Cell phones on a plane: 3 tips for handling chatty seatmates
In the wake of Emirates Airways permitting cell phone use on its planes, and a European Union ruling allowing airlines to offer mobile phone service in flight, it’s probably just a matter of time before wireless communications comes to a plane near you.
The systems will likely work similar to those being tested by Air France. All phones will all connect to a central transmitter and receiver within the aircraft, which will then select a ground tower to establish the connections. Because all connections go through a base station on the aircraft, this will enable the airline to create yet another fee-based service. Be prepared to pay yet again.
Of course, one of the details to be hashed out is whether such systems support the CDMA technology prevalent in North America, or the GSM phones common in Europe and Asia.
Some might see this as a step backward in air travel, and I would be hard-pressed to disagree.
About two years ago I was flying from Orlando to Detroit, upgraded to first class, and helped a grandmotherly-type woman stow her bag and get settled in the seat next to me. After kindly thanking me, she made a call in which she proceeded to fire a subordinate. They argued until the plane door was closed, and the moment we landed in Detroit, she called back to continue the argument.
I was quite embarrassed, and would not have been able to tolerate that conversation for the entire flight.
According to a Harris Interactive survey conducted for Yahoo!, most Americans don’t want to have cell phone voice access on commercial airliners, although they would like to have data and Web access.
If there is expanded use of cell phones on aircraft, I feel a new era of air rage coming on. How will we deal with the person 20 inches away from us who talks loudly and incessantly throughout a six-hour coast-to-coast flight?
Here are three possibilities:
Courtesy. “Excuse me, could you make your conversation brief?” you could say. “I have a long day at our destination, and would like to nap on the plane.” The person may honestly not be aware that they are disturbing others, and it’s best to assume he or she is unaware rather than obnoxious.
Confrontation. Two can play at that game. Get out your own cell phone and make a call, talking as loudly as your neighbor. The person may get the hint. But it could also lead to an argument and altercation with the flight crew, so don’t try it unless you are certain you can keep your cool.
Avoidance. Get a set of noise-cancelling headphones, and make sure you have fresh batteries. And it would help to have an MP3 or DVD player with you. To paraphrase my yoga instructor, ultimately you will likely have to create your own quiet space.
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