Virgin Atlantic To Allow Cellphones In Flight

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/15/virgin-atlantic-cellphone-calls-during-flights_n_1519611.html

 

I just hope I don't sit to one of those business people! :LMAO:

[LeeL 272]

so is it people using cell phones or on board phone systems? If it was sell phones its not Virgin's say if they can be used....is it not ICAO law that you cant use phones on commercial pax flights?

 

I agree it could get pretty annoying but if only 6 people can use the system at a time and its in a different area it might not be so bad.

 

But people arent just going to use it in "

exceptional situations" lol theyll use it for whatever reason

:Liar:

 

lee

 

nevermind guess i was wrong

 

"Dubai-based Emirates became the first carrier to allow passengers to use their personal cell phones back in 2008. A handful of other airlines in the Middle East including Oman Air and Royal Jordanian now have similar services."

 

lee

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

Not a big deal. They have had phones on planes for a very long time now. So now they are allowing 6 people at once to use a cell phone at once. Most people just text anyways these days.

 

Remember Virgin is an airline and a cell phone company so this comes as no surprise they did this first.

[Raindance 25]

Good luck with that, over Britain at any rate. You can't get a reliable signal on an intercity train for any length of time here, and not just in tunnels where you'd obviously expect not to.

[TurboTomato 90]

I don't think that would be a problem as presumably the macro/micro cell would be on board the aircraft itself. The reason why it's patchy on trains is because you are trying to connect to the fixed network, not anything based on the train itself.

[Rocky_53 1,566]

Great, an eight hour transatlantic flight sat next to some dipstick gabbing on his blessed phone :mad:

[Captain_Barfbag 31]

Great, an eight hour transatlantic flight sat next to some dipstick gabbing on his blessed phone :mad:

 

Gaaa. You're right. My wife is one of those people who has difficulty hearing, so she shouts into her cell phone. (Yes, I realize the inherent absurdity of this behavior.) I have to shush her in the car.

[Raindance 25]

I don't think that would be a problem as presumably the macro/micro cell would be on board the aircraft itself. The reason why it's patchy on trains is because you are trying to connect to the fixed network, not anything based on the train itself.

Yes of course with a satellite link from the aircraft drop-out wouldn't be a problem. Oh well, I suppose we'll all have to get used to "I'm on the plane!" chatter that can't be avoided. :Shocked:

 

At least trains have quiet coaches where mobiles aren't allowed.

[TurboTomato 90]

Well yes, you'd assume they would do that on their aircraft as well otherwise they may well alienate a portion of customers. Having said that most airlines don't really care about cattle class because of the small revenue it generates and I suspect it would be very popular in business so who knows?

[Raindance 25]

To be honest, somebody talking quietly into a mobile doesn't bother me too much, it's the shouters that irritate. The bane of long flights for me is crying babies, and the kid in the seat behind mine who keeps kicking the back of my seat.

 

Incidentally, very efficient earplugs can be made by chewing a bit of Kleenex and shoving it in your ears. This works much better than the rubber earplugs you can buy

[TurboTomato 90]

Bio Ears are the way to go if you've not heard of them :)

[HiFlyer 9,343]

I don't think that would be a problem as presumably the macro/micro cell would be on board the aircraft itself. The reason why it's patchy on trains is because you are trying to connect to the fixed network, not anything based on the train itself.

 

NYC subway trains in general now have very good cell service on major routes, including in tunnels. All areas are scheduled to be covered by 2016

[Captain_Barfbag 31]

NYC subway trains in general now have very good cell service on major routes, including in tunnels. All areas are scheduled to be covered by 2016

 

Good. Those who need to be on their cell phones for the whole trip can take the subway across the Atlantic.