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Sounding off about in-flight cell phonesBusiness travelers debate dangers of in-flight chatter
 New tests show electronic equipment could interefere with plane navigation. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSQUICKVOTE(CNN) -- A new study highlighting potential dangers to aircraft safety posed by cell phones has stirred strong reactions among business travelers, both in favor and against allowing calls in be made during flights. Here are some of the comments: When I worked and traveled in Europe, I was concerned that everyone switched off their mobile before the plane started to move. Since moving to Asia 10 years ago, the attitude here is much more relaxed. Flying on Vietnam internal flights, I have often seen mobiles used up to 10 minutes after take off, to complete a call, and many switch their mobiles back on as soon as the announcement that the plane is descending has been made. This shows to me that there is very little danger and it is really concerned with airlines maximizing revenue by insisting we use their provided 'phones. It is similar to gasoline sold in Asia; in Europe we are told to switch off the engine and not use cell phones, but in Asia, the gasoline sold here is unaffected by these factors, and I regularly keep the engine running, to power the air con, and often receive incoming calls, I have even seen attendants using their mobile while filling the tank of a customer. Europe and USA have gone completely overboard on Health and Safety. Let's get some sanity back into these issues. Rod Kimber Here's a way to stop the person next to you using their cell: simply keep repeating, in an equally loud voice, "Tell me you love me." Works every time! Dave Wilkie, York, U.K. Like others on have your say, I wonder exactly how a cell phone effects the navigational equipment in an aircraft. I am a pilot and my passengers frequently leave their mobiles on yet I never see a flicker of interference on my GPS/VOR/DME or any of the standard navigational instruments that all work on a frequency that is very far removed from that used in a cell phone. My aircraft has five separate radio transmitters, all more powerful than a cell phone, yet they seem to be acceptable. Isn't it time the airlines came clean and said, "It has nothing to do with safety we just don't want you to use them." If they don't want them to be used, just fit a cell phone jammer and be done with it. Personally I would be happy to see them banned on aircraft, just for the peace and quiet. Andrew Heydn, Benfleet, United Kingdom Like many people, the cell phone is part of my job. When I'm on an aircraft I happily turn off my phone as it gives me a short period when I can relax, and not worry that someone is mithering me for a photo that they should have requested yesterday. Nothing is so urgent that you need to use one on a plane, and no argument will convince me otherwise. Ian Charles, Manchester, England I wonder exactly how a cell phone effects the navigational equipment in an aircraft. I am a pilot and my passengers frequently leave their mobiles on yet I never see a flicker of interference on my GPS/VOR/DME or any of the standard navigational instruments that all work on a frequency that is very far removed from that used in a cell phone. My aircraft has five separate radio transmitters, all more powerful than a cell phone, yet they seem to be acceptable. Isn't it time the airlines came clean and said, "It has nothing to do with safety we just don't want you to use them." If they don't want them to be used, just fit a cell phone jammer and be done with it. Personally, I would be happy to see them banned on aircraft, just for the peace and quiet. Andrew Heydn, Benfleet, United Kingdom The Flying public seems to be getting mixed messages about the use of cell phones while flying. Personally, I believe that no one should be allowed to use cell phones while the plane is in the air. Surely they can make their calls before they depart and when they land. We are thousands of miles up in the air and at the mercy of the elements. Why take chances by being stupid playing with the lives of everyone on board. The pilots are only human and they can only do so much if their cockpit instruments play havoc because of stupid, egoistic people using their cell phones. I have decided not to fly on any plane unless I am given then assurance by the airline that no cell phone use is allowed on their flights. Harry Madray, Miami, Florida I have on recent flights noticed more and more people neglect rules on cell phone usage during flight time. I find it disturbing that people put others peoples safety at risk just to make a call. I hope the airline industry will enforce their rules more in the future. Jan Henriksen, Denmark PLEASE don't let people chatter away on cell phones during airplane flights. At least, not unless the airlines also provide means for hanging ourselves when we're finally driven crazy. Walter Oney, Boston, Massachusetts This may sound silly to you, but I am sensitive to the energy given off by a cell phone. If one is used within 7 or 8 feet of me I get a headache on the side of my head closest to the cell phone. If the the use is prolonged or I am closer to the cell phone when it is used my headache may last for an hour or so after the call has ended! Allowing cell phones to be used on a commercial aircraft would effectively end my flying days or land me in trouble as I desperately tried to put some distance between me and the caller on a plane with no spare seats and with a post-9/11 unsympathetic flight crew! John Watson, Victor, Montana. The cynical side of me says that maybe the real reason behind the cell phone ban is not technical disruptions or forcing passengers to use costly satellite phones, but the potential liability the airlines face should another 9/11 occur. Imagine 150 people in a hijacked passenger jet, describing just how the airline did not protect them from being hijacked. The practical, opportunistic side of me says: "Imagine the kind of money that airlines could make by controlling that bandwidth for cell phones, making a few cents off of every call. Maybe then most of our airline industry would not be in such a slump. We might not even have to pay five dollars for the breakfast boxes that the airlines hawk to starving passengers." Vaughn Bullard, Virginia. I think it is a very good thing to allow cell phone use on airlines. Flight 93 proved that. Interference with navigation equipment is a joke. My cell phone has never caused a problem with my GPS even when the antennae were within inches of each other. Doyle H. Lawrence, Dayton, Texas. I'm a former airline pilot, and I have never seen a reproducible case of cell phone induced interference. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I think there is insufficient data to make any conclusions yet. One point I feel has been omitted from the few studies that have been done: why have there been no repeatable cases of interference on aircraft flying at low altitude (i.e. on approach to landing) from ground-based radios? More research needs to be done. But until then, quit fanning the flames. I'm opposed to cell phone use in flight for other reasons -- namely that I don't want to sit between two people yakking on their phones. Christian, Seattle, Washington. JUST SAY NO! ... to cell phones on aircraft. Regardless of the danger it might cause to aircraft electronics, sitting in a restaurant a table away from some guy chatting on a cell phone is bad enough. Can you imagine some guy next to you yakking on the phone on an 8 hour trip to Europe? It's just one more thing that is likely to trigger air rage. Chris Belsky, Sacramento, California. From reading about the danger of using cell phones on a plane in flight, I just wonder if other devices like say a watch for example would pose the same problem for the plane. I remember being on a flight from Guam to Yap one time and I had this digital watch with compass. I was curious and wanted to check our heading and every time I would press the button on my watch to check the bearing, the intercom asked for people to switch off any cell phones or laptop. Augustine Uolai, Yap, Micronesia. Referring to your article about Carnegie Mellon University's study about cell phone use in airplanes, I read such comments as "COULD could pose a greater risk"... "MAY create more interference..." "CAN interfere with devices". What we haven't heard is any definitive evidence of these claims. I think people would be less apt to use cell phones in airplanes if they knew that doing so does and will cause interference of the airplanes systems. I, for one, would rather arrive to my destination safely rather than schedule some meeting or blow kisses to my family but unless I am shown that it really does create a danger, I'll continue to assume that rule was created for some ulterior reason. Having said that I admit that, although I believe jury is still out on this subject, I still do not use my cell phone on an airplane because I am asked not to. I also buckle my seat belt and put my seat in the upright position when asked as do most people. Why then do so many people choose to disregard the rule about cell phones? Perhaps someday, well find out whether the request not to use cell phones is a valid one. Suzanne Sherwood, Los Angeles, California. I was on a flight just the other day, when I noticed this one guy was still talking on his phone while we were taxiing, and then throughout take off. Only when the flight attendants where about to make their rounds did he turn it off, and looked annoyed at me for watching him do it. I was just wondering what was so important that he couldn't wait and hour and a half to talk to someone. And the next plane I was on, the man beside me had his Palm out, and during the entire trip was receiving messages on it, and would reply to them. I just don't understand why people can't put their lives on hold for an hour or two, to make sure they get it back safely. Nothing is that important, and if you're in the middle of a business meeting, please don't fly while you're doing it. Rebecca Sletten, Las Cruces, New Mexico. Regarding your article on cell phones on planes. I have a good friend who was an engineer on the navigation electronics on Boeing planes and she stressed to all her friends about turning off your cell phones and the interference it will cause. But when you get on a plane people do not consider this a risk. I think they need to make this mandatory and inform people that this is serious business. Your safety is in jeopardy. Sylvia, Los Angeles, California. Since 1999, in flight mobile phone calls have been banned on local Nigerian flights for the very reason expressed by the Carnegie/FAA study, i.e. possible interference with navigational equipment. The only problem is that as soon as the plane touches down and begins taxiing, there is a great cacophony of ring tones and babble as people phone relatives, loved ones, drivers and business associates to alert them that they have arrived safely. Fola Arthur-Worrey, Lagos, Nigeria. Nonsense, to the cell phone ban and the institute's findings. You can get the same test results using a Radio Shack scanner and a directional antenna to track the calls .I have worked in the communications field for over 20 years and have used telephones ranging from the large Motorola bag sets to compact digital units. If this problem was as dangerous as they propose why do they have radar, instrumentation, NAVCOM, etc. Take your head out of the sand and think about how much time and money was wasted on this study. Better yet, look at the other flight services provided by the governments such as military, commercial etc. I know that they have different protocols on communications but is virtually the same. Making a phone call on a commercial airliner is no more dangerous or disturbing than walking down the street making the same call. Glenn Pritchard, Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. I fly on a regular basis and hearing people talk on the phone is one of the most annoying things I have ever had to deal with. Not just because they are on the phone but because they usually speak very loudly to talk over the plane noise. I think they should have something the just eliminates all signal in planes. Caleb Joy, Brown County, Indiana. 
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