Crusade Against In-Flight Phone Calls

[left-of-center2012]

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) is making progress in his campaign against cell phone calls on commercial airline flights.

The Tennessee Republican has been touting the inclusion of language in the Senate version of legislation to fund the Department of Transportation that would direct Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao to finalize a ban on voice calls during flights, as regulations and technology change regarding cell phone use.

Alexander has been complaining about the issue for at least five years, often teaming with California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a fellow senior member of the Appropriations Committee.

“I would suggest that any senator who opposes banning cell phone conversations on flights be sentenced to sit next to a loud businessman talking to his girlfriend on a six-hour flight between New York and California,” Alexander said in a statement following last Thursday’s full committee markup. “Keeping phone conversations off commercial flights may not be enshrined in the Constitution, but surely it is enshrined in common sense.”

Full story at:
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/senator-makes-progress-crusade-flight-phone-calls

[Blue_true]

1. Can't say that I disagree. nt

[Demsrule86]

14. Right... did you ever hear of a little something called freedom?

[Blue_true]

20. People also need the freedom to not be invaded by a loudmouth who can't take a time out. nt

[Demsrule86]

34. Why do you expect the world to live by your choices? May I suggest headphones or earplugs?

[Blue_true]

38. Why do you expect the world to live by your choices.

May I suggest texting?

[BannonsLiver]

22. Freedom from self absorbed twits who want to yak loudly for hours on end?

I’ll take it 7 days a week and twice on Sunday.

[Demsrule86]

33. Well that is up to you.

I have noticed lately that everyone gets mad at everything. Ameria seethes just waiting for a reason to get angry. No slight is to small...not saying you. This is a general observation... a little live and let live would do us all some good. A person talking on the phone doesn't bother me but I take my headphones anyway.

[BannonsLiver]

37. I guess I just see the idea

Of 200-500 people enclosed in an aluminum tube all talking at the same time as fundamentally stupid and annoying.

[Demsrule86]

39. Well being enclosed in an aluminum tube is shitty...so talking helps pass the time...I don't want to

see another reason to persecute folks on airplanes by the shitty airlines...and when I was flying home not that long ago, my niece was gravely ill...it helped to know I could stay in touch. I am tired of all behavior being regulated in someway. I just think that a rule or law is not needed-this is a minor annoyance at best and can be dealt with by the individual...and of course a GOP came up with the idea...I oppose all of their ideas on principle. Have a great day.

[BannonsLiver]

40. But surely you could see how hundreds of people talking at once

In such a small space would be unpleasant. Or maybe you can’t? I’m getting that impression, quite frankly. Also getting the impression you don’t fly much, ever, and don’t really think through a lot of your hot takes. But hey you keep doing you and have a lovely day yourself.

[Demsrule86]

41. you could use head phones...mostly when I fly...people are texting.

But I have headphones...can't do anything about the coke spilled on me by the kids! but as a younger Mom, my kid spilled a coke on a businessman so Karma is a bitch! This is not something that should be made into a law...we have too many of these sort of laws. I have never been on a plane where people talking in general was an issue...my seatmate maybe...but I put on my headphones and all was good.

[grantcart]

29. Lol, how about the freedom to not have to hear another person's

Phone conversation when they are sitting within inches of you.

It's rude and inconsiderate and not covered by the bill of rights which doesn't allow you to impinge upon another person's rights.

[Demsrule86]

32. Ear plugs perhaps...but no everyone on a plane has to dance to your tune...your idea

of freedom is different than mine. I believe in freedom.

[grantcart]

35. your concept of freedom does not give you license to create a disturbance for the others that are

forced to sit within inches of you.

You apparently are not aware that all freedoms are conditional on not impinging on other peoples freedom including to not impinge on other peoples rights.

That right currently exists and anyone who complains about someone talking loudly on a phone can complain to the crew and they will intercede.

