U.S. public divided on in-flight cell phone use

Friday 15th August, 09:00 AM JST

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cleo at 11:43 AM JST - 15th August

Some lawmakers also said they fear domestic airlines might try to get the cell phone ban lifted so they can charge passengers extra to sit in no-phone sections.

How about charging extra for use of a phone section?
Stepka at 11:45 AM JST - 15th August

" airlines might try to get the cell phone ban lifted so they can charge passengers extra to sit in no-phone sections"!?... How's that for backwards. Should be those who want to use cell phones should be seated in special phone sections and pay extra for it. The status quo currently is: A whole lotta passengers who just want some peace and quiet while they bear their no-frills flying experience.
buttan at 02:19 PM JST - 15th August

I don't get why cellphone use should be allowed on planes!!! Loads of users would clearly be regardless/careless of other passengers. It would definitely annoy people around(maybe me the first...).

Also, at the moment you already have the possibility to call using your seat remote controler/phone, paying by credit card so why not simply reducing the fees of onboard calls!?

In-flight Internet access as it seems to be on trial in the U.S. , could be a nice alternative, allowing passengers to even use softwares such as MSN Messenger/Skype etc with some efficient noise-cancelling ear-phones/plugs and mic...

WHAT THEY SHOULD ALL WORK ON ARE THE "SECURITY "PROCEDURES WE ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH BEFORE BOARDING!!! AND SO, RESPECTING CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTY... BEING "TAGGED", TAKEN YOUR FINGER-PRINTS & PICTURE, TRAVELLING WITH "OPEN-LUGGAGES" ETC... IS (I.M.O.) A REAL PAIN IN THE A-S!!! YOU ALMOST CAN'T SH*T WITHOUT EVERY "AGENCIES" KNOWING ABOUT IT ANYMORE!!! THAT'S WHAT THEY SHOULD ALL WORK ON...
Naruki_Oni at 04:54 PM JST - 15th August

It's bad enough making us suffer the screaming kids and the lard butts, they want to charge us extra to only listen to noisy jerks from a slightly greater distance?

It's still like trying to swim in the no-pee section of the pool.
Sarge at 05:05 PM JST - 15th August

"others who find the callers obnoxious"

Hey, there's obnoxious people everywhere you go. Some of them are talking on their cell phones and some of them are talking directly to people in front of them. When I'm on the bus, the train or the plane, I just take a wet tissue, tear off a couple pieces, roll 'em up into little balls and stick 'em in my ears - blocks out 80% plus of the noise.
presto345 at 07:11 PM JST - 15th August

There are people who manage to talk on their cell phone so quietly that hardly anyone notices. But the majority seem to think it necessary to shout, which is rather unpleasant if you can't move out of the way like on airplanes. Ban it outright lest people start occupying the toilets for their urgent calls - the phone calls, that is.
Naruki_Oni at 07:32 PM JST - 15th August

presto345: good, er, call!
seansezso at 12:25 PM JST - 16th August

kudos to Harsan ronyo for coming up with some ideas. Its not as simple as a)allow or b)ban.

Texting should be allowed at all times. Talking could be permitted at certain intervals, provided the user is speaking in a normal volume. Yeah, I know that still annoys some people who cannot bear to hear a voice near them without being a part of the conversation, but I am confident those people will grow up one day.
Taka313 at 03:15 PM JST - 16th August

I agree that talking on cell phones while on the plane shouldn't be banned, but I like the idea of making people use a designated cell phone area so as not to disturb passengers that may be trying to sleep.

Taka
Simperial at 04:19 PM JST - 16th August

Cellphones seat on board will be as disgusting as the former smoking section.
888naff at 06:21 PM JST - 16th August

Americans ( if they dont know it) are famous for talking loudly in public ( whether on a phone or not) thats why not always appreciated as tourists. ... would be horrible I think, especially if from Japan when you are used to a respect culture of not using phones on trains etc.
Maybe they could be phoneing home complaining about the rubbish service on the plane and late flight again.
delitachan at 11:15 AM JST - 17th August

888naff, go figure stereotyping the Americans as loud and the Japan as a more respectful culture. Sorry but i've seen a lot of J-teens gabbing on the phone at full blast, even in trains in Tokyo.

Anyway, I think the ban should remain. Good god folks, we survived without cell phones before, we'll surely survive a plane ride! They should just stick to the satellite phones.
as_the_crow_flies at 08:48 PM JST - 24th August

Considering mobiles can and have been adapted to act as detonators, I'd have thought most people would be prepared to do without them during a flight as a trade-off for greater peace of mind. I know what my priorities are.
salyavin at 03:51 AM JST - 25th August

Considering how we cannot escape for hours while on a flight, I feel we need either to maintain the ban or to have a mobile phone section on the plane. I feel lawmakers concern over theoretical fights breaking out are warranted as we cannot change our seat or otherwise escape until the flight is over. Talking in a certain "phone booth" area is another good idea I think like those on the Shinkansen who have manners and go the end sections of cars to talk.
hoserfella at 01:43 PM JST - 26th August

888naff- Americans (and yeah, us Hoser Canadians) tend not to have that self-awareness of being too loud in public. But have you ever heard a Japanese oyaji talk in anything less than a shout when on a keitai?? people the world over have proven they can't behave with civility when cell phones are involved. Theres no way they should be allowed on planes