FCC Takes Steps to Approve Cell Phones in Flight as Transportation Department Considers Banning Calls on Planes

[BC2009]

You're a terrible parent by letting it cry

Either you are joking or you have never had a baby.

I can just see those parents now.... "Oh good, I was hoping my baby would cry on this flight."

Like any parent wants their baby to cry and does not try to silence it. You do realize that there are parents who don't get to sleep at night because they cannot get their babies to stop crying sometimes?

We all come into this world in the same way: helpless and incapable of comprehending directions. You came that way too. Deal with it.

I sure hope that a mother with a crying baby is sitting next to you and she feeds it a bottle to get it to quiet down and then it spits up all over your nice suit. That would be awesome. Then I hope it happens again and again, every week you are traveling for a year. That would be poetic.

 

[osx11]

Then don't fly. At least not on that airline.

Every single one of you would not be voting for that company, with your money, they allow that stuff to happen in flight. If enough people don't fly the airlines will get hurt and THEY will impose the rules on THEIR airline that people are not allowed to talk on their cell phones while on the plane. There is absolutely no reason for the government to get involved in a situation like this. The government has no right to control what a PRIVATE company can do with THEIR airplane.

Oh, the irony. Except U.S. commercial air traffic, which exists primarily of private companies is monitored, controlled, and regulated by the government already. Ever heard of the FAA? Or how the U.S. communications market is regulated by the FCC? In fact the FAA, as a regulatory agent, is the role model for the world. If the U.S. government/FAA bans something, the rest of the world follows. There IS heavy regulation in the U.S. whether you like it or not. There IS heavy regulation in every modern country whether you like it or not. Without regulation, private companies would be ****ing us 10x more than they are now. Government regulation is not always bad and quite often necessary. In general, people don't realize the good things governments do. If you want, I'll give you a list that will amaze you.

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Because I believe taking away liberties by means of regulation should be a last resort. You may see outlawing cell phones on planes as offering more freedom, but I personally don't. To me it doesn't matter if the person seated behind me is talking on their cell phone loudly or chatting with their seatmate loudly. It's all the same to me, and chances are I'll have my headset on ignoring it all anyway. Someone else with a legitimate need to use their cell phone in flight (family emergency, etc) may see this as an even greater invasion of their liberties.

This is truly a matter of etiquette and common sense. It should be up to the airlines and their customers to decide.

I wish "common sense" actually worked. By your theory we wouldn't need any laws because it is "common sense" to wear a seatbelt, not kill your neighbor, not drink and drive...etc. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who do not have "common sense" or don't act upon it. Even if they are a small minority, we need laws and regulations to keep this minority in check. In the end, we pay the price for their stupidity and ignorance. But that's the nature of laws. We need them in order for society to function.

 

[2010mini]

I fly on average of 20+ flights a year and please no talking!

We business travelers want it quiet

And shut your baby up.

You're a terrible parent by letting it cry

I would pay money to watch you try and quiet a crying baby.

 

[iTiki]

Obviously someone who has no idea about parenting!

As a father of a small child, believe me - when my child cries on a plane it is absolutely not by choice (mine or theirs), there is no 'mute' button with children and with very young children/babies there is no/little reasoning with them.

Most people i travel with are reasonable enough to understand this.

I appreciate what you are saying. Babies and small children can be a challenge, especially on a long flight. Most parents do try to respond to their child's needs, however several times I have had to endure obnoxious kids while their parents ignored them or worse yet, just slept while their precious ones carried on. This is when I feel the flight attendants should step in and ask the parent to attempt trying control their kids, unfortunately that does not happen.

 

[jazz1]

Bose Will Be Happy

Well talking on planes will make Bose happy

 

[NMBob]

"Will that be talking, or non-talking?"

 

[txplt733]

Oh, the irony. Except U.S. commercial air traffic, which exists primarily of private companies is monitored, controlled, and regulated by the government already. Ever heard of the FAA? Or how the U.S. communications market is regulated by the FCC? In fact the FAA, as a regulatory agent, is the role model for the world. If the U.S. government/FAA bans something, the rest of the world follows. There IS heavy regulation in the U.S. whether you like it or not. There IS heavy regulation in every modern country whether you like it or not. Without regulation, private companies would be ****ing us 10x more than they are now. Government regulation is not always bad and quite often necessary. In general, people don't realize the good things governments do. If you want, I'll give you a list that will amaze you.

The FAA regulates aviation safety. This is not a safety matter.

Cell phone use was previously regulated on the basis of both aviation safety and FCC interference concerns. Now that technology has been developed that negates both arguments, the reason for outlawing them (etiquette?) would truly break new ground. How far do you suggest we go with regulating etiquette? Do we ban phones in restaurants? Trains? Buses? Do we require people to hold the door open for us at a public establishment when we're within a certain distance behind them?

 

[Rajani Isa]

It's funny when people believe X is bad, but they don't want to be told by their government that X is bad. Typical hypocritical American mindset.

It's simply that many of believe we don't need to have certain things regulated.

That there are other - and better - ways to make them happen.

