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Senators Propose Bill Prohibiting Phone Calls On Planes
SonicSpike writes with news that two U.S. Senators, Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), have proposed legislation to ban cell phone calls while aboard an airplane. This follows a recent announcement from the FAA increasing the range of electronic gadgets travelers can use while flying, and a vote by the FCC to consider allowing phone calls during flight. However, even as those government agencies work to lift regulations on in-flight technology, the Department of Transportation is pondering a in-flight call ban of its own, saying it might not be "fair" to consumers to have to listen to other passengers talk on the phone throughout a long flight. FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said, "If we move beyond what we do here today and actually update our rules to allow voice calls on planes we can see a future where our quiet time is monetized and seating in the silent section comes at a premium."
Are they going to ban them in restaurants next? Movie theaters? What an idiotic premise!
since its ok to talk on a cell phone, ok for my kids to vocalize themselves as well
What's difference between talking on a phone and talking to someone I am traveling with as far as noise disruption?
And that's different from talking with the person next to you how, exactly? If people can't respect basic social manners, they won't respect them regardless of how. If it's not a phone it'll be something else. This is why we have personnel on board the airplanes.
Do they really have nothing more pressing to deal with than legislating common courtesy?
Not cell phones, but there have definitely been phones available. Some planes even had handsets embedded in the back of the headrests.
Also, I have always left my phone on in flights. It doesn't get a signal at altitude, and definitely not over the middle of the ocean. It's really only when you are near takeoff or landing.
"Here Lies Philip J. Fry, named for his uncle, to carry on his spirit"
I can't comprehend how a US Senator would consider this worthy of her/his time.
If you can make phone calls on a city bus you can make phone calls on a plane.
I've seen plenty of phones on planes before, but I've never seen them used to actually make calls. Probably because they cost a shitload.
So, just have a fair warning to consumers, that each call will cost $10 a minute (via various methods, including text messages to those phones that are turned on). Then, only those people who actually have a pressing need will use the phones in flight. Solves the problem for me.
Moreover, if noise worries you, then get a pair of earplugs. And/or don't fly (the engines are almost always the noisiest thing on airplanes for me).
HELP MY ACCOUNT HAS BEEN HACKED BY AN ILLIBERAL ART STUDENT SET TO DESTROY THE INTERWEBZ!
I think a better solution is that once you've achieved cruising altitude that passenger can petition for a vote of all passengers to have specific annoying passengers literally thrown off the planes. No parachute, just a good heave. As annoying cell phone users are - shouting in their phones, etc. - seat kickers, loud drunks, crying babies and others deserve some sort of retribution too.
Very often, people confuse simple with simplistic. The nuance is lost on most. - Clement Mok
Complaining about other passengers while on the airplane? That's like complaining about the music while you're in the dentist's chair. Or complaining about the decor as you wait for hours at the DMV. In any of these situations, you've got infinitely bigger problems to worry about.
Flying is pure hell, and your primary objective is to bang it out as efficiently as possible. If you aren't expecting the worst, you're in for a world of hurt. Other passengers are the absolute least of your problems.
What about letting Airlines just decide if they want to allow passengers to use the phones??? Am serious if phones turn out to be too much of a nuisance then the airlines can ban them. Of course, what will probably happen is that they probably ban them in all premium cabins. Including coach plus. Or they could put in a pay by minute noise reducing phone booths.
quiet time huh? don't fly much?
"Fair" has nothing to do with it. Unless you're talking about FARE.
Let the free market decide whether phone calls on long haul flights are acceptable or not.
If the person next to you is talking on the phone just join in. Comment on what they say, ask what the other person said, etc. Someone rude enough to have a phone conversation in a crowd won't catch the sarcasm, but at least you'll annoy them as much as they annoy you.
The quiet section is already monetized. It's called "first class", that wonderful place where the screaming of infants and children is reduced to a dull howl.
I commute to and from New York City on a train every day. I've seen fights almost break out from rude people yapping on phones. Allowing phone calls on planes is a very bad idea. Nobody wants to listen to other people yap on a phone during a three hour flight.
People get agitated enough being cramped into small seats with no leg room. Lets just add to the agitation my making the person next to you annoy the hell out of you by yapping on the phone to their friend.
I was all for this because people talking next to you is annoying, then I saw that Dianne Feinstein was one of the writers. Now I say make as many calls on planes as possible, it probably screws with the NSA databases.
