Apart from the fact that I like many business travellers enjoy the freedom that being incommunicado brings, like time out to think and do what I want, like read a book, perhaps talk to your fellow passengers, or the crew, or catch up on some work without bombardment of phone calls, and e-mails, I see another very real issue.
When some carriers do permit use of mobiles, and others don’t, the I know best brigade will start making life difficult for cabin crew with rants of “ I’ve just got off a flight with your competitor airline, and they allowed me to use my mobile, so why can’t I use it now.”
Recipe for more air rage incidents. Socially a retrograde step