The debate over whether or not to allow cell phone usage during flights is heating up. Europe, the Middle East and Asia are already doing it, so why not us? Federal regulations currently ban the use of in-flight calls for passengers.
Which side are you on? Would you prefer to be able to conduct your business over the phone as you fly between your corporate housing San Diego or New York destinations? Or would you rather enjoy the peace and quiet of a phone-free zone while you fly?
A few American airlines do allow Skype or other Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services currently, although some service providers are being directed to block all voice calls and disable the VoIP function altogether. With so many other countries moving in this direction, it seems travelers flying in U.S. airspace may be the only ones who will be unreachable by mobile phone.
The biggest concern for those who oppose in-flight phone use is not the threat of terrorism, but the threat of being seated next to a chatty phone user. The good news? High roaming rates are likely to make the person sitting next to you keep their phone call short and sweet.