Is this even feasible? with most flights you're 5-7 miles above the ground. IIRC, cell phone signals radiate mostly parallel to the ground. Can you even get a cell signal in a plane? I don't fly much, and the times I've had I never turned my cellular radio on in my phone.
How about we respect the fact that the plane is the property of the airline and let them set policy accordingly. I mean holy crap on a cracker Batman, civility will break down because someone is talking (at most likely) conversational volume on a cell phone on a long flight that already has cranky and cramped adults, babies and drunks.
I'm all for making calls, but I don't want to be sat next to someone on a trans-Atlantic flight and them yammering on about all manner of tripe whilst I'm trying to watch a film or have a bit of quiet.
Alternative: have a bit of space on the plane where one can go to place a call so as not to disturb the people near you. Planes are already terribly crowded, and, having experience people farting, belching, and yammering on for hours across the aisles, anything to keep this from becoming problematic is worth to aggro to the few who would likely abuse it. If one needs to contact someone about being collected upon landing, and one could place a call, one could just as easily text.
Airline keeps half. The rest is distributed to the people sitting next to the person making the call.
Both Alexander and Feinstein have issues that they'd rather the media not look at right now. Alexander's chief of staff was just arrested on child porn charges, and Feinstein...I don't think I have to mention, here on /., why people hate Feinstein.
So they've come together with a "you know that thing that people really hate? Let's ban it!" bill meant to get their names in the headlines next to something they think people will like. It's just a stunt. Pay no heed to it.
Everything is better with chainsaws.
They are charged with deciding whether allowing cell phones is safe, not the pros and cons of passenger convenience/inconvenience.
From another article:
Nick Calio, the president and CEO of Airlines for America, testifying Thursday at a House hearing on the aviation industry, said regulators should determine whether allowing cellphones to be used for voice calls in flight is safe and should leave further decisions up to the airlines.
“If they do so, we believe the decision should be left up to individual carriers as to whether they want to institute a policy or not,” Calio said. “In considering that, they’ll consider the safety of their passengers and their crews and customer input.”
That sounds right.
Airlines should just pass out complimentary ear plugs to solve this and other noise . The inside of an airplane is pretty loud and annoying as it is.
I use foam ear plugs and sleep through most flights. I stay up late, crash on the plane perhaps with the help of some Dramamine, and I don't care what the other passengers do.
Let them have their communication so I may have mine when I wish.
"This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
I can't overexaggerate how much I love the zone of silence in my daily bus and train rides, or the pristine calm of the city sidewalks.
Give me a fucking break. Suddenly the Senate is concerned for my delicate ears? More likely: an airline was cutting a deal with a carrier to sell AirTalk (tm) in-flight voice at $3.99 a minute and doesn't want to be undercut.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
For fucks sake, if it's not a safety issue that we don't need laws about it. We are adults and contend with this in tons of other planes in our lives and can self regulate in a airplane. There is nothing magical about being in an airplane that makes us better or worse then off an airplane.
Oh, God! That's all I need. Cramped in a tin can with a pack of bored nitwit talkers for a five hour flight to the west coast. There is absolutely no need for this at all.
But then there will be all of the amusing fights that will surely follow. Maybe I ought to get an upgraded device to record videos. :)
Yeah. I've changed my mind. Allow cell phone calls on a plane.
As a Dem, I can understand some members of the party seeing a need for this, but I'm shocked that Lamar Alexander is co-sponsoring this. So much for anti-regulation republicans. While I agree that voice calls should not be permitted in planes, there is no reason to legislate this. It is very reasonable that in the future there may be airlines dedicated to business passengers who would find value in having phone calls on a flight.
Let us also forget the fact that many airplanes already have seat tethered phones that no one uses. A passenger etiquette policy determined by airlines would be preferable than a blanket ban. I see this more as a generational issue where old people are once again on the losing side.
In practice, I think the noise level from chatter would generally be far higher from people simply talking to those they are traveling with them than it would be from people with cell phones. No worse, for instance, than what you might expect on public transit, where cell phones are entirely allowed.. but with the provision that people are still expected to keep their voices at a reasonable level (I've actually seen a person on transit get reprimanded by complete strangers for talking too loudly on their phone once... the embarrassment of the situation alone, I think, was what made the person be completely quite thereafter).
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
The FCC's job is to determine if they are safe, so people calling for _them_ to ban them because of the annoyance factors are just assholes.
