Ryanair Introduce Mobiles Onboard
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So the truth about mobile use in the air finally surfaces! So now that they have found a way to efficiently capture your signal and retransmit it using the OnAir technology whilst applying extortionate charges it's now safe to use your mobile onboard but they're still doing their best to carry on with the illusion by having that cute wee light come on (just like the seatbelt sign) to advise you that it's now 'safe to use your mobile' reality is this will probably be illuminated once the aircraft is above a certain height to avoid you connecting to any other network that your phone may pick up at lower altitudes. Essentially it'll be 'safe' to use your phone when the only roaming signal your phone will pick up is.. you guessed it the OnAir signal.
Nice one MOL
Nice one MOL
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Well, of course the OnAir will be the only signal you get, even on the ground, as your phone will connect to the nearest "cell" so it uses less power. And since that cell transmitter is in the roof above your head, your phone will connect to that unless you say "NO" or it gets too swamped by others and doesn't have the bandwidth to handle the traffic.
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Just had a thought - I can envisage crew using the "privilege" of being able to use your phone on board to get back at those annoying passengers.
Pax: "I want an upgrade, because I feel important and therefore I am important"
Crew: "That will be XXX please"
Pax: "
I shouldn't have to pay!"
Crew: "Then don't pay and stay where you are"
some time later
Crew: "We would like to apologise, but we will not be offering mobile services on board this flight..."
Obviously not an issue on Ryanair, being all cattle class.. But you get the idea
Pax: "I want an upgrade, because I feel important and therefore I am important"
Crew: "That will be XXX please"
Pax: "
I shouldn't have to pay!"Crew: "Then don't pay and stay where you are"
some time later
Crew: "We would like to apologise, but we will not be offering mobile services on board this flight..."
Obviously not an issue on Ryanair, being all cattle class.. But you get the idea
Quite apart from whether people like this concept or not .....
There have been various complaints in recent years from those travelling on Aer Lingus, Ryanair, etc, that they were prohibited when airborne from using electronic items, even CD players and similar, which were acceptable on other carriers. This was down to some requirements from the Irish CAA (IAA) which were more stringent than elsewhere. Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair have their fleets registered in Ireland.
So what has happened to this requirement ? Did Michael O'Leary tell the IAA to take a running jump ?
There have been various complaints in recent years from those travelling on Aer Lingus, Ryanair, etc, that they were prohibited when airborne from using electronic items, even CD players and similar, which were acceptable on other carriers. This was down to some requirements from the Irish CAA (IAA) which were more stringent than elsewhere. Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair have their fleets registered in Ireland.
So what has happened to this requirement ? Did Michael O'Leary tell the IAA to take a running jump ?
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Leaving aside the pros and cons of this, I can see this making it more likely that people are going to expect to be able to use their mobile on aircraft that haven't been fitted with On-air's system
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Good point, however this is (so far) only about half the fleet of a single airline. It's still going to be a luxury for a while (luxuries on Ryanair? 
)
I'm wondering if Ryanair have inadvertently turned themselves into the guinea pigs for this service
)I'm wondering if Ryanair have inadvertently turned themselves into the guinea pigs for this service
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Watch out for those data charges!
Chicago Bears fan hit for thirty grand for a bit of Slingbox
OK this was a ship not a plane, but the same thing could easily happen. There was a story a while back of someone who was downloading from BBC iPlayer at their home, closed the laptop, flew to Europe and the background data transfer automatically resumed in their hotel = one very large monthly bill. Imagine that happening on a transatlantic flight
My regular query on this topic is - what happens when the on-board GSM cell fails and all the active phones ramp up to full power in an effort to contact the next nearest cell 10 km below? But I will refrain from boring everyone by asking it again - oops I just did
OK this was a ship not a plane, but the same thing could easily happen. There was a story a while back of someone who was downloading from BBC iPlayer at their home, closed the laptop, flew to Europe and the background data transfer automatically resumed in their hotel = one very large monthly bill. Imagine that happening on a transatlantic flight
My regular query on this topic is - what happens when the on-board GSM cell fails and all the active phones ramp up to full power in an effort to contact the next nearest cell 10 km below? But I will refrain from boring everyone by asking it again - oops I just did
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My point was more about the fact that there will now be flights on which it's ok to use mobiles, and others (probably with the same carrier) that are not. Now, my parents are regular flyers, but still get mixed up between duty free restrictions, security requirements, etc.
I can see lots of genuine misunderstandings over this.
I can see lots of genuine misunderstandings over this.
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I'm sure airlines will continue to remind passengers as part of the safety brief that mobile devices must be kept switched off for the duration of the flight. And obviously if the flight crew notice something funny with the plane they can remind pax that their phones should be switched off
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I think the worst thing will be during delays, circling above a closed airport, etc when pax call their partners in the airport and then yell to everyone, 'the pilots are lying, my girlfriend says there are planes landing right now!'. Or, 'you have to upgrade me right now, I've got Jane from the executive club on the phone and she's authorised it!'.
