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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."
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.