It's also not the government's job to prevent minor "annoyance" as some piece of bullshit populist legislation. If people are that annoyed the airlines can ban them.
...restricting them to designated areas....you know...a phone booth (call box, or hell...make one look like TARDIS)
Consumer choice of this nature is NONE of the FEDERAL governments business. If consumers don't want talking on planes, then businesses will respond. This is something that should be left to businesses to handle, this is NOT a government policy/regulation issue. It has nothing to do with safety, etc. Let the dollars and consumers decide.
Please point to the section of the Constitution which you think authorizes federal government to legislate laws for regulating how loudly you are allowed to talk to people. I'm genuinely curious. I'm think this is now a first amendment issue if the FAA determines there is no aircraft safety problem associated with phones.
I'm going to start eating extra spicy burritos just before we depart. Sorry, If I have to listen to endless "oh my god" and "you knows" or the pugnacious business guy making client calls all during a flight I will release my own anti-chatter device! Besides it's good for you!
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
I have no problem with cell phone calls during flight. Just a warning, if you are sitting next to me and become a Chatty Cathy during the majority of the flight, I will become the "Aromatic Traveller" next to you.
DF? Every single flight I've been on I bullshitted with my friend the entire flight just to his loud obnoxious laugh the entire flight. Okay not really, the real reason is flights are fucking boring as hell and joking around makes time fly. ;)
I propose they pass a bill stating that people should get the fuck over it. I'm capable of making a quiet and non-annoying call in a public area. Others are not. That's just how it is. Tell them to quiet down or ignore it.
...then we're talking.
...even if "being told what to do" means they decide internally but have a Federal organization slap their letterhead on it and make it a Federal rule/policy.
There will probably be a lot of high-mileage and influential business customers who want to talk on the phone. These people are the gravy for airlines in terms of income and that can get expensive if they switch to another carrier who will allow these calls. Making their own policies that risks exposing them to a competitive disadvantage is something they don't want.
If they do allow calls with their own policy, they then risk the public relations nightmare of bad press and public opinion. Of course they don't really care about vacation travelers opinions very much since they aren't the high margin business customers, but they also don't want the negative PR generally.
It's just so much easier for them on this issue if they don't have to decide on their own and they can just point to a regulatory rule.
But if people can't make phone calls from airplanes, how can the NSA listen into them?
There is so much important stuff to do -- when can we get Congress to stop regulating things just to get PR? Leave it to the private sector, and let the airlines themselves react to the consequences. For example, airlines could allow a section for cell phone lovers and let the assignment occur at seat selection time.
The only legislation we need is to make all congress critters sit with them -- since they are so fervent in having the government listening in to everything..
According to flight attendants on overseas flights, you can't hear others on their phones from a row away. I think it should be allowed with obnoxious folk who scream on their phones to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis - unless they are going to outlaw truly obnoxious noise such as screaming brats you can hear from 15 rows away, and larger annoying brats who kick your seat.
Phone calls have already been allowed for years - Skyphone anyone - and it hasn't been a problem. Just because it will now be $ConversationOnACellphone doesn't mean that it should now be banned. Don't punish everyone for the deeds of an obnoxious few, just prohibit the obnoxious few if they refuse to use their indoor voices.
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
Every person on an airline is there as an employee, or paid an admission fee.
The airplane is not a public space.
We could cut down on all this silly legislation if they'd simply pass a law that let you punch rude people in the nose.
I can only suspect that it has a security angle. As in: she can't listen in those calls or something.
Religion is what happens when nature strikes and groupthink goes wrong.
Sadly, the only way to overturn this mess, and get it out and maybe revised would be to have the Reps in control of all 3x branches. But, I'm afraid what else they'd do if they had that much control.
Last time the GOP had the House, Senate, and Presidency, the United States got involved in Vietghanistan and Vietraq.
Just put them on the no-fly list.
Jeez, don't they have anything better to do? (actually their spending time on this is probably safer in the long run than whatever else they would be working towards)
If it were such a nuisance to consumers, the airlines would offer "no-talking" flights or sections. Everything doesn't have to be legislated.
Cell phones also have the potential of setting off explosive devices. This is probably the reason "big brother" is stepping in. However, I do agree that it should be up to the airlines to make the choice. Why not use the phones that already exist on them. Pay to high? Wait til you reach your destination to selfish people.
Article I, Section 8. Regulating commercial flights is part of regulating commerce among the states (flights take off in one state and land in another) and post roads (flights share airspace with flights that carry Priority Mail packages). Don't like it? Propose a constitutional amendment to reverse Wickard v. Filburn.
I don't see why they want to ban cell calls on airplanes - who will I "accidentally" spill my drink on if they ban that?
Hey, here's an idea. Let each flight figure it out. Get someone yapping away? Fly down to 15,000 feet, open the door and toss em out.
I'm sure the legislation will go nowhere. It's just a means for politicians to avoid spending their time in a different manner and to engage in their favorite game: trying to look good while forcing other politicians to look bad.
However, maybe some airline will pay enough attention to the commentary on the politics to consider the idea of instituting quiet flights. It'll probably take a little while for passengers who violate the quiet flight social compact to be banned from purchasing tickets on those flights, but soon enough, airlines will be able to charge extra for tickets on quiet flights and also charge extra for providing cell phone enabling technology on noisy flights. Then they'll graduate to putting both quiet and noisy sections on the same giant airplane, and changing your previously chosen seat assignment while you're waiting in line to get on the plane.
I'm looking forward to when Amtrack gets wifi on transcontinental routes.
That's "AN in-flight call ban" to you, Mr American...
Second, you have the issue of "half a conversation" messing with your brain. Hearing another conversation isn't so bad, hearing only HALF the conversation (the guy on the phone) and your brain tries to piece together w t h they're talking about or what the person on the other-end-of-the-phone is saying. It's an automatic thing, so it adds to the annoyance.
It didn't seem to bother the millions who used Twitter prior to the addition of a "View conversation" feature.
Face it, being bothered by someone using a cell phone in public is pretty much just a sign that you're from an older generation. Just like how the older folks in the 60s felt that rock music was "evil". Yes, I'm old enough to remember when people sat down to dinner without constantly being distracted by Facebook/Twitter/texting. Younger millennials, however, grew up with this technology and don't feel like they're being rude because their peers are doing exactly the same thing.
Personally, the only times I've ever been genuinely annoyed with cell phone users were inconsiderate jerks who used Nextel PTT. Between the shrill chirping and the distorted loudspeaker, it seemed like those phones were intentionally designed to annoy everyone around you, so they'd have no doubt you were using Nextel. Of course, Sprint ran Nextel into the ground and the problem has since taken care of itself.
---
DRM is like antifreeze, to the MPAA/RIAA it's sweet, to the consumers it's poison.
Is it silly season over there in the USA?
If the problem is "we can see a future where our quiet time is monetized and seating in the silent section comes at a premium." then ban making a quiet seat a premium chargeable item. Then if you are being disturbed by someone playing music, making a call, playing on their handheld or whatever, then that can't be used to make "quiet seats" a premium item too.
"If we move beyond what we do here today and actually update our rules to allow voice calls on planes we can see a future where our quiet time is monetized and seating in the silent section comes at a premium."
What "quiet time"? Clearly she always flies first class, because coach is filled with screaming children - apparently screaming the whole flight is fine so long as it's not into a phone. If we had a room for them and the cell phone people, I'd take those flights exclusively, thrilled to buy peace and quiet without also having to buy everything else about first class.
For one thing, it's not just the noise level. Hearing one side of a conversation tends to annoy the brain more than hearing both sides. For another, seating isn't assigned on public transit.
I don't like the idea of someone yaking on the phone next to be in an airplane, but do we need a law for *everything*?
it shouldnt be up to congress to make laws prohibiting these things... it should be up to the specific airline to say if they want to allow people to talk on the plane or not.
Loud cellphone talkers are one of the biggest social annoyances on my list. I agree with you, though, as the premise is super weak. I'm betting a congressman was stuck on a plane with one of these fools.
If he wants to push legislation, legalizing personal cellphone blockers would be something I'd support.
(Kif sigh) Ugh
Is it currently a prerequisite that all our elected officials be dropped on their heads repeatedly as children?
"*Congress shall make no law* respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; *or abridging the freedom of speech*, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"
I mean. ...really?
(Facepalm)
Hello, this the reality calling to remind you that Flight 93 happened.
It is high time you fire everyone in congress, and do not re-elect any who have been in office while your scaremongering polices have turned the world into an adaptation of 1984.
There are better solutions than legislation outright banning cell phone usage on flights.
Simply designate a certain area of seats for people who wish to use cell phones. Preferrably as close to the engines as possible. The engine noise will be so loud that habitual cell users will be cured of their habit.
Eternity: will that be smoking, or non-smoking? I Corinthians 6:9-10
What a great idea! While we're at it we can ban talking loudly in libraries, putting your elbows on the table, slurping your soup, driving too slow, bland conversation, and so on. Think of how much we could improve peoples' lives and how grateful they will be come election day!
If phone calls would be prohibited on planes, flight 93 would have hit something in D.C. Maybe where these senators are sitting. Time for someone to use 9-11 politically again.
A plane is a bus with wings. Busses have people on phones all of the time.
You got the touch!
So long as they ban them on private planes, I'm okay with it. Or does that not count as "commercial" air flight?
Talking on a cellphone in public should be a federal crime. In fact, let's give up all our freedoms in order to avoid minor annoyances!
I have personally witnessed Diane Feistein bumping off a confirmed passenger (an associate who had booked a seat near me), and refusing to turn off her electronic equipment (A Kindle) during landing operations on a commercial flight (when it was prohibited to leave it on during takeoffs and landings). Who the F**k is this person to make this kind of policy when she can't think of anyone but herself when it comes to behavior on an airplane?
A flight across Pennsylvania shares airspace with flights from one state to another that cross Pennsylvania (interstate commerce) and with airmail flights (post roads). U.S. courts have for decades interpreted regulating interstate commerce to include protecting interstate commerce from intrastate threats.
In the old days they had smoking and non-smoking sections. Second-hand smoke and cell phone 'noise pollution' are equivalent. Institute a non-cell phone section and charge LESS for it. Let the cell phone users yak it up at the back of the plane for a premium.
It's bad enough on a train hearing some douchebag blathering away at the top of their lungs to their insipid friends for 2 hours let alone a 13 hour plane journey!
Frankly i think there should be decibel meters on each chair which deliver a powerful intramuscular sedative when the occupant's volume goes above an acceptable level.
Actually i'm going to start writing up a patent application for it now. Patent pending.
Lightweight, collapsible acoustic helmets with embedded microphone and speakers, maybe optional faux furs/skins. Wear it or fuck off.
This is no different socially than those that take a commuter train. You're on the train for an hour or two commute, and most trains have a "quiet car". Let the airlines offer a "quiet section". And for god sakes, please impose an age restriction in the quiet section. The crying baby in seat 14F-lap is enough to get me to pay a premium for a quiet section.
I love (not really) how on Slashdot anything related to the airline industry brings out posts from people who never travel by plane. I had a friend who last traveled on a plane around 1999. He's not likely to ever travel anywhere by plane again in his life and this is by choice. He never flew after the TSA existed, yet listening to hm talk about the TSA you would think TSA had singled him out for unfair treatment on some flight years ago and he bore a grudge he never got over. Slashdot is the same way where people post here about how great it is to be able to talk on planes and they never fly anywhere.
I think letting people talk on planes on their cell phones is a horrible idea, but the airlines will allow if it given a choice. This is why the only way to stop it is for the government to forbid it. Now if I hold a minority opinion on this and it's clear that the majority of flyers want to talk on their cell phones on planes, I will accept that. I won't like it, but I'll accept it. The US airlines will allow this if given a choice for 2 reasons. The first is that they've already proven themselves unwilling to restrict alcohol sales to obviously inebriated passengers, some of whom in their drunken state cause problems serious enough to get them arrested when the plane lands, perhaps even having to make an emergency landing. Alcohol sales bring in money. They won't be stopped. The second reason is that this obviously creates a money making situation where they can, as mentioned earlier, sell "quiet zone" spaces at a premium. I travel by plane sometimes for personal reasons and I am not happy at all at the thought of having to pay an extra $200 or more just so I don't have to listen to someone else's phone conversation for the whole flight.
You cant legislate courtesy.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Ummmm..... I know the scale of calls would probably sky rocket but there are already phones people can use on many planes. Just noone seems to realize it.
You know those cheap phone looking handsets on the back of seats? Has a credit card slot?
Can we then have "Not Sick", "Showered Today and Put Deoderant On", "Not Wearing Offensive Perfume", "Not Fat", "Not Skinny", "Not Redhead" etc seating sections also?
