Travellers need to boycott mobiles on flights

Comment by Jeremy Skidmore (http://www.jeremyskidmore.com/)

I am one of those saddos who checks his phone/Blackberry about ten times a minute, but it is an absolute joy to be able to step on to a flight knowing that nobody can get hold of you.

I flew to Australia last week and loved every minute of it. I think I had six meals, six glasses of wine, two beers and watched four films and two comedies. And not once did I touch that little black machine in my pocket.

The thought of sitting next to someone and being forced to listen to their inane conversations – everybody else’s conversations are always inane – throughout a flight would be enough to have me contemplating taking a slow boat to the other side of the world.

It’s bad enough when, the moment you arrive, everyone switches on their mobile and starts saying “yeah, we’ve just arrived” at the top of their voices. Imagine that, plus domestic rows and long boring conversations with the office, for 20+ hours.

The last thing I want is for mobiles to be allowed on flights. I’m not alone. A national newspaper recently ran an online poll, asking its readers if they supported the use of mobiles in the sky, and was inundated with people voting against it.

According to a TripAdvisor poll, 90% of Brits are against the use of mobiles in the sky.

The US, to their credit, have refused to allow mobiles on transatlantic flights but Emirates is planning to allow use across the Middle East, and Air France and Ryanair will trial the system in Europe.

As well as the irritation factor, there are serious security questions concerning the use of mobiles on flights. We all know bombs have been detonated by phone and it also makes communication between terrorists far easier.

And what about air rage? It’s quite possible that mild-mannered travellers will turn into monsters if they have to listen to 300 people excitedly telling their nearest and dearest that “I can see the London Eye”.

So why is it happening? Like most things, it boils down to cash. There are rumours that phone operators will be able to charge between £1 and £1.50 a minute, revenue that will be shared with airlines.

They’re banking on the fact that although people claim they are against it, once they are allowed, they will not be able to resist using phones on aircraft.

They think it will be a similar situation to when Tesco moves into a local community. People moan that they are destroying local businesses, but still shop there because it is convenient and cheap.

If you are against mobiles on flights, the only way to stop it is by voting with your feet and either not using the mobiles, or even boycotting airlines which allow them.

I can see a big marketing push from airlines that refuse to permit mobile use at 30,000 feet.

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