Cell Phones Would Make Airline Travel Even More "Torturous"

In-flight voice use of cell phones is overwhelmingly opposed by consumers. Sixty-three percent of those responding to a poll sponsored by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and the National Consumers League were against it. Just 21% of people favored removing restrictions on using cell phones in flight. Aside from the obvious courtesy issues, flight attendants have safety concerns with in-flight voice communication. If voice communication is permitted, passengers are likely to not pay attention to safety announcements and flight attendants could be forced to referee diputes resulting from loud conversations.

With airline customer satisfaction at an all time low, this is not the time to consider making airplane travel even more torturous. Polls show the public overwhelmingly doesn’t want to be subjected to people talking on their cell phones on increasingly over-packed airplanes. However, with Internet access just around the corner on U.S. flights, it won’t be long before the ban on voice communications on in-flight planes is lifted. The HANG UP Act, would ensure that financially strapped airlines don’t drive us towards this noisome disruption in search of further revenue.

The free market wasn’t adequate to regulate smoking on planes and it won’t be sufficient to regulate cell phones either. I am pleased that we are taking steps to stop this disruption before it becomes an issue for American consumers.