Seems Legit... (Sarcastic incase you didn't figure it out)
Why is it that any time Republicans and Democrats get together the legislation is total crap? Republicans are supposed to support free market mechanisms and limited government, while Dems are supposed to support personal freedoms, like choice and privacy. But when they get together and agree on something, it usually runs the complete opposite of all of these purported beliefs.
That said, what's wrong with having a "silent" section on an airplane? In Europe they already have these on trains and it works fine. For once here is a problem that the free market really can resolve on its own - let it be! Just be glad that airlines don't have a "direct marketing" section on the plane where you have to endure a high pressure sales pitch for the entire length of the flight in order to secure a 10% discount.
Besides, when people near me are on the phone and talking too loud or in a manner that annoys me, I just making loud and obnoxious noises that should only be heard in a bathroom until the talkers decide to hang up. It works pretty well, especially against people talking in the bathroom.
I wish people would stop pushing more laws on issues where a law isn't required.
I don't want people on a plane to make calls, play obnoxious games, or bring a loud mouth kid. However, I would rather see any of those things over a more restrictive plane ride. We don't need another law on the books to encourage decency and respect for your fellow man.
How about let the airline companies handle this? Resurrect a phone booth and have one on a plane. Sell business flights geared towards people that want to work the entire time they are on a plane. Have quiet flights were cell phones and gadgets are not allowed. Let people choose which flight they want to join. I'm positive that the industry has room to improve and that there is a solution.
Whenever I fly with my wife, I have to talk in an above-average volume already. I have no doubt the cell phone's algorithms are adequate enough to filter out the ambient noise inside an airplane, but I'd have a difficult time hearing it unless I was wearing ear buds. Overall, having a phone conversation in an airplane would be a hassle. Try talking (but not driving!) in a car with the windows rolled down.
Or I'm becoming more deaf as I age. huh.
That's right senators.. no more calls for you on your next private flight either... or... was this law just meant for "the people" for their own "safety".
How about having a few 10 minute blocks during a flight that you can you your phone. It would let phone get messages through and keep them from annoying the hell out of others for the entire duration of the flight. Oh, and make sure there are roaming fees.
It is insane to require people to pay a premium for a quiet section, but it makes a lot more sense to simply bill people more for a "phone" section. It would not take much effort for the airlines to monetize this, so why didn't the FCC think of it? Oh, they would have to think, wouldn't they.
I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, I suggest that the part of the plane where calls can be made be the outside. Remember, you can't use your phone during take off or landing, but during flight...
This joke showed up in my inbox, from a friend:
***
After a tiring day, a commuter settled down in his seat and closed his eyes.
As the train rolled out of the station, a woman sitting next to him pulled out her cell phone.
She started talking in a loud voice: "Hi sweetheart. It's Sue. I'm on the train". "Yes, I know it's the six thirty and not the four thirty, but I had a long meeting". "No, honey, not with that Kevin from the accounting office. It was with the boss". "No sweetheart, you're the only one in my life". "Yes, I'm sure, cross my heart!"
Fifteen minutes later, she was still talking loudly. When the man sitting next to her had enough, he leaned over and said into the phone, "Sue, hang up the phone and come back to bed."
Sue doesn't use her cell phone so much in public any longer.
***
It might work on a plane too.
Proverbs 21:19
There isn't a true reduction. Just a 'reduction' in the increase.
If there was ever a true reduction, there would weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth as if the 4 horse riders had arrived in D.C.
Sad, but true. The "sequester" was a fraction of what is needed, and it cause a major panic attack. It's amazing to watch people in such denial, even arguing that you can just print money with no real consequence. Oh, and by the way, did you see that real wages have gone down since the 60s? [rolls eyes]
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
bunch of dumbass liars who claim phone calls are of no use on airplanes, but even if we assume 9/11 was true, it's a slap in the face to the people who attempted to use the phone to save their lives
They should ban Snakes on Planes!
Has anyone here actually turned on their phone by "accident" while up in the air?
Good luck getting ANY signal, my phone doesn't get any service when I notice that my phone turned on and the radio is active.
I would imagine that if one were to have their phone on during take-off and observing the device, that the phone would have signal for about the first 30 seconds, then nothing..........
I did notice ONCE that I was able to get signal when a text message came in. I picked up my phone, and just as I noticed that I had weak signal, I then had no signal at all.
The main reason to turn off your radio while on a plane would be to preserve battery life. It seems to me that the weaker or lack of signal is inversely proportional to how much power is consumed. Its a bummer when you forget the phone is on and get off the plane with a dead battery.
