Europe clears mobiles on aircraft

[sanjosebaz]

The use of mobiles on planes flying in European airspace is being backed by the European Commission.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7334372.stm

[Volume]

The precedent exists: smoking on aircraft.
How appropriate. 10 Years after smoking became popular, most people (and a lot of scientists) thougt it would be no danger to health.
After that, for half a century other passengers had to live with it, and even now many claim "my grandfather has smoked for 75 years and died during an accident at the age of 90, so it cannot be a risk to health..."
And, hey, smoking makes you look soooo damn cool.

We will probably have to live with mobiles for the next 50 years, even on planes. And, hey, you do look like a CEO if you use a mobile on a plane...

[brakedwell]

Another good reason to steer clear of air travel if humanly possible. :sad:

[dicanio10]

Hopefully, there won't be a signal once airborne. It's bad enough hearing the bl**dy Nokia tune every time the tyres hit the runway.:ugh:

[FHA]

Sorry dicanio, but the idea is to have a base station on board the aircraft to enable reception at altitude. I know what you mean though. :ugh:
I feel soooooo sorry for the cabin crew.

[Mark in CA]

Hats off to Lufthansa, which has stated categorically that it will not support cell phone use on their planes because of overwhelming customer disapproval. All I can say is I'm glad there will be some test cases in Europe before they start using it over here. Maybe by then, everyone will agree it's a bad idea -- at least the voice part. Maybe email or texting-only would be OK, like the policy they have on Japanese trains.

[PAXboy]

This is not news.
This was heralded more than a year ago when they did the trials and ALL the discussion went on - both technical and sociological.
Some airlines thought it would 'add value' and be good for marketing.
Some airlines thought it would add to their bottom line.
Some comms companies thought it would add to their bottom line.
The manufacturers made it work.
The various authorities in govt agreed to sign off.
End.All gone over in here a double dozen of times, search the archive for details.

[sanjosebaz]

This is not news....All gone over in here a double dozen of times, search the archive for details.All true; but what you seem to have failed to spot is that this is news - the news being that the EC has reached the decision to allow it. Bad decision IMO, but there you go.

As to why this thread was moved from Rumours and News... Beats me. :confused:

[Flying_Frisbee]

Interesting comments. Maybe not providing mobile conections will become a selling point too?
After the European Commission's announcement in Brussels, a spokesperson for German airline Lufthansa said the company is hesitant to institute the service. A poll revealed that passengers would be disturbed by telephone calls during flights and the company does not have concrete plans to introduce mobile capability.
A spokeswoman for the country's second largest airline, Air Berlin, said they won't allow phone calls on flights either. Most people, especially business travelers, would find it annoying, she said, adding that the technology will likely be used to provide internet connection instead.

http://www.thelocal.de/11147/20080407/

[take-off]

Wonder when we'll see the first case of 'air mobile rage'...., can only hope airline ban the ringtones...can you imagine it :mad::mad: its not just ringtones you'll have to put up with , it's also the majority of new mobiles are mp3 players...Itl lead to some testing times ahead...3 hours with some pleb playing the latest tunes, you so love to hate, or some raving poof like me with abba or baccara, but on serious note, someone , perfectly innocent person will lose their rag with the person sat next to them or behind, that can;t be without their phone for a couple of hours without them going "I'M ON THE PLANE.....CAN YOU HEAR ME?????? PLANE...YEAH..IM FONING YOU FROM 35000FT HIGH...GREAT AI...HELLO...HELLO?":mad::mad::mad:

[SXB]

Personally speaking I would not like the use of mobile phones on an aircraft. That said if the technology is now available to allow the use of mobile telephony in a safe manner then commercial pressure will ensure that most airlines will allow its use, especially those which rely on additional services to increase revenue (locos)

It is going to be intrusive though and some of the suggestions already put forward on this thread, such as banning the use of ring tones, is not going to work. One of the reasons you hear that annoying nokia ring tone all the time is, often, because the phones owner is too stupid to work out how to change it, the task of switching the phone over to silent mode while on a plane is beyond such people.

There will have to be limitations and restrictions though. For example, if I were on a night flight and was woken by one of the luddite's phones singing the Nokia song I would be extremely annoyed. The only way to stop this would be for the Captain to turn off the entire system.

Mobile phones have their use but in todays world they have become intrusive and for some people they appear to be surgically attached to their body. I had lunch with a colleague yesterday and I'm not exaggerating when I say she must have received and sent at least 30 text messages during the meal, god knows what she was chatting about. Anyway, I've crossed her off my lunch list....

[Big Harvey]

The last thing you want when trying to sleep on longhaul in cattle class is someone nattering or getting endless irritating text alerts. Hopefully airlines will follow Lufthansa's lead and take a commercial decision not to allow it.

[PAXboy]

sanjosebazAll true; but what you seem to have failed to spot is that this is news - the news being that the EC has reached the decision to allow it. Bad decision IMO, but there you go.
Sure, it is news that they approved it but - they were always going to approve it!! I agree, that it is stupid and I wait for a carrier to offer NOT to have the system as a selling point.

[ATNotts]

At least there'll be one airline that will allow a peaceful cabin for all travellers - well at least mobile phone free!!

If the practise of permitting the use of the confounded things becomes widespread, then I for one will ensure that I travel with a "no mobiles" airline - and I'm sure there will be many others who will do the same.

I'm old enough to remember life before the mobile phone, and from a business perspective I'm not sure that it has made companies 1% more efficient or better managed as a result of their invention.

[777Contrail]

"Circuit breaker for the cell base transmitter...............oh! There we go!"

:E

[777Contrail]

"Circuit breaker for the mains power to the 'phone chargers..........Ah!"

:E