VoIP calling is fair game on planes, but should it be?

If they lift the ban on cell phone use on airplanes or if they allow VOIP calls inflight I think I will undoubtly end up on a no-fly list. Bad enough I lived my childhood inhaling noxious fumes from cancer sticks when it was allowed but now I have to listen to some blabbermouth who loves to hear themselves talk, spewing their verbal diarrhea and poisoning my air while I'm trapped in a seat next to them?? They're crazy!! If this is going to be the way of the future then I hope airlines will at least have the decency to offer "Yaking? or "Non-Yaking seat?"

Hang up and fly! Disable the VoiP programs and let people surf silently. There's a brilliant invention called E-MAIL.

There is already enough noise pollution on flights...keep phone use restricted to the ground where people can escape it. Let people get the rest they need. There is no phone call that can't wait, given that the people in your life know you are in-flight and not, therefore, accessible. Take advantage of that time to relaaaaax. Seriously, that meeting you're missing? They'll get along without you. Your boyfriend who's been invited to a party? He'll figure out what to wear without your help. Your in-laws are watching the kids? You left them a novel of helpful hints and contact numbers. Spare the rest of us the gory details and keep cell phone usage grounded.

If they lift the ban and allow it,either cell or Voip, I forsee a big upturn in inflight cabin rage and/or violence. Really, this concept borders on the absurd.

I just flew a day ago for two four hour flights. My observation is what difference would it make with all the screaming kids on the plane these days. When packing for my next flight I will be including a set of earplugs.

Call me a cynic, but travelling by commercial airline has become a truly unpleasant ordeal over the past few years, due to a combination of security concerns and cost-cutting measures. Whether or not the person next to you spends the entire flight on the phone is unlikely to deepen your misery to any noticeable degree.

Nooooooo... puhlease..... I don't want to hear it when I'm flying overseas spending $$$$ and 12 hours on a flight having to listen to someone's spew... What happenned to quiet time and sleep???

Most people have no cell phone manners/courtesy in public anyways, do you think it's going to be that much better on a flight?? Is the airline industry now going to start capitalizing on the sale of earplugs too???

if they allow cel phones on trans atlantic flights i am going by sea

cone of silence section please

Airlines can configure their WLANs so that using VoIP will be problematic at best. VoIP applications are sensitive to changes in bandwidth (basically the amount of data you are pushing through your WLAN connection per period of time) and latency (prioritization of VoIP packets over regular data packets).

If the airlines configure their in flight WLANs to throttle the bandwidth, so no one user can hog more than their share of the available network resources and not implement any packet prioritization for VoIP , then using products like Skype will be very frustrating (provided there is more than 2 or 3 users of the WLAN per flight).

Freedom of speech folks, Just put them all in the same area of the plane and they can yell to their hearts content.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
NO MATTER HOW IMPORTANT IT IS,
USE INSTANT MESSAGING, OR EMAIL,
OR GO JUMP OFF THE PLANE!

OK. So cell phone usage on aircraft does not interfere with flight instruments. Perhaps in the days of the Analog 3 watt microwave ahem cell phones of the past I could see a problem. But todays digital networks, not an issue. the question of manners and respect for other people peace and quiet enjoyment, certainly thats an issue. I say allow internet and use the instant messenging and sms texting that one can do with Yahoo Messenger and keep the phone calls out of the cabin. If you are a die hard and need to do business, flight executive class, and use the built in cell/sat phones.

my .02's worth.

BRAVO. it is irritating . I had one guy using his laptop and asking me not to put my seat down to sleep, because he cannot work on his laptop. and he went ape playing his video games.
I hate to think what this creature would be now with his mobile on the plane.
I would wish to throw his out the window,lol.
YES, can't these obsessed people stop talking for one minute. laptop, cell, headset,etc..
Do you notice that nobody ever talks to you anymore. Nor smile, nor anything humanly?
We're living in a world of gadgetry zombies.

I would rather my seat neighbour spend his/her time talking on the phone than trying to make conversation with me if I am not in the mood to be engaged by some chatty Kathy. I prefer to just sit back and relax and close my eyes.

So really.....What difference does it make if the two beside you are talking to each other or on their phones? At least I can just zone out and ignore them while they talk on their phone.

I think as long as they disable the internet and ban phones for when the safety demo is being given..that is when we should all be listening to the cabin crew..other wise I say: Fly at 'er !!

I have to say this it may offend some people but here goes, are we slaves to the cell phone now?
Here is the three prime reasons behind me saying this -
1) Its bordering on being a massive addiction with everybody got to have my cell phone fix.
2) The boss has a paronia about not being able to answer a question so everybody has to be on permanent stand by waiting for the call at two in the morning.
3) Or may be we are feeding peoples ego`s , I am too important to have my phone switched off.

I went on holiday with a girl friend earlier this year and with the constant texting and answering her phone, I eventually snapped and asked her to switch it off. It was an addiction with her she could not put the thing down, on holiday how sad is that ? When I go on holiday the thing is switched off permantly then I have a restful holiday!
Planes are one of the last peaceful zones were phones are not allowed , lets keep it that way !

Another one that bugs me is people driving a dangerous projectile (car or truck) and also talking on the phone ! Surely the car manufacturers or after market people can come up with a device that surpresses the sinal making the phone inoperable in the car. God knows how many people have been killed in accidents involving multi tasking while behind the wheel. Or may be a 4 year prison sentence if you injure or kill someone would be a good motivator to stop people doing it.

I would much rather have the person right next to me on a cellphone than a child within a ten seat radius around me. For anyone who wishes to sequester phone users in one "yakking" section I would hope you'd be willing to have "family" section and let those of us without children travel in peace.