The FCC has opened public comment on a proposed rule to allow in-flight cellphone calls. Although public comment has been overwhelmingly opposed so far, that might not stop the FCC from allowing airplanes to be turned into loud chatrooms at 30,000 feet.
Can you imaging being locked into a seat next to a serial yapper telling all of his or her friends about last night’s party or tomorrow’s big deal meeting when you’d rather sleep, watch an on-board movie or do your own work?
Recently, I suffered through an seven-hour flight to Europe next to somebody who actually told me to F*** off when I asked her to lower the sound on her earphones or move them closer to her ears because they were blasting the movie soundtrack, preventing me from sleeping. I can just imagine being imprisoned in my seatbelt, forced to listen to her calling friends one after the other after the other to complain about my outrageous request.
No matter how often you fly – once a year family vacation or road warrior status like me – ecoXplorer urges you to let the FCC know in no uncertain terms that you are against allowing in-flight cellphone conversations. Texting, okay. Email, okay. Surfing, okay. Serial yapping? Not okay.
One airline passenger interviewed by the Wall St. Journal said he would sell his timeshare and stay home rather than fly with cellphone conversations.
In its infinite wisdom, the FCC has made it close to impossible to figure out how to file a comment on its website. So instead make your displeasure known at –
- Phone: 202-418-0193
- Email: [email protected]
So far, the airlines haven’t weighed in. Maybe they are busy figuring out how to make money out of this, like how to charge extra for phone-call-free seats.
What do you think? We value your comments and love hearing from you.