Congress Considers Bill to Prohibit In-Flight Mobile Calls

Maybe somebody can answer this for me. There may have been a time or two that I forgot to put my phone in airplane mode on a flight. I noticed at 30,000 feet, I have no cell reception. Even if it is aloud, how would anybody be able to make a call at 30,000 traveling at 540mph?

Has everyone forgotten that not too long ago (10-15 yrs ago) almost EVERY plane used to have a phone in EVERY seat back?!? Disturbance-wise, how is that any different from cell-phone calls?!? Granted, it would cost like $5 / min. (in today's $'s) which probably deterred use and/or reduced durations.

As annoying as this could become, I have to agree that the novelty will wear off. Personally, though, I imagine with enough frowns, glares and comments - callers will get the message and put the phones away. From what I've read, the providers are going to charge some astronomical fees for these calls. That alone may help.

In their argument FOR the bill they are saying that this should be a refuge away from cell phone conversations.. which is a good reason NOT to pass the bill.

Who the hell do they think they are trying to pass bills like this? In no way is it the government's job to make airline flights a "haven" for people that don't want to listen to cell phone calls.

If cell phones don't work on an airplane they don't work on an airplane. Bill Shuster needs to consider his priorities and maybe pass some bills that make sense.

People dislike listening to someone else's phone conversation. So the first solution to clamor for is to pass a law banning it.

Am I the only one that finds this somewhat pathetic?

Putting aside the issue of whether or not it's an irritant to other passengers, "How is this any of Congresses business?" This is an issue that government does not need to be involved in. This is a prime example of the peril of big government.

Passenger communications with people on the ground can be both convenient and useful. The technology is there. Let it be restricted to texting and have the best of both worlds.

Airlines are always looking for ways to add fees. How about $50 per flight for cell phone calls? This will eliminate most usage. Texting, however, should be allowed without a fee.

So the technology (cell Phones etc.) to communicate with the Ground now exists and is in the process of being placed in Aircrafts. So it did not exist in September 2001. Would that be a correct summation?

How much of an 'Issue' is this really?
I've flown Emirates for many years. With their first 'Seat Back' screens the controller was also a phone handset, with a slit down the side to swipe a credit card. You could use this to call Terra Firma, presumably at great expense, I never tried it, nor did I ever notice anyone around me using it.

More recently many of their planes have 'AeroMobile', you can use your own phone to make a call presumably via a 'Cell' on board linked via satellite. I guess this would be billed as 'International Roaming' by your telecom.
Again, never tempted to use it, never noticed anyone else doing so around me.

I can only assume that either these services were not widely used, or that anyone using them did not stand out any more than someone in a nearby seat having a normal conversation with an adjacent passenger.

Just maybe 'Social etiquette' will be sufficient for most people to be discrete in their use of phones on planes, and it micht be considered a 'Quiet Place' where only the most urgent calls are made or taken.

Of course there will always be the odd Buffoon who insists on calling a friend to announce loudly "Hey, you'll never guess where I am..", but I'm sure the novelty will soon wear off.

And if all else fails there's always some Headphones, the in-flight entertainment, or your Music player.

I cannot imagine a greater hell than sitting between two people who are constantly making calls on their cell phones for hours. What's more, probably at least one of them will be yelling into their phone. I don't care if technically you can now do this, please don't allow it. For the sanity of the vast majority of plane passengers.

I'm wound a little tight....if an idiot sitting close to me starts blabbing loudly on the phone, I'll start singing as loud as I can to keep him from hearing his call....will probably have to fight... I'm sure I'm not alone...after being fired in 1981 I got a job that required flying every other week... It was bad enough with the few idiots on board...can't imagine adding phone calls... just gotta' say ...most..almost all others kind and considerate

As much as I hate government interference in business, this is one proposal that should be enacted. Who wants to sit near the idiot that want to babble in a loud voice for hours?

Please..It doesn't matter who does it as long as it is done. Air travel is already miserable enough.

In my opinion, it would be no different than sitting at the airport. I don't see what the big deal is over 'privacy' while flying. We gave that up after sept elevn. And some of those people alerted us to the terror threat while using cell phones in flight.
Also unclear why congress should be the only ones who do get to, and we know they do (talk on phones while flying in their private aircraft). And, as a former traffic reporter we had to use phones when the radios didn't work and as far as I know most commercial operations still do as well. Lets be real here. Thank you.

I would rather sit next to screaming twin babies than next to someone carrying on a cell conversation for I don't know how long. Texting sounds like a reasonable compromise if whatever has to be said simply can't wait.

Only Text messaging should be allowed and only with vibrate enabled and ringtones silenced.

This is not going to "FLY"! Delta, Southwest, and Virgin America have already bailed out on the idea and most likely, many will follow. 99.5% of passengers don't want it. Even the FCC chairman opposes it and yet he approved it. It's all up to the Airline if they want to pursue this calamity of errors.