Well, once again, Europe steps ahead of us on the road of progress. Air France is doing limited testing on allowing passengers to use their mobiles while on the plane. The complications are considerable: sound quality is bad due to the method they use of conducting the signal to the towers. People who don’t need phones on the plane don’t want them on planes. And then there is the price: almost $5/minute in roaming charges at this point. That should cut down on the chatter.
People lament that there is no escape from the constant talking, ringing, and communicating that goes on in the busy modern world. Planes are a sort of last vestige of relative isolation (though they are not quiet exactly) and they’d like to keep them that way. A noble sentiment, but futile, I think. We all know that eventually this is going to happen, whether it’s this year or a few down the line. Certainly no more than five. My guess is they’ll have a cell phone seating section or possibly a “lounge” of some kind set aside for the purpose. Don’t be like Mulder and Scully, people: don’t fight the future.
Many of us read and work during flights. God forbid that cell phone screamers will be imposed on us. But, if so, cell phone users need to be segregated and they need to pay more for their tickets. Why should the rest of us pay mega $$ to listen to someone else’s conversation. Conversation is the only sound on airplanes that makes it impossible to read, grade papers, write papers, or sleep.
Really, Professor? You mean you have been blessed with magical powers that allow you to avoid any flight with a screaming baby? A small child that doesn’t stop talking loudly the entire flight? A sleeper snoring so loudly their seat shakes? A couple of people who strike up a loud and apparently hilarious (to them) conversation that lasts the entire flight? An MP3 listener DVD watcher who has the volume turned up so loud that you can hear the music blasting out of their headphones three seats away?
I’d love to know how you got those powers because I fly approximately once a week for business all over the country on many different airlines, and I’d pay dearly for those powers.
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Why is there a roll of toilet paper next to her head? What else do they let you do at your seat on airplanes in Europe?….
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Second thought, don’t want to know.
This is progress?
Ah yes, hello! Yes, I am on the plane right now. Yes. Could you please check if the green folder is on my desk. Yes, the green one. It’s there? Good. Well no, I don’t need it, I just wanted to make sure. Could you please delay the meeting for 30 minutes. Yes, I know I told you. BUT I WANT TO SHOW OFF ON THE PLANE, TELLING EVERYBODY HOW FREAKING IMPORTANT I AM.
please guys. I can run my business without being constantely available, I let my people have responsibilities, and nobody is that important.