Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight

Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight By Susan Rush April 8, 2005 news@2 direct

Worried about "air rage" and constant phone calls, 67 percent of air travelers would prefer current airborne cell phone restrictions remain in place, according to a new air passenger poll.

The survey also found that 78 percent of respondents said cell phone use during flight could hamper passengers from hearing emergency instructions.

As in the days when people could smoke on airplanes, 70 percent of respondents indicated if the ban is lifted, airlines should separate out cell phone users on flights.

However, not everyone in the survey was against lifting the ban on in-flight cell phone use -- 21 percent supported allowing passengers to chat during flight.

The Association of Flight Attendants and the National Consumers League sponsored the survey conducted with 702 air passengers.

"This survey and the popularity of the Do Not Call Registry for telemarketing illustrate the growing desire of many consumers to put up the 'do not disturb' sign and have some peace and quiet," said Susan Grant, the National Consumers League vice president for public policy.

The FCC is currently reviewing rules governing the use of cell phones on aircraft. In December 2004 the commission said it would make 4 MHz of 800 MHz spectrum available to providers through an auction process, but at the time of the announcement, it stressed that whether to give the green light to enable cell phone use on board flights is an issue the industry and consumers need to hammer out.

Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at

. Hundreds of new articles daily.

*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Wireless Week.

For more information go to: