There's one on every flight - the one that talks up until the final seconds and needs to be reminded by flight attendants that the plane is taking off. But now, flight attendants are doing what they can to tell the FCC that lifting its ban on cell phone usage during air travel is a bad idea.

According to a poll co-sponsored by the National Consumer League and the fight attendants union, 63 percent of Americans want cell phone use restricted during flights. Conducted after the FCC proposed to lift the ban in December, 702 frequent and occasional passengers nationwide were asked to put forth their opinions on a wide variety of issues regarding cell phone usage during air travel.

"We believe they can't consider this purely on a technological basis," said Pat Friend, president of the Washington-based Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. "They have to consider the implications to on-board safety and the human factors. What effect would cell phone use have on the occupants of that airplane?"

Of the participants polled, 78 percent were concerned with increasing tensions regarding annoyances and the inability to maintain order while 82 percent agreed that cell phones made planes uncomfortable and disruptive. Additionally, several what-if scenarios were asked in the survey, and 80 percent of those polled were concerned that cell phone use would put the nation at higher risks for terrorist attacks; allowing ground communication with in-flight passengers.

But that doesn't matter. "The federal government is not in the business of banning things based on people's preferences," FAA spokesman Donn Walker said. "It is of no concern to us whether people do or don't want cell phones on planes. We prohibit them right now because of safety issues."

Technological advances have reduced the concern of cockpit interference with wireless devices. And the FCC and FAA have debated whether to lift the ban in the next year or so.

However if the measure is passed, 70 percent favored sectioning off the plan for cell phone use and non-use. And 90 percent want cell phones banned during safety and emergency announcements.

Conducted by Lauer Research from March 28 to April 2, it has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

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1. Posted by Feeple	Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:08 pm
I know I want that to stay. Another study I read said that one of the top three annoyances to moden man is half a conversation (i.e. listening to some talk on a phone.) But, when a place says it's okay to use devices again, my ears are either plugged with my PSP or iPod, so I can see how I'm not as bothered by it.
2. Posted by Pogo	Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:27 pm
If they do approve lifting the ban they'll have to make separate cabins for those who want peace and quiet, like they do on trains. Otherwise I see air rage breaking out all over the place.
3. Posted by mgoblue	Wed Apr 13, 2005 7:24 am
Agreed. I can barely stand the guy in the waiting area talking absurdly loud. I hate to think what I'd be pushed to do if I had to sit next to that on a long flight.

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