Monday, December 12, 2016

Totally out of touch.

What part of PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO ALLOW CELLPHONE CALLS ON FLIGHTS does the government not get? The Department of Transportation proposed allowing phone calls made through wi-fi on flights:


The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced its proposal to require airlines and ticket agents to disclose in advance to consumers if the carrier operating their flight allows passengers to make voice calls using mobile wireless devices.

Currently, the Federal Communications Commission’s rules prohibit the use of mobile devices on certain radio frequencies onboard aircraft, including for voice calls. However, the existing Federal Communications Commission rules do not cover WiFi and other means by which it may become possible to make voice calls.

“Consumers deserve to have clear and accurate information about whether an airline permits voice calls before they purchase a ticket and board the aircraft,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx. “Today’s proposal will ensure that air travelers are not unwillingly exposed to voice calls, as many of them are troubled over the idea of passengers talking on cell phones in flight.”

DOT believes that allowing voice calls, without providing adequate notice, would be an unfair and deceptive practice. As technologies advance, the cost of making voice calls may decrease and the quality of voice call service may increase, leading to a higher prevalence of voice calls and a greater risk of passenger harm.

Under this proposal, disclosure about voice calls being permitted on a flight is required from the beginning of the process. The Department believes that consumers would be unfairly surprised and harmed if they learned only after the purchase of a ticket (or, worse, after boarding the aircraft) that the carrier permits voice calls on its flights. If voice calls are allowed on a flight, the DOT proposal requires disclosure the first time that flight is offered or identified to a consumer. No disclosure is required if the flight does not allow voice calls.

The Department is also seeking comment on whether disclosure is sufficient or whether it should simply ban voice calls on flights within, to, or from the United States.

In February 2014, the Department had issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding the use of mobile wireless devices for voice calls on commercial aircraft. In response to the ANPRM, a substantial majority of individual commenters expressed opposition to voice calls on the grounds that they are disturbing, particularly in the confined space of an aircraft cabin.

Members of the public can comment on the NPRM at www.regulations.gov, docket number DOT-OST-2014-0002. Comments must be received within 60 days of the date the notice is published in the Federal Register.

These clowns don't get it.  A notice will fix the problem? Yeah, that will work.  The government's idea of fixing a problem (That didn't need fixing in the first place) is to tell the passenger who is going to be annoyed like hell by a cellphone that he is going to be annoyed like hell by the cellphone .   Suppose that flight is the only option for a passenger and he has to make that flight.  That notice won't do much good, will it?   The department explored this idea a few years ago for a very brief period of time after the public made it quite clear that it strongly opposed allowing celllphone calls on flights but the government being the government, DOT just could not leave well enough alone. 

This idea is just one more example of how government is completely out of touch with the people. 

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Airlines should allow air horns for passengers to use when someone is talking on a cellphone.

Unknown said...

Seems reasonable to me. Why not allow the airlines to decide who makes calls rather than the government? This would simply require the airlines to make it clear to the customer which airlines allow calls and which do not. The market can address this problem better than the DOT.

Wow said...

Yea, a bit head-scratching that a self-identified 'less big government' type like Kingfish astoundingly wants the government to continue to regulate whether or not we can use cellphones to make calls on flights on the primary premise that phone calls will be "annoying."

Continued technological innovations in the context of safety and convenience should instead continue to address this, something the airlines will know intimately. Lastly, manners and decency will help self regulate this as well.

I do not observe a society of people constantly on their phones in crowded elevators.

Anonymous said...

There's a big difference between a 20 second elevator ride and a 3 hour ride in an aluminum cigar tube. All regulation is not bad, and banning voice calls is a good reg. If you think listening to some smuck discuss his latest operation in a restaurant is bad, wait until you're sitting next to him on an airplane. Customers do indeed have a right to a peaceful trip.

Anonymous said...

Hey Einstein at 2:18 PM! Most elevator shafts obstruct cellular signals - so much for your theory of civilization. On the other hand, having ridden on crowded subways where there is coverage I have observed "a society of people constantly on their phones." I have also been seated on flights surrounded by "a society of people" trying to talk over one another before the cabin door has been closed. It's almost as aggravating as when you exercise your freedom to recline your seat into my lap after take-off. Self-regulation by manners and decency ?! Yeah, right...