I've experienced similar things on the ground when pax demand I speak to their lawyer on their mobile when we have to offload cabin bags into the hold when their is no more room. I can't imagine the scenarios in the air.
I've experienced similar things on the ground when pax demand I speak to their lawyer on their mobile when we have to offload cabin bags into the hold when their is no more room. I can't imagine the scenarios in the air.
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Pilots notice avionics going haywire, switch OnAir off and tell passengers to switch their mobile devices off. Simple. Valid point however
The system on Ryanair planes only allows for 6 simultaneous calls - so you have to assume that everyone elses phone will be ramping up to max power trying to grab the signal. Given the cost I suspect many will keep the things off anyway
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Whilst the system may only be able to support 6 calls and any one time (a limitation of the "off aircraft" connection), the transceiver on board is capable of having more mobile phones connected to it.
I suspect that certification for systems of this type (remember Emirates have been flying with the AeroMobile system for nearly a year now) required demonstrations that even with a phone at every seat transmitting at full power simutaneously would not affect the performance of the aircraft or, more importantly, the safety of those travelling on it.
The airworthiness authorities (who have no commercial agenda) would not allow systems like OnAir and AeroMobile to operate on commercial aircraft if the safety of the aircraft was impacted.
I suspect that certification for systems of this type (remember Emirates have been flying with the AeroMobile system for nearly a year now) required demonstrations that even with a phone at every seat transmitting at full power simutaneously would not affect the performance of the aircraft or, more importantly, the safety of those travelling on it.
The airworthiness authorities (who have no commercial agenda) would not allow systems like OnAir and AeroMobile to operate on commercial aircraft if the safety of the aircraft was impacted.
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Regulatory authorities most certainly do have a commercial agenda, go look at their mission statement/objectives which are set by the government. It's the bodies which investigate accidents which don't have commercial agenda and which is why they often disagree on a course of action after an accident.
Lots of stories out there that your local xAA is in the pocket of the airlines (usually involving the 'flag carrier').
I think being allowed to send/receive SMS is a good thing. I would make use of that.
Lots of stories out there that your local xAA is in the pocket of the airlines (usually involving the 'flag carrier').
I think being allowed to send/receive SMS is a good thing. I would make use of that.
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Mobile Phone use to Chav or not to Chav ?
Michael SWS
No one actually said that it was ok for BA passengers and not Ryanair passengers to use mobile phones whilst on board an aircraft ......
I was actually responding to what Hellsbrink previously said
aircraft full of people going for a chavtastic holiday to the Costa del Plonker
and Flying Frisbees response to it !
So are some mobile phone conversations acceptable, depending on the perceived social class of the callers, or the content of the conversation?
What i was actually trying to point out to you in my hopeless attempt at humour was that there seems to be a distinct whiff of prejudice and snobbery within some pprune posts especially with reference to Ryanair and its passengers ?
Misconcieved stereotyping of its passengers for a start ! Chav is a word that never seems to be mentioned with reference to any other airlines passengers that i can recall and can someone actually tell me where exactly is the " costa del plonker "
raffele
Obviously not an issue on Ryanair, being all cattle class
I travel by Ryanair and last time i looked in the mirror the word Chav did'nt spring to mind and i resent being likened to one of our moo-ing friends !
Little has in fact been said about Ba or any other airline for that matter in relation to the companys plans for mobile phone use on its aircraft and to my knowledge its passengers never seem to be shown in a negative light ?
Sorry if i offended anyone but being labelled a chav simply because i fly Ryanair isnt on chaps !
No one actually said that it was ok for BA passengers and not Ryanair passengers to use mobile phones whilst on board an aircraft ......
I was actually responding to what Hellsbrink previously said
aircraft full of people going for a chavtastic holiday to the Costa del Plonker
and Flying Frisbees response to it !
So are some mobile phone conversations acceptable, depending on the perceived social class of the callers, or the content of the conversation?
What i was actually trying to point out to you in my hopeless attempt at humour was that there seems to be a distinct whiff of prejudice and snobbery within some pprune posts especially with reference to Ryanair and its passengers ?
Misconcieved stereotyping of its passengers for a start ! Chav is a word that never seems to be mentioned with reference to any other airlines passengers that i can recall and can someone actually tell me where exactly is the " costa del plonker "
raffele
Obviously not an issue on Ryanair, being all cattle class
I travel by Ryanair and last time i looked in the mirror the word Chav did'nt spring to mind and i resent being likened to one of our moo-ing friends !