As it is, there are plenty of rules/laws/regulations, for example, causing problems due to the fact that they are outdated. How do we know this just wouldn't end up as another?

Examples include how we define Child Pornography in a society with "sexting", and things like how the so-called Electronic Communications Privacy Act from years before we had AOL (not to mention Facebook, cloud storage, etc) allows warrant-less searches of online info.

Or they could come up with an innovative idea like this. The FREE MARKET Will figure these things out, and the government has NO PLACE controlling a private company's operations, so long as the actions of the company are not threatening the individual rights of other people. Otherwise it's not a private company. Simple.

Of course, where one airline goes, others soon often follow. And if everyone picks up a bad idea in an industry it becomes hard to get out. Simply not flying isn't always an option, especially in the US with a lack of high-speed alternatives.

 

[Earendil]

The problem is that it's currently allowed and I'm against banning something after the fact (as much as I hate listening to people talk on their cell phones).

If it was already acceptable to use your cell phone on a plane, I would be against banning it.

You should be for doing the right thing. What does it matter if it exists yet or not? Also, in this case we're talking about a new federal agency creating a new ban. If you want to keep the federal regulation status quo you would be against the ban.

Society has regulated decibel level in every other part of our life with great effect, why do we need the feds telling us how to run this small area?

 

[Rajani Isa]

As a note - I think the airlines should have an official (and noted) policy of allowing calls, but on the grounds of fairness to your neighbors encourage quiet and brevity.

 

[Earendil]

Of course, where one airline goes, others soon often follow. And if everyone picks up a bad idea in an industry it becomes hard to get out. Simply not flying isn't always an option, especially in the US with a lack of high-speed alternatives.

Only if the "bad idea" actually makes them money. If one airline allows this and the rest don't, and all their passengers start flying on the airlines that don't allow it, there isn't a snowballs chance inhell that the rest of the airlines will "Follow along".

 

[Rajani Isa]

You should be for doing the right thing. What does it matter if it exists yet or not? Also, in this case we're talking about a new federal agency creating a new ban. If you want to keep the federal regulation status quo you would be against the ban.

Society has regulated decibel level in every other part of our life with great effect, why do we need the feds telling us how to run this small area?

Not quite. A DOT ban on /calls/ while the FCC removes its electronic usage instructions would be more keeping with the status quo than no new ban and the FCC removing their ban.

And where I live, what decibel regulations that exist are quite forgiving - they are interned to forbid long instances of high noise - not any high noise (but also are not time-gated).

 

[Born Again]

I would pay money to watch you try and quiet a crying baby.

That's not my job. Parents job don't you think?

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Either you are joking or you have never had a baby.

I can just see those parents now.... "Oh good, I was hoping my baby would cry on this flight."

Like any parent wants their baby to cry and does not try to silence it. You do realize that there are parents who don't get to sleep at night because they cannot get their babies to stop crying sometimes?

We all come into this world in the same way: helpless and incapable of comprehending directions. You came that way too. Deal with it.

I sure hope that a mother with a crying baby is sitting next to you and she feeds it a bottle to get it to quiet down and then it spits up all over your nice suit. That would be awesome. Then I hope it happens again and again, every week you are traveling for a year. That would be poetic.

How about some consideration about others then?!

How selfish of you

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Obviously someone who has no idea about parenting!

As a father of a small child, believe me - when my child cries on a plane it is absolutely not by choice (mine or theirs), there is no 'mute' button with children and with very young children/babies there is no/little reasoning with them.

Most people i travel with are reasonable enough to understand this.

You're a holiday traveller

I get it. You may miss a lot of etiquette

Look crying babies are part of traveling. I've heard enough.

It doesn't mean I have to enjoy it do I?

You guys need to lighten up and stop attacking me because it's how EVERYONE feels.

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Yea, all those parents should just suffocate their kids, that'll keep 'em quiet for your business.

Wow you're sick.

Why hurt kids? Children are great

You have issues my friend

 

[BB1970]

I think I'll ask for some noise canceling headphones for Christmas now.

 

[kwikdeth]

Because unless you charter your own private aircraft, it is everybody's business as to whether you should be permitted to make calls in-flight.

dont forget that you're also making your business everyone else's business when you make calls in-flight too. i dont want to hear every gory detail of your love life, OR the inner details of some business transaction with every conceivable entry into business buzzword bingo being thrown out during a flight.

now that i think about it, i think i'd rather take the sordid love life details over buzzword bingo. at least there's some entertainment value to personal gossip.

 

[Earendil]

Not quite. A DOT ban on /calls/ while the FCC removes its electronic usage instructions would be more keeping with the status quo than no new ban and the FCC removing their ban.

I don't understand, are you against changing regulations or doing the right thing? Or is it just any change in general, regardless of the reasons?
The status quo as of right now is there is no federal ban on phones.

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dont forget that you're also making your business everyone else's business when you make calls in-flight too. i dont want to hear every gory detail of your love life, OR the inner details of some business transaction with every conceivable entry into business buzzword bingo being thrown out during a flight.

now that i think about it, i think i'd rather take the sordid love life details over buzzword bingo. at least there's some entertainment value to personal gossip.

