By Brian Bushway
Staff writer
As the world of technology keeps advancing by leaps and bounds, we are perpetually faced with the challenge of incorporating these new technologies into our lives. Simply figuring out how to properly use these new technologies can be challenging enough — since many of us never read the instruction manual in the first place. But the ethical questions raised by the introduction of these technologies can be even more difficult as society is left to answer these questions.
Cell phone companies are currently developing the technology to allow airplane passengers to use their personal phones. According to USA Today, it is forecasted that within the next three years cell phones will be working at 30,000 feet and higher. Passengers will no longer hear the flight attendant asking for everyone to turn off all electronic devices. We need to ask ourselves if we really want everyone to be able to or be allowed to talk on cell phones in an airplane.
The issue is not whether the technology should be developed. It should. Advancements in technology lead to greater advancements which can improve the quality of our lives. The issue is how to properly use this technology without diminishing that same quality of life on airplanes.
Allowing passengers to talk on cell phones during the flight would make a barely tolerable ride completely unbearable. Going to the airport and getting on a plane is an experience many do not look forward to.
Parking is usually a hassle and expensive. The lines and time waiting to get through security checks are endless. Not to mention navigating through the hordes of people to get to the terminal, only to check in and find out that your plane is delayed two hours. We hurry up to wait in line and then hurry up again just to wait in an even longer line.
By the time we make it into our seats after fighting for overhead compartment space, we are normally tired and stressed. All we wait for is to take off and get to cruising altitude where we can sleep, read, listen to music or watch the in-flight movie. Since a lack of space is an issue everyone has concerns about and wants his or her space respected, adding cell phones to the equation of possible things to annoy people is asinine.
Problems can only come from allowing people to use their phones in flight. People are already obnoxious enough with their cell phone use on the ground, especially the loud talkers. There is that certain breed of people that have no concept of volume control and force their conversation on innocent bystanders.
Do we want these individuals talking on cell phones in the small confined space of an airplane where people cannot remove themselves from a situation that they have a problem with?
As I sit in my seat, slightly tilted back and dream about lovely Pepperdine females — of course within the boundaries of Christian values — the last thing I want is the guy’s cell phone next to me ringing and waking me up.
Just imagine if everyone on the plane had a phone. There would be a never ending barrage of telephone rings. There would be no peace, just annoying musical tones of the Mexican hat dance and Beethoven’s Fifth. This would also make the in-flight movie quite unenjoyable to watch.
It is proven that passengers can refrain from needing to use phones on a plane. The lack of use of the satellite phones on the back of the seats being offered has left some airline companies removing the phones altogether.
Passengers obviously think that whatever is on their mind is not worth $4.99 a minute and can wait until they land to be shared. If this is true, the majority of passengers can wait to regain instant communication and we don’t need to create an environment that can potentially lead to even more unpleasurable flights and disgruntled passengers.
November 07, 2002