4 in 5 don't want mobiles on planes
 

FOUR in five travellers say the introduction of mobile phones on planes would drive them crazy, a survey has found.

Travel website totaltravel.com asked 1490 people over four weeks whether mobile phone usage should be allowed on aircraft.

More than 80 per cent of respondents answered no, saying that having to listen to fellow passengers talk on their mobile phone for hours would be hugely irritating.

Only 11 per cent said using mobiles on planes for business and phoning family and friends would be a good idea.

Seven per cent did not care either way.

But totaltravel.com global marketing manager Paul Fisher said people might have to get used to the idea.

Emirates this year became the first airline to introduce in-flight mobile phone services on a Boeing aircraft.

And Qantas is evaluating new technology that will allow customers to use the internet and email, and send and receive text messages from mobile phones or laptops.

Ug, I would be in the 4 out of 5 group. :eek:

Sitting in Qantas Club on Friday after a very ordinary week, I was surfing the net, sipping a red and listening to everyone around me "just touching base" with their work colleagues. The sound cancelling headphones would have to be invoked on even the shorter flights.

RingRing!
 

I certainly wouldnt like to hear fifteen conversations while stuck in a seat trying to relax/work/sleep:eek:

I assumed that just like in their trials, the airlines would continue to disable the "talk" functionality and allow email and sms-ing when they launched the product fleetwide? Airlines would be listening to feedback so I dont think we have anything to worry about:) I think the courtesy of turning your device to silent has become a habit for those who benifit from this innovative connectivity.

Aircraft around the world have been fitted with "skyphones" at every seat for years now. Swipe and talk! I wonder how their use differs from passengers using their own cell phones?! Not as expensive?