Where do you live, on a ranch in Montana? I grew up in a small town and even I'm used to "overhearing" other people on a very regular basis. Places have generally been some of the quietest places human-voice wise that I can think of where you have that many people. I don't think the person next to you is likely to up and be a chatter box that either the ambient noise doesn't drown out, or a simple pair of earplugs or other more sophisticated technology can't cure. While I pity you for your lack of experiencing in dealing with listening to the human voice, I hardly think you should impose your problem on every single flyer, when you can simply solve it for you personally with one trip to your favorite online retailer!

 

[Rajani Isa]

I don't understand, are you against changing regulations or doing the right thing? Or is it just any change in general, regardless of the reasons?
The status quo as of right now is there is no federal ban on phones.

I've already stated my stance on this, above.

And while the phones are not banned, their usage to make calls is. So if the DOT did ban their use that would be maintaining the status quo.

To quote the article we are discussing :

"The FCC first announced that it was considering allowing airplane passengers to use mobile phones on flights to make voice calls and use cellular data back in November."

That sounds like a ban to me.

 

[Born Again]

I think I'll ask for some noise canceling headphones for Christmas now.

im using this pair by Audio-Technica
ATH - ANC23 in ears with noise cancellation.

highly recommend them and they're obtainable under $40

 

[uhaas]

How is this bad?

As a frequent business traveler, as well as a personal traveler, I often am wearing headphones on a flight. I doubt I'd hear anyone talking over it. Not to mention that it's pretty hard to have a call, with all that noise.

Back in the 90s, planes had phones in the seat pocket in front of you. There wasn't a big issue then.

I think the moment you had delays, you'd be happy to call the airline to ensure your connections keep going, or call and/or text those picking you up, to keep them abreast of the changes that were taking place.

I really think people are blowing this way out of proportion.

 

[dampfnudel]

Please, for what's left of the humanity of flying, don't allow this.

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As a frequent business traveler, as well as a personal traveler, I often am wearing headphones on a flight. I doubt I'd hear anyone talking over it. Not to mention that it's pretty hard to have a call, with all that noise.

Back in the 90s, planes had phones in the seat pocket in front of you. There wasn't a big issue then.

I think the moment you had delays, you'd be happy to call the airline to ensure your connections keep going, or call and/or text those picking you up, to keep them abreast of the changes that were taking place.

I really think people are blowing this way out of proportion.

It wasn't a big issue because of the cost and the fact that you didn't have the number of phone addicts that you have today.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

As a note - I think the airlines should have an official (and noted) policy of allowing calls, but on the grounds of fairness to your neighbors encourage quiet and brevity.

Right. It's reasonable to expect the same guy that totes on a way-too-big for the overhead compartment bag then yells at the stewardess for insisting he gate check it then sits in his seat and monopolizes the arm rests as he scarfs down his nasty smelling pastrami sandwich to respect a low voice & quick call policy.

 

[Four oF NINE]

I fly on average of 20+ flights a year and please no talking!

We business travelers want it quiet

And shut your baby up.

You're a terrible parent by letting it cry

First class is much quieter

 

[Chupa Chupa]

As a frequent business traveler, as well as a personal traveler, I often am wearing headphones on a flight. I doubt I'd hear anyone talking over it. Not to mention that it's pretty hard to have a call, with all that noise.

Back in the 90s, planes had phones in the seat pocket in front of you. There wasn't a big issue then.

I think the moment you had delays, you'd be happy to call the airline to ensure your connections keep going, or call and/or text those picking you up, to keep them abreast of the changes that were taking place.

I really think people are blowing this way out of proportion.

Or not. Me -- as a frequent flier I try to bring as little w/ me as possible. When I'm flying I need to either work or catch up on sleep. Why should I be punished because some Chatty Cathy next to me wants to talk about her cats with her mother for two hours. Good grief. There is no reason to need to use a phone on a plane.

And back in the 90s Airphones were something like $5 per minute. That helps keep convos short. Actually I rarely saw anyone use them. They removed them for a reason.

 

[freedumbfighter]

That's not my job. Parents job don't you think?

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How about some consideration about others then?!

How selfish of you

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You're a holiday traveller

I get it. You may miss a lot of etiquette

Look crying babies are part of traveling. I've heard enough.

It doesn't mean I have to enjoy it do I?

You guys need to lighten up and stop attacking me because it's how EVERYONE feels.

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Wow you're sick.

Why hurt kids? Children are great

You have issues my friend

The worst kind of a clueless rude human is the clueless rude human unaware that he is a clueless rude human.

 

[epmatsw]

Trains have quiet cars if that is what you are looking for. Buses are intrinsically noisy so talking becomes white noise, plus they are relatively short trips if you are talking about city buses. Planes OTOH are generally quiet & most people read, sleep, or use their electronic device... even then they either use headphones or mute their device out of respect to the people sitting near them. Phone on planes are just not a good idea. It's like a peanut butter and mustard sandwich.

Every plane I've been on this past year have been much louder than our city buses. I just think people are MASSIVELY overreacting to this whole thing. A handful of people talking on a flight is no big deal.