The New Mile-High Club

Radios Off, Please Airborne Calling Discuss

Introduction Here and Now Safety Issues

by Eric Lin
May 9, 2005

We're inundated with people talking on cell phones everywhere we go, but there are still a few places where talking on them is taboo or even illegal. Airplanes are one of the last cell-phone-free zones. For years, the prohibited use of cell phones and the prohibitive cost of seat-back phones have limited conversations on planes to those of neighbors.

Recent advances in technology have begun to open up the possibility of cellular use on airplanes, but just because it can happen doesn't mean it will happen. There is resistance from regulatory agencies, airline workers, and even passengers - at least when it comes to voice calls. Resistance to using phones with the cellular radio off - a so-called airplane or flight mode for playing games, listening to music, and using phones as a PDA - is declining rapidly. Surveys also show resistance to text messaging isn't nearly as fierce as it is to calling, leaving open the possibility of limited cellular service.

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