Mobile Phones on planes

[winetraveller]

Well, sadly it's become a case of something we just have to learn to live with. If people are prepared to talk on their mobiles even in the cinema now, when they KNOW they're being rude and shouldn't be doing it, I think it's a lost cause.

"Live with it"

I don't think so. On 5 occasions this year I have flown between the U.S. and Europe, on many of these flights there are a large group of people who value being able to catch up on some sleep. Before innevitably getting off at the other and and having to put in a 16 hour day.

I have a considerable travel budget and immediately an airline implements this I walk. There are generally plenty of options.

One person can wake or annoy literally hundreds. Think about it.

As a side note, in the words of Tom Cruise, I had a very good day, closed a really nice deal and got upgraded to Krug class for my flight to New York.

 

[NM]

My Nokia E60 already has a SIP client, but you could install an alternative as well i would imagine, not sure how the CPU would cope but the native SIP client must work so...

I would immagine even if you did manage to get an IP connection, you would have some serious issues with latency. The delay over a satellite link to a ground station in Norway and then back over the Internet to your VoIP system is likely to in the order of almost 1 second. Now I have tested VoIP connections at over 500ms round trip time, but 700+ ms one-way latency is just not going to function.

But that latency is no problem for SMS text messages.

 

[NM]

The aircraft used for this trial is VH-OGI. The passenger instructions (a card in the seat-pocket about the size of the safety card) include switching your phone to silent for all incoming messages.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

IIRC VH-OGI is a domestic config 767?

 

[NM]

IIRC VH-OGI is a domestic config 767?

Yes, its an ex-Australian Airlines aircraft.

 

[moa999]

Any word on costs??

I understand the base station is treated as an International Roaming point.

so presuming 50c+ per SMS
in line with most foreign SMS charges?

 

[chrisb]

Any word on costs??

I understand the base station is treated as an International Roaming point.

so presuming 50c+ per SMS
in line with most foreign SMS charges?

Optus and Telstra both list Aero Mobile (Under Country Norway for Telstra) as a partner.

For Optus, the costs are:

Calls out: $6.30/minute
Calls in: $1.42/minute
SMS send: $0.75

Optus doesn't list Aero Mobile as a GPRS partner, but i'm assuming that will be fixed really quickly with this trial happening. The only word on GPRS pricing that I could find is that there is a flat fee across all countries - So assuming that stays, it's $0.02/kByte for Optus (in 10Kb blocks) and $0.015/kByte for Telstra.

Chris.

 

[Happy Dude]

< rant >Only if I can tell your screaming kids to get down the back of the bus, ask you to have a shower because you smell, kick the door in on you in the loo when you take 45 mins to brush your teeth, slap you on the hand every time you lean on my seat and throw you off the plane when you sit in the wrong seat and tell me it doesnt matter we are all going to be getting there at the same time anyway. < / rant >

Blackerries have to be one of the most inoffensive devices on planes - aside from a tick tick noise when I am typing a message or playing brick bat the only thing the little bitca does is flash red when I have a message - quite quite they are annoying to other pax I dont understand - they are just like a nagging old woman chasing me for things but making no sound.

Touche Simongr, and I couldn't agree more. We already have to put up with a lot of annoying traits on airplanes - ones that can't be avoided because people will be people. However, the majority of phone (and blackberry) users won't be as considerate as your good self, even when prompted, and will subject the rest of us to all manner of beeps, ringtones and recorded notifications, thus adding one more source of aggression to a bulging list.

No doubt we'll have to live with it, but it's how we deal with it, how the airlines expect us to deal with it, and how the airlines themselves deal with users annoying others, that will be interesting. My breath is bated....

 

[SeaWolf]

I have a considerable travel budget and immediately an airline implements this I walk. There are generally plenty of options.

Personally, I'd be in favour of a legal requirement that mobile phones be manufactured with no ringer and vibrate only, but I'm realistic that it won't happen and that as much as we might not like the idea of phones on planes, the days without them are most certainly numbered. I have little doubt that the number of business travellers who are keen on this idea will far outweigh those who are not.

I think it's inevitable that if this passes saftey muster there will be a stampede by the airlines to implement it.

 

[SF&]

Personally, I'd be in favour of a legal requirement that mobile phones be manufactured with no ringer and vibrate only, but I'm realistic that it won't happen and that as much as we might not like the idea of phones on planes, the days without them are most certainly numbered. I have little doubt that the number of business travellers who are keen on this idea will far outweigh those who are not.

I think it's inevitable that if this passes saftey muster there will be a stampede by the airlines to implement it.

Do we really have to have this happen

I won't switch mine on

Look on SAS you could connect to the internet thats enough you can chat on their, without noise and bothering other ppl.

OR

hand out the business class noise cancelling head phones to all classes!!

 

[SeaWolf]

Both very good suggestions. But realistically what do you think are the chances?

 

[SF&]

Both very good suggestions. But realistically what do you think are the chances?

the same chance as the next flight i go on qf i get a free upgrade

sweet fa

 

[simongr]

Personally, I'd be in favour of a legal requirement that mobile phones be manufactured with no ringer and vibrate only, but I'm realistic that it won't happen and that as much as we might not like the idea of phones on planes, the days without them are most certainly numbered. I have little doubt that the number of business travellers who are keen on this idea will far outweigh those who are not.

I think it's inevitable that if this passes saftey muster there will be a stampede by the airlines to implement it.

I am not so sure - the FCC didnt go along so the lobby of people against (well the talk back radio listeners and callers) must have gotten in their ear and the number of business pax thatthink is a great idea is probably smaller than you think.

Personally not bothered either way - it will be useful but not essential for me. I would rather pay $30 for internet access on board whilst travelling.

 

[markis10]

OJI operated my service to brisbane tonight and the trial was turned on, they had techs onboard and talking to them the trial was started last Wednesday.

The aircraft has done the odd intl flight since but the service is not turned on, the card in the seat mentions that if the trial is expanded it will be for domestic flights only.

 

[roego]

Have we all got so self important that a telephone call should be allowed on flight, and it will be next.

 

[NYCguy]

Have we all got so self important that a telephone call should be allowed on flight...

Which sort've sums up my opinion exactly! If you are sooooooo important that you can't possibly be out of contact with the office, then I don't expect that you will be taking a commercial flight.

 

[oz_mark]

Which sort've sums up my opinion exactly! If you are sooooooo important that you can't possibly be out of contact with the office, then I don't expect that you will be taking a commercial flight.

My sentiments exactly. Surely if you have to be on the phone:

a) what are you doing on a plane
b) you haven't organised things well, if you can't be out of contact a handful of hours

 

[straitman]

Which sort've sums up my opinion exactly! If you are sooooooo important that you can't possibly be out of contact with the office, then I don't expect that you will be taking a commercial flight.

I'm sure the silent majority agree :!:

 

[Dave Noble]

Which sort've sums up my opinion exactly! If you are sooooooo important that you can't possibly be out of contact with the office, then I don't expect that you will be taking a commercial flight.

That would be an argument against having a mobile phone at all rather than specifically aircraft. What makes an aircraft more special than a train or a bus as far as justifying no communications?

Dave

 

[chrisb]

My sentiments exactly. Surely if you have to be on the phone:

a) what are you doing on a plane
b) you haven't organised things well, if you can't be out of contact a handful of hours

... and if you need IFE why aren't you capable of amusing yourself for two hours?

You want food? Why, aren't you organised enough to eat first or wait for two hours?

It's about choice. Yes, some stupid people will abuse it and annoy others but that's not a reason to just ban the technology.

Chris.