But not ONCE have I ever heard over the speakers "Would the person with their cell phone on, please turn it off! Are you trying to kill us!?".
quote: FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said, "If we move beyond what we do here today and actually update our rules to allow voice calls on planes we can see a future where our quiet time is monetized and seating in the silent section comes at a premium."
Why isn't it the other way--that airlines will charge extra to be in the phone-use section? In fact, I bet airlines may figure out a way charge extra to make a phone call, maybe having phone booths, and also charge extra for a seat in the no phone call section!
Which reminds me of an old saying, when smoking was allowed on planes: A no smoking section on an airplane is about as effective as a no-peeing section in a public pool
Dear Senator Feinstein,
Could you please pass a law to create a new felony for crying on a plane. All there uneducated babies are really, but really annoying me when I am trying to browse porn sites while in the middle of a transcontinental flight.
Kind regards,
- x0ra
Uhh, yea, what're you going to do about the phones built into the back of the seat, in the headrest? Ban those, too?
Fucking ill-educated people running our government.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
As long as they're OK with me using my taser on them when they do so.
Anonymous Coward was referring to a "city bus", and I took this to mean something like Citilink, as opposed to a motor coach like the Greyhound bus you're talking about. I agree with you that motor coach trips are closer to the same category as an airline flight.
Maybe the best compromise would be to have phone booths, where you can go in and make your call? Anywhere else in the plane there would be no signal. Now how to make it so people share the space respectively?
Jumpstart the tartan drive.
Feinstein again, that woman needs to be banned from government by a constitutional amendment. She is the epitome of what is wrong with current politics, she's a hypocrite, she'll jump on any bandwagon that gets her press, she has the common sense of an unsupervised teenager with a platinum credit card in a mall and she will twist the facts or outright lie to get her way. Oh and she's just plain crazy to boot.
It's a reminder that "establishment" Republicans and "mainstream" Democrats are just playing a game. They'll get together to make government bigger and apply new laws and regulations to people any time they think it's to their advantage. This is just like Boener and Ryan denouncing the right-wing of their party to push the budget deal they made with Patti Murray (and Pelosi telling her liberals they have to "take it" over there on the left too). Big government establishment Republicans LOVE big government and big business every bit as much as big government Democrats love big business and big government.... they're really only arguing about who gets to be in charge of it (and therefore who gets to dole-out the political jobs, political favors, etc and collect the bribes.... errrr.... "campaign contributions" while pushing rules that THEIR supporters like and the other team's supporters hate)
The ONLY possible escape hatch for the public is small, limited government. A small government with limited powers is not worth bribing and has no power to make rules and laws that oppress conservatives, or liberals
No matter how evil and corrupt and batty Feinstein gets, her base will support her because she supports homosexuality and abortion; her voters put these things above all else including NSA spying, IP laws, etc. Alexander is really no different.... he just has different issues that have made him safe with his voters (though the TEA partiers are trying to overcome that)
These political schemes will continue and even get worse as long as government keeps getting bigger. As government gets bigger, it gets into EVERYTHING which means any smart politician can cobble together a coalition of special interests who will support him/her no matter what he/she does on some other issues. With a small government, senators would have a limited number of cookie jars to insert their hands into... not likely enough to cobble together such bullet-proof support bases
While phone calls may be technically feasible from FAA communication interference standpoint, but are they even feasible 30,000 ft high while traveling at about 560 mi/hr (250 m/s)?
I expect that there would too much tower pinging and hopping resulting in dropped calls when hopping into "dead zones." Also, the roaming fees would be, well...sky high.
So many loudness and annoying sounds, etc. Ugh(l(ee/y).
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
gosgog:
Finally a good use for Tazers. Stewardii should each carry a tazer with airline permission to ZAP any Cell phone talker who is being a bloody nuisance.
The Gov't can then go back to watching 'Soap operas' and doing nothing, except spending MILLIONS to enroll a few folks in OBUMMERCARE!
airlines handing out ten cents worth of foam ear plugs for free instead is just too much to hope for.
I believe that most u.s. citizens have become disillusioned. Rules such as cell phone use on planes should be up to the airline. There is no reason the federal government should be involved with this. Its absurb that this bill was even proposed.
Charge extra for those wanting to TALK on the phone. Make them all sit in the back.
TV-MA - the Beginning: "Ward, don't you think you were a little hard on the Beaver last night?"