Anonymous said...

The number of folks talking on their phones on an airplane will be limited to those routes that offer wi-fi (not many from Jackson) and those willing to pay for internet access, which means you'll probably wind up listening to some toolbag sales executive trying to sound important in front of the last attractive fight attendant. I think if you'd like to make a call there should be a special section of the aircraft for that, or just make them sit in the lav.

Anonymous said...

3:11 Pipsqueak....There are some of us in this world that have to make a living, and time is money. You folks that don't have to be competitive in this world to keep America moving would not understand. Phones are now a tool of this world some of us use for that purpose...Get you a pair of ear plugs and shut the hell up.

Anonymous said...

4:00 Most people that are always talking on their phone only think they are important and what they are talking about actually matters. You seem to have mixed up working and talking. People usually can only do one at a time. It is those very people who bother other passengers.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Make America Great Again at 4:00 PM just proved Mr. Pipsqueak's point!!!

Anonymous said...

4:00 Blah, Blah, Blah. Yeah, that's what you sound like. Add another person to the annoying passenger list.

Anonymous said...

Immediately apparent that 4:00 is also your worst nightmare in traffic... inconsiderate of his former wives... and children... chains his dog to a tree, etc.

It's a personality trait... but 'down deep' a swell guy.

Anonymous said...

The only major compliant will be from the enemies of on flight entertainment, the Union that represents the Nazi hall monitors that claim to be flight attendants these days.

Anonymous said...

Text on plane ok. Talking on phone not ok. Give me a break

Anonymous said...

If that guy....you know him...the stock broker who just has to call his fraternity brother on his way to Vegas to talk about the ladies and the cash money....yeah him....

When he starts flapping his lips.....

I'm gonna act like I'm on the phone with Trump....and I'm gonna scream all over stock boy until I'm blue in the face.....

This could be fun

Anonymous said...

4:00 pm, if you're such a bigshot you should either have your own airplane, some sort of fractional ownership or a NetJets (or similar) account; but my guess is that you're not, and you're just looking for an excuse to be an ass in a confined space.

Hey Charlie! John Boy Here..Yuck. said...

John Candy didn't need a cell phone to become the nation's top shower-ring salesman and he hung out in some airports.

If you're flying off to another city to sell stuff, you already have an appointment with a customer so who you gonna call? And if you just made a sale before boarding, you already put that in the system, so who you gonna call. Wait, you have to call back to the office and tell the girl up front to check your mail inbox. Like you're important and stuff....We see how you are.

Anonymous said...

"Airlines should allow air horns for passengers to use when someone is talking on a cellphone."

We have a winner!

Anonymous said...

You seem to have mixed up working and talking.

That is a great line and a truly golden put-down! Congratulations.

HDMatthias, MD said...

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

TIME IS MONEY!!! said...

Have you ever stood in the gate while waiting to board and listened to the conversations? You have Mr. Time Is Money up there yelling at his secretary because the PowerPoint is missing a slide, Billy Bro talking about his fantasy football league, LaTisha discussing her new braids, Megan planning the Kappa Kappa Gamma Christmas party, and June Cleaver making certain the baby sitter knows not to let little Tommy have too much Sprite.

Imagine that all jammed up in the airplane for two hours.

HDMatthias, MD said...

If the damn cheap airlines would provide FREE Wifi, everyone would be watching movies, texting, or doing something else (inane), and would be quiet, docile, and leave everyone else alone, making flights a pleasure. But, NO PHONE CALLS!!!!!!!!! Texting is enough, or emailing.

Anonymous said...

Cell phones(talking feature) should not be allowed on flights. Privacy (or lack thereof) and noise complaints are two reasons to prohibit this feature on flights.

Phoning You From The Lavatory.. said...

But; How could Heddy call Donna Ladd or the Clarion Publisher while enroute to the Destin Medical Convention? Think these things through, you people.

Anonymous said...

If they are going to require notice of cell phone usage, I want notice of dogs on flights too. Maybe the cell phone talkers and owners with dogs (not service dogs, but pets) could sit in a designated area the rest of us could avoid.



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