Chat room in the sky

Time was when airplane travel, whether domestic or foreign, was looked at by some business travelers as a chance to sit back, relax and enjoy the serene ambiance of the cabin.

For others, it was a good time to catch up on their reading or do work that require quiet mental deliberation. What better place to ponder things over than high up in the sky on a clear day or a starry night.

Sometimes, this opportunity was marred by seatmates who like to talk despite the unwilling co-passenger’s body language that he wants to be left alone.

The savvy frequent flier fended off intrusions to his privacy by putting on ear plugs and eye-masks immediately after sitting, or by telling the flight attendant in a voice loud enough to be heard by his seatmate that he does not want to be disturbed for food service.

Until the early 1990s, in-flight telephone service was unavailable. Outside of the hum of the engines and announcements by the pilots or flight attendants (and chatty passengers), the cabins were generally peaceful and quiet.

The end of that serenity began when some United States-based domestic and international airlines installed telephones in their cabins that allowed passengers to make phone calls to the United States.

Mobile phones

This development did not draw a lot of protests then because it was limited to outgoing calls and the high fees imposed discouraged their use unless for real emergencies.

Realizing the revenue potential of this arrangement, other international airlines followed suit and the rules of silence in airplane cabins underwent major changes.

The boom in cellular mobile or smartphones further reduced the “hush level” inside the airplanes.

In domestic and international flights in our country, passengers can be seen furiously sending texts or making phone calls while the plane is being loaded or getting ready for takeoff.

They grudgingly cease tinkering with their phones only when the flight attendants instruct them to turn them off, for safety purposes, before takeoff and during the flight.

Yet, while aloft, some passengers instinctively check their phones from time to time to see if there are available signals.

And as soon as the plane lands and even before it is able to park at its designated spot, most passengers immediately whip out their phones and fiddle with them.

The suspension of phone use during the flight seems to create “anxiety separation” to some people who cannot have enough of their gadgets.

Regulation

The restrictions on the use of cellular phones during flights have been relaxed in the United States and the European Union.

The aviation authorities in these countries have, after careful technical evaluation, declared that voice calls, text messaging and Internet use do not pose a danger in flights.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, however, is not applying in full the same rule to aircraft owned and operated in the country.

In a recent circular, CAAP stated that cellular phones and computer laptops could be used to make phone calls, send and receive text messages and have access to the Internet when the airplane’s doors are still open.

When the aircraft is being refueled, all such devices have to be turned off for fire safety purposes.

Once the doors are closed, the electronic devices must be put on silent mode and can be used only to send and receive text messages and connect to the Internet. Voice calls remain banned.

The question of whether or not mobile phone users should be allowed to make phone calls while on commercial flights is now the subject of debate between airline companies and passengers in the United States.

There is also the collateral issue on the application of that policy: Should the US government make it compulsory or should the airlines be allowed to decide on it based on their respective business models?

Privacy

Those in favor of allowing such calls say the right of cellular phone users to use their gadgets whenever or wherever they want to should not be unreasonably restricted.

They believe the aircraft cabin should be treated like any other public place where people are allowed to do anything they want as long as it is not illegal or detrimental to other people’s rights or interests.

Those opposed to in-flight phone calls shudder at the thought of having to put up with fellow passengers who would talk for hours about private problems or discuss business matters with their colleagues on the ground.

The airline companies are asking their target market, especially the frequent flyers, to weigh in on the issue so they can decide on the proper course of action to take.

If the major US airlines agree to allow in-flight cellular calls, it is not far-fetched that airline companies based in or operating out of the Philippines would follow their lead and petition the CAAP to lift its ban on in-flight phone calls.

Knowing the Filipinos’ love affair with cellular phones, a gold mine in fees and charges awaits the airline company (and its partner phone operator) that has facilities on board that allow its passengers to make calls during long haul flights.

A passenger of financial means who has tired of the reading materials on board or watching in-flight movies would have no second thoughts about reaching for his cellular phone to talk to his friends.

For Type A businessmen, nothing would make them happiest than being able to get in touch by phone with their families, clients or employees 24/7 while cruising the sky.

Once in-flight phone calls are allowed, the chatter inside the cabin will make airplane rides no different from riding a crowded public bus.

With the way things are moving, the advertising jingle “Your home in the sky” may have to be changed to “Your chat room in the sky.”

For comments, please send your e-mail to rpalabrica@inquirer.com.ph.

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