What you can do in your own home is not the same thing that you can do in a public place. Beyond the obvious fact that anything you do that disturbs other passengers would impinge on their freedom is the obvious fact that it is just plain rude.

[hlthe2b]

2. I'm with him on that...

I had the "pleasure" of hearing a man trying to converse with his hard-of-hearing mother, repeating every inane sentence and question re: what she had for dinner, what she had for breakfast, dozens of time at increasing volume to get her to hear it. I had no escape.

Oh, my.. Even five minutes of that had me wanting to rip my hair out.

[cos dem]

3. But wait, what happened to "strict constructionist"?

If it's not in the Constitution, it's unconstitutional.

Unless, of course, it involved controlling women.

[kimbutgar]

4. I kind of agree with him also

[Docreed2003]

5. I get the point...

But anyone else remember when flights had phones on the seat backs that you could pay to use!? That was pre-9-11

[ret5hd]

7. Yeah, but how many remember someone actually using them?

I don't.

[Coventina]

10. Like you, I never saw anyone ever use them.

I'm assuming that's why they don't have them anymore.

If they allow phone calls on airplanes I will stop flying.

[Docreed2003]

11. Honestly me either

[Shrek]

12. I used them a couple of times to communicate a flight delay to someone on the ground

But their real value was managing my son when he was young. Any time he'd start to misbehave I'd point at the phone and ask him "do I need to call the Captain?" and for some reason it worked every time.

[Ace Rothstein]

16. Weren't those fairly expensive to use?

I think that's why you wouldn't see many use them. They also stuck around for a while so someone must have been using them.

[gratuitous]

27. I used one once

Flying back from a CPT delegation to Chiapas, I knew my wife would want to hear from me at my earliest convenience. The seat phone was kind of spendy, but under the circumstances well worth it.

[BigmanPigman]

6. It is even worse than crying children on flights.

[4now]

8. I would rather have them talking on their phone then trying to talk to me.

But what do I know.
Never been on a plane.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. The federal government is banning phones for a politeness issue?

[Orsino]

13. If anything's going to move a Republican senator to action, it's minor personal inconvenience. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

15. Pretty Funny Stuff!

In this one odd circumstance though, i'm on Alexander's side.

The reason has more to do with just the seat partner yakking away.

I envision a plane with 250 people on it, and 175 of them yakking away. The plane would be a din of unintelligible gibberish.

Even an experienced flyer like me would find that stressful and disconcerting as it would be constant.

[Adrahil]

17. As annoying as it sometimes is....

It's also sometimes really important.

I've had to:

make last minute travel arrangements.
coordinate with my teenage daughter, at home, alone, when my flight got delayed.
coordinate with colleagues when a technical issue arises that needs fixing NOW.

The way to deal with obnoxious callers is to empower the cabin crew to do something about it.

[Blue_true]

21. For me, texting works much better. Plus, I don't run the risk of giving away confidential secrets

that a lot of money was spent researching.

[Adrahil]

23. I find that texting with hotels can be iffy.

Though that is my daughter's preferred medium of communication.

[Bengus81]

18. Watch...a ban UNLESS your in First class seating..............

[left-of-center2012]

19. Or pay an additional fee?

[jmowreader]

24. This is ridiculous

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

[left-of-center2012]

25. I assume you are referencing ...

"abridging the freedom of speech" ?

[jmowreader]

26. Exactly

[Thekaspervote]

28. Who here is a frequent flyer? If so, would you please weigh in.

As a FF I am thankful there isn’t cell phone use!! Free speech? You agree when you go in a movie house, museum or live stage performance that you will not use your phone and disrupt everything... right. How is this different?

[BumRushDaShow]

30. This is why Amtrak instituted "Quiet Cars" on their Northeast corridor routes

(don't forget one of the original of "quiet" places - the library! )

[Thekaspervote]

31. Oh yes and the library... thx!!

[RhodeIslandOne]

36. There are plenty of people at movies who don't agree to this