Little has in fact been said about Ba or any other airline for that matter in relation to the companys plans for mobile phone use on its aircraft and to my knowledge its passengers never seem to be shown in a negative light ?
Sorry if i offended anyone but being labelled a chav simply because i fly Ryanair isnt on chaps !
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At dicksorchard:
My cattle class remark was not inferring Ryanair pax are chavs or cattle - simply using one of the stereotypes of economy class on board any airline
I'd also like to make it known that my opinion of Ryanair isn't that of an airline for chavs, but as an airline that caters for those on a budget. Most of the images you see are of people in suits with briefcases... The chav view has only come about because of ITV and their programme featuring EasyJet, most of the episodes contain at least one stag do.
No remarks have yet been made about other airlines and their plans to introduce mobile services because their plans - from the few airlines that have them - aren't anywhere as experimental and extensive as Ryanair's. It's because of this that this whole thread has started!
My cattle class remark was not inferring Ryanair pax are chavs or cattle - simply using one of the stereotypes of economy class on board any airline
I'd also like to make it known that my opinion of Ryanair isn't that of an airline for chavs, but as an airline that caters for those on a budget. Most of the images you see are of people in suits with briefcases... The chav view has only come about because of ITV and their programme featuring EasyJet, most of the episodes contain at least one stag do.
No remarks have yet been made about other airlines and their plans to introduce mobile services because their plans - from the few airlines that have them - aren't anywhere as experimental and extensive as Ryanair's. It's because of this that this whole thread has started!
Last edited by raffele; 24th Feb 2009 at 22:54. Reason: typo
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Well, dicksorchard, I guess you misunderstood what I meant.
What social group do you think are the ones who will be yelling "I'm on the plane", "We're at 20,000' ", etc, or will have their rugrats playing with the ringtones all the way to sunny Spain for their annual "let's get legless" trip?
Also, note how I did say in another post how much people would not like to be stuck beside a business person who is busy talking about various deals, etc, for the entire duration of the flight.
So, you see, it was NOT a dig at the standard of people flying on Ryanair but more of an observation of what sort of people will be causing the most disturbance after they've had a few pre-flight sherbets and then all decide to use their phones at the same time, with the volume increasing according to how many are talking.
Clearer?
What social group do you think are the ones who will be yelling "I'm on the plane", "We're at 20,000' ", etc, or will have their rugrats playing with the ringtones all the way to sunny Spain for their annual "let's get legless" trip?
Also, note how I did say in another post how much people would not like to be stuck beside a business person who is busy talking about various deals, etc, for the entire duration of the flight.
So, you see, it was NOT a dig at the standard of people flying on Ryanair but more of an observation of what sort of people will be causing the most disturbance after they've had a few pre-flight sherbets and then all decide to use their phones at the same time, with the volume increasing according to how many are talking.
Clearer?
To be honest it's not so much the social 'class' that is the issue - it's the amount of respect for others that is. I tend to use the term 'chav' (as I don't live in UK and where I am there aren't any) to describe younger people that show little or no respect for others and exhibit anti-social activities whilst embracing all that is bad about adolescent cultures.
For me the pain in the arse about mobiles on board will be flights further spoiled by noise and interference when I'm trapped in very close proximity to a bunch of strangers and prolly having my personal space invaded by some git I don't know at all. I'm dreading having to listen to status conscious minor business men shouting loudly in their local dialects about if their car is waiting at the airport or such - it's bad enough at the moment getting them to switch their hand phones off prior to take off.
On the few hours I have to be on a plane - not by choice cos I'm going on holiday but because I have to to get to work I do rather like having a little peace and allowing mobile phones to be used will further erode what little peace I can get. But that's OK - whilst most of the plane wants peace and quiet the airlines prefer to bend over and help the very few who don't give a rats ass for anyone else's comfort or feelings. Must be money involved.
For me the pain in the arse about mobiles on board will be flights further spoiled by noise and interference when I'm trapped in very close proximity to a bunch of strangers and prolly having my personal space invaded by some git I don't know at all. I'm dreading having to listen to status conscious minor business men shouting loudly in their local dialects about if their car is waiting at the airport or such - it's bad enough at the moment getting them to switch their hand phones off prior to take off.
On the few hours I have to be on a plane - not by choice cos I'm going on holiday but because I have to to get to work I do rather like having a little peace and allowing mobile phones to be used will further erode what little peace I can get. But that's OK - whilst most of the plane wants peace and quiet the airlines prefer to bend over and help the very few who don't give a rats ass for anyone else's comfort or feelings. Must be money involved.
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Originally Posted by nippy1975
I did find the comment by someone from Ryanair that if you want a silent flight go with BA as the planes are empty amusing!
Amusing but cheeky!
Amusing but cheeky!
During January, BA's load factor was 73%; Ryanair's was 69%.