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House Committee decides to HANG UP on in-flight cell calls
It’s the classic battle fought against a modern backdrop: just as technology is finally saying that we could have wireless communication on airplanes, humanity is questioning whether we should have it; or at least certain kinds of it. The hemorrhaging airline industry is eager to allow (and charge for) passengers to use mobile phones on planes, but a bill that would ban such use is making progress through the US House.
Dubbed the “Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace” (HANGUP… get it?) Act of 2008, the bill was approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a voice vote yesterday. The bill’s next stop is likely to be the House floor.
In a nutshell, the bill states that “An individual may not engage in voice communications using a mobile communications device in an aircraft during a flight in scheduled passenger interstate air transportation or scheduled passenger intrastate air transportation.”
Your Uncle Dave traveled on a US Airways flight Friday and discovered the delightful fact that they are not only now charging $7 for alcohol, $2 for sodas and juices, $1 for coffee, but also $2 for water! I was tempted to ask if I could get a cup and fill it myself from the tap in the bathroom until I realized that would cause others to ask, leading to my being tased for suggesting such a subversive idea.
While waiting for a connecting flight in the Phoenix airport, I overheard two flight attendants talking. They are now supposed to serve 1st class passengers only one drink an hour and that a third one decided to ignore the order as too stupid. One celeb (not named) who lives in Phoenix and regularly flies between there and LA normally has three triples (yes, three mini bottles per drink = nine shots!) per one hour flight and would riot if not allowed them.
Since US Airways already killed in-flight movies, this might be the only entertainment passengers get. Well, other than watching the beatings loud talking cell phone users get if the airlines kill the HANG UP bill.
“Fly the friendly skies” indeed! Good times, good times…
#20 “I read a while back that the original problem with cell phones on airplanes had nothing to do with sensitive electronics and everything to do with the cell phone towers.”
No, it’s a money issue. Same reason airlines didn’t let you use an FM receiver on a plane. They wanted you to pay them for entertainment.
#34 And some other things. Older mobile phones were notoriously inaccurate with their signal wandering and could span up to 150 mHz beyond their specs. These sort of things could interfere with older plane electronics which weren’t all that accurate either. Everything needed big buffers.
Nowadays almost everything is digital and more accurate in their spectrum usage. That’s why with TV going digital the 700 mHz spectrum has been auctioned off. TV never used the spectrum (when was the last time you watched channel 63?) but needed the buffer.
In a nutshell it isn’t much of an issue anymore, it just hasn’t been tested extensively.
Dave & QB – Trust me, I am a very experienced flyer with extensive travel through the Middle East and SE Asia. My passport was issued by US Embassy in Kabul. (I can tell you that this has garnered me a near 100% secondary inspection rate. “Ramdom,” indeed.) The very first time I was refused permission to carry an empty bottle through, I questioned and was told I could use it to mix my other liquids in. I briefly mentioned I was carrying NO other liquids. Since then, I don’t quiz. Been easier to just buy an overpriced bottle post-security check. Maybe I should try as QB suggests and carry a Nalgene bottle. I’ve always opted for disposable. And trust me, QB – I never say anything bad around TSA, always acquiescence with a smile on my face and a thank you on my lips. The perfect sheep. But, since I am almost always traveling alone, no one gets to snicker at my humiliation.
Nimby, that’s a pain in the ass. I am so sorry.
On another note, it looks like cell phones on US planes may never come.
Hopefully cell phones will go the way of cigarettes. Users will have to go sit in their car or get the fuck away from others to use it. Especially the users that feel like they need to scream into their phone…
I actually enjoy paying for refreshments. I sip my $1.00 coffee happily while the coach class cheapskates glare at me…apparently they can’t afford the luxurious decaf with 2 moo-milks and sugar.