Phone Calls on Airplanes. Yes or No?
NY Times article: Internet in the Sky: Surf but Don’t Call
Excerpts:
Reflecting the continuing battles over cellphone use in other public settings, Aircell and American Airlines — so far the only airline offering Aircell’s in-flight Internet access, called Gogo — have erected technological barriers to block Skype and similar software programs from enabling voice calls in the insulated environment of the airplane cabin. American Airlines began offering Gogo last month.
Skype has been coy. The service, owned by eBay, finds the new in-flight broadband opportunities “exciting,” said a spokeswoman, Jennifer Caukin. “We are all for bringing more Internet access to people, wherever and whenever,” she said, while noting that even if people on airplanes with Aircell’s Gogo can’t use Skype for voice calls, they can still use it for instant-messaging, as Mr. Gendel did.
On American, the Gogo service costs $12.95 for cross-country flights or $9.95 for those of three hours or less. It is now available on flights on 767-200 aircraft from Kennedy International Airport in New York to Los Angeles International, San Francisco International and Miami International airports.
Delta Air Lines and Virgin America plan to offer Gogo by the end of the year, while Air Canada says it will offer Gogo on certain flights between Canada and the United States starting next spring.
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Should people be allowed to make phone calls on planes?
Excerpts:
Reflecting the continuing battles over cellphone use in other public settings, Aircell and American Airlines — so far the only airline offering Aircell’s in-flight Internet access, called Gogo — have erected technological barriers to block Skype and similar software programs from enabling voice calls in the insulated environment of the airplane cabin. American Airlines began offering Gogo last month.
Skype has been coy. The service, owned by eBay, finds the new in-flight broadband opportunities “exciting,” said a spokeswoman, Jennifer Caukin. “We are all for bringing more Internet access to people, wherever and whenever,” she said, while noting that even if people on airplanes with Aircell’s Gogo can’t use Skype for voice calls, they can still use it for instant-messaging, as Mr. Gendel did.
On American, the Gogo service costs $12.95 for cross-country flights or $9.95 for those of three hours or less. It is now available on flights on 767-200 aircraft from Kennedy International Airport in New York to Los Angeles International, San Francisco International and Miami International airports.
Delta Air Lines and Virgin America plan to offer Gogo by the end of the year, while Air Canada says it will offer Gogo on certain flights between Canada and the United States starting next spring.
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Should people be allowed to make phone calls on planes?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by rp {|} // .MrPresident___++ on -
Honestly, there are too many people that don't know the meaning of discretion. Its bad enough my ears are popped and I'm sitting next to a 400lb person that bogarting my elbow room and smells like ball sweat... I don't want to hear the dirtbag behind me clambering on about meaningless jizzm.
In Japan its illegal to use your cell on the rail. and the people let you know too!
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Permalink Reply by El B on -
No phone calls on the plane.. Txt, email, Im.... Anything that doesn't produce noise... If you want to talk on the phone while flying pls get a private jet.... :)
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Permalink Reply by rp {|} // .MrPresident___++ on
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ya... I when I met my girl, she had a couple of Hungarian roomates, when they talk to you face to face they speak loudly and clearly, but on the phone... you would think they were standing in a noisy factory or something... the volume level goes WAYY up
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