| In early 2007, OnAir will arrive. OnAir is a | | | | business call and end up talking longer than |
| service that uses satellite technology to | | | | they expected. Or, a mom who just wants to |
| enable air travel passengers to use wireless | | | | check on her children for a minute will end |
| devices such as mobile phones, Internet | | | | up having to chat with each one of them |
| connections from computers and Blackberries | | | | before she can hang up. |
| during a flight. The debate over the use of | | | | |
| wireless technology during flight has been | | | | It's no wonder that air travel passengers are |
| going on for years, and now that it's about | | | | concerned that the use of mobile phones will |
| to happen, the debate is likely to heat up. | | | | become an annoyance during flights. They |
| | | | already are an annoyance down on the ground. |
| First of all, you should know that the first | | | | Another concern some air travelers have will |
| wave of this will not be happening on US | | | | be the tension that all of this annoyance |
| flights. Airbus, the plane manufacturer who | | | | will create, perhaps making already jittery |
| is creating this technology, is selling it to | | | | flyers more frustrated and pushing them over |
| AirFrance. AirFrance is expected to have the | | | | the edge. |
| service available to passengers in early | | | | |
| 2007. Whether passengers will have to pay for | | | | Some people are already nervous just about |
| the service like they pay for headphones for | | | | flying. Add a cramped, overcrowded plane to |
| a movie is not known yet. Two other airlines, | | | | the mix, the constant threat of terrorism, |
| the British airline bmi and TAP Air Portugal | | | | the restrictions on what can be carried on, |
| are both considering using OnAir, but nothing | | | | and now the addition of an inconsiderate |
| has been finalized, yet. | | | | mobile phone user sitting right next to that |
| | | | nervous flyer, and someone might just snap. |
| So what is the debate all about? Who wouldn't | | | | |
| want the convenience of using their cell | | | | What about Internet connection? |
| phone during a long flight, getting important | | | | |
| e-mails on their Blackberry or having the | | | | Travelers aren't as adamantly against the use |
| luxury of surfing the Internet to pass the | | | | of Internet connections for computers and |
| time? Apparently, lots of people and for some | | | | pda's such as Blackberrys. Those devices are |
| very valid reasons. | | | | quiet. Many passengers already use their |
| | | | laptop computers on a flight; it's just not |
| The Safety Consideration | | | | connected to the Internet when they use it. |
| | | | Being able to send and receive e-mail |
| There has been an ongoing concern that the | | | | messages while on a flight could be |
| use of mobile phones (cell phones to us | | | | convenient to most people, particularly |
| Americans) and other devices that use | | | | business travelers. There doesn't seem to be |
| wireless technology could interfere with the | | | | much of a debate over these devices as long |
| plane's navigational equipment. Recent | | | | as safety is not a concern. |
| technological advances in both navigational | | | | |
| equipment and cell phone technology seem to | | | | What Can be Done? |
| negate this concern, but not everyone is | | | | |
| convinced. There is concern that the | | | | When should you start being concerned with |
| navigational equipment on older planes may | | | | this issue? As of right now, US carriers |
| still be affected. | | | | don't seem to be considering using OnAir or |
| | | | any service like it. A report on MSN Travel |
| The Mobile Phone Debate | | | | said that the airlines that they asked - |
| | | | AirTran, Spirit, and US Airways - all said |
| Okay, suppose the safety issue is taken care | | | | that they have heard their passengers say |
| of and there is no concern that wireless | | | | they don't want mobile phones used on planes |
| communications technology will interfere with | | | | and are against adding the services. However, |
| the plane's navigational equipment. What | | | | the question is, if these services do catch |
| objection is there to the use of mobile | | | | on in Europe and prove to be a money maker |
| phone's during a flight? | | | | for the carriers who use it, will the US |
| | | | carriers jump on board? In an era of |
| Surveys have shown that the majority of air | | | | shrinking profits, will they be able to |
| travelers are against the use of mobile | | | | resist? |
| phones on an airplane because it would be | | | | |
| downright annoying to sit next to someone who | | | | So if the trial that AirFrance is giving |
| is receiving and making phone calls for hours | | | | OnAir proves to be successful and the US |
| on a flight. They imagine being stuck between | | | | carriers jump on board, what can be done to |
| two incessant talkers. | | | | make sure that mobile phone usage does not |
| | | | become a problem on board? |
| Common sense would seem to tell you that | | | | |
| people wouldn't really be so inconsiderate as | | | | One solution is to have no cell phone usage |
| to have hour's long conversations on their | | | | times. Perhaps next to the little light above |
| mobile phone during a flight. But experience | | | | your seat that lets you know if you need to |
| has shown us when it comes to mobile phones, | | | | have your seat belt fastened or not, there |
| most people loose their common sense. People | | | | could be another light that lets you know if |
| will hold loud personal conversations in | | | | it's the proper time to use your cell phone |
| restaurants and grocery stores and on buses. | | | | or not. Cell phone time could be restricted |
| They will drive using a handheld mobile phone | | | | on long flights and on flights that are |
| even states where it has been made illegal. | | | | overnight when most people would want to |
| So does anyone really believe that people | | | | sleep. |
| will use common sense and consideration | | | | |
| during air travel? Not really. | | | | Another solution is to give the crew the |
| | | | ability to disable the voice function on |
| It's easy to see the scenario. Business | | | | devices during restricted times. During those |
| people who intend to be considerate will | | | | times text messaging and e-mailing would be |
| receive what they deem to be a very important | | | | allowed, but talking would be disabled. |