guy stood in the aisle by the row in front of us and started to talk to the passenger seated next to my friend.... that was the last straw for my friend. He asked both of them to respect his personal space.

What was also troubling to me is that the 1st guy was standing in the aisle during turbulence when the fasten seat belt signs were on and not a single flight attendant told him to back to his seat....

Given this behavior, I can only imagine having someone yacking into the phone during a flight and giving no thought to disturbing everyone around them.

BTW, I am a firm believer in putting the devices down and having a real conversation. I think it's crazy how people feel they need to be on top of every text, tweet, post, etc. At work, people are looking at their phones instead of paying attention during meetings.... Stop and enjoy where you are.....

when I was in Hong Kong for business, my co-worker lost her phone. SHe was very upset because she was worried that her daughter wouldn't be able to reach her and lugged around her iPad for the remainder of the trip..... Anyway, the iPhone 5s was coming out a week after we returned, so she went phone less for a week. She did admit that it was nice to not feel the need to be on top of her phone that week, although she's gone back to her old habit of clutching her phone and immediately texting back to every message she gets.

heyang said:

BTW, I am a firm believer in putting the devices down and having a real conversation. I think it's crazy how people feel they need to be on top of every text, tweet, post, etc. At work, people are looking at their phones instead of paying attention during meetings.... Stop and enjoy where you are.....

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I normally sleep on the plane, but it would be really good to be able to text when my best friend and I are both traveling on separate flights to make sure we meet up in the airport... last time we flew I didn't know that her flight was cancelled until I got off the plane... and it was a mess trying to figure out if I needed to try and switch our flights so she could make the connection...

and I don't talk to my seatmates if I don't know them, so sometimes it's nice to chat with someone if I'm unable to sleep.

I hate people talking on their cell phones while I am trying to ring a sale through at work. Students are the worst. I also don't appreciate folks on their phone in a restaurant. I don't travel much anymore except maybe to Victoria via the ferry, so I can always get up and move if someone drives me nuts with their phone. I think a plane would be horrible because you have no choice. I am glad Canada is still strict regarding cell phone use on planes.

Tonichelle said:

I normally sleep on the plane, but it would be really good to be able to text when my best friend and I are both traveling on separate flights to make sure we meet up in the airport... last time we flew I didn't know that her flight was cancelled until I got off the plane... and it was a mess trying to figure out if I needed to try and switch our flights so she could make the connection...

and I don't talk to my seatmates if I don't know them, so sometimes it's nice to chat with someone if I'm unable to sleep.

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I don't object to people texting - just when they are obsessive about jumping onto every single text. When I flew to HK, I was texting my co-worker who was several rows in front of me and that was just to avoid getting up while people were boarding the plane.

I told my friends, if they need my attention but not immediately, they can send me a text if they are apple or they an send me an e-mail otherwise. When I pick up my phone, I typically check for both. I don't pay for a texting plan because I ask people not to text me about random stuff.

Had this conversation with co-worker. She claims she's always got her phone with her in case there's an emergency at her daughter's school. If there is, someone from the school calls her..... so, why is she always looking at her phone and tapping out replies to texts from friends and family pretty constantly if she feels that texts don't require immediate replies? I don't really care if she does it at her desk, but drives me nuts when she's doing it during a meeting that's only supposed to be 20 minutes long.

Also, I find people expect you to respond to e-mails or texts immediately. Ummmm - some people only look at their e-mails once a week.... To me, anything immediate requires a phone call or face-to-face conversation. So many people send ''urgent' texts, instead of calling.

I dread this change . I had a drunk in the row behind me on a long flight who spent a great deal of time on the "airfone". He rambled on and on till he about drove me crazy. It was night, dark, and I could have had a nap....but NO...I had to listen to his nonsense. I've even thought about noise cancelling headphones if I have to make another long trip...will be looking into that option.

I've also had to deal with the stand in the aisle and talk people. Folks that want to go to the rest room have to squeeze past to say nothing about the flight attendant trying to pass out beverages. I say give them 5 minutes of chatting and then send them to the penalty box

I don't fly well. Airsick doesn't even begin to describe what I go through. So I am pretty out of it thanks to dramamene overdosing, so I don't mind being on the window. i pretty much conk out for most of the trip and I'm blessed to be able to "hold it" for hours upon hours (probably not all that healthy but I refuse to pee on a plane if at all possible.) The worst thing ever is having a chatty/friendly seatmate. After we say hello and exchange pleasantries I want no part of socializing... unless it's a little kid... they are fun.

My dad is an aisle guy and makes friends with everyone around him... he does the standing in the aisle but only when it's okay to and only because he needs to move or his whole body freezes up and there's concern about blood clots...

So I try to be understanding of those situations... but there's no real reason to be on the phone unless it's an emergency/problem with the plane... that the ice cream store at home is out of chocolate is - shockingly - not an emergency and I can see this as happening a lot should they open up the airwaves.

I agree with the flight attendants union. This is a bad idea on so many levels....I am glad Delta is against it....tower of babel! I would put in my ear buds and listen to music just so I didn't have to listen to talk addicts delivering misc brain droppings....

CoyoteChris said:

I agree with the flight attendants union. This is a bad idea on so many levels....I am glad Delta is against it....tower of babel! I would put in my ear buds and listen to music just so I didn't have to listen to talk addicts delivering misc brain droppings....

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there's a mental image!

OK, how about this...what is worse?
1. Sitting next to a crying baby
2. Sitting next to someone who is bent on converting you to Christianity for the next two hours.
3. Sitting next to someone who has to call everyone in the free world and tell them they are on the plane now.
4. Sitting next to Coyote Chris who informs you in great technical detail why this aircraft is unsafe while waving his aircraft mechanics license?

Tonichelle said:

there's a mental image!

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1 - I can eventually tune it out.
2 - I'm covered there so have no problem if they want to give me a thumbs up (I can probably out Bible them anyway)
3 - This would be most annoying.
4 - I could eventually tune you out, because as I said in #2, I'm covered.

#1 is the worst!

Oh yeah.....

Johar said:

#1 is the worst!

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Delta and JetBlue have made statements saying they will NOT allow calls if the FCC allows calls in the air. They WILL allow texting, emaling, and other SILENT activities on the phone, however.

When I saw this thread title, "We could start seeing folks getting calls while in the air," I thought it was about changes in the ISU judging system. Like, when the skater takes off the tech specialist immediately calls out, "Flutz!" while he's still in the air.

you spend way too much time with figure skating, Larry!