It's their airlines, follow their rules. Complain later.

/Flies a LOT, really does not want people able to talk on phones

Delta needs to block those ports then. Even my GYM can do that.

Carth: Also, stop telling me to turn off my kindle during take off. The screen saver will cause as much interference whether I'm reading or not.

Well, more or less you can tell them it is off, since it uses no power(basically) once the screen is loaded for the current page

Captain Wingo: The sound of one hand clapping: But then I consider what it would be like if even just 5 of the 40 people in my vicinity on an average flight were making phone calls. It would be disruptive. And I don't know what the average would be if they did allow phone calls. I suppose in this day and age it's possible that maybe 1 in 4 people would want to be making phone calls. That would make it hard for people who were trying to sleep or people who just wanted to concentrate on reading.

What flights are you on where fewer than "5 of the 40 people around you" aren't constantly yacking anyway? On most flights I'm on, people are constantly talking to each other all around me. Unless you're suggesting that people using VoIP shout louder than regular talkers, I can't fathom how they would make flying any worse than it already is.

Honestly, maybe I really have been lucky in the flights I've been on, but in the last 2 flights I was on last month, the only time more than a handful of people near me were talking was during take off and landing. For the rest of the flight everyone was either sleeping, watching movies or generally just occupying themselves with their own business.

These were long haul flights though (about 11 hours) so maybe it's different for short haul? I've only ever been on long haul flights and even when I get up and stretch my legs and look around there's hardly ever anyone talking. People just don't seem to talk to each other much.

But I've seen this trend generally anyway. Groups of people who are clearly on holiday with each other saying hardly a word but then one gets a phone call and they just can't shut up talking to the person on the other end. Seems that people just don't talk much face to face but they love talking to someone on the phone.

/Just my observations.

Carth: Also, stop telling me to turn off my kindle during take off. The screen saver will cause as much interference whether I'm reading or not.

It's even funnier when they're so dumb they see the ads on the screensaver and tell you to power it off! It IS powered off jackoff!

RedT: Genju: Yeah I just love getting off the plane from a flight from Florida to California and going "you told them we'd do what???"

Then you need to hire better people.

It's not really their fault. I'm the lead. I'm unavailable on a flight. They are basically covering for me. What I need to teach them is "I will have to take this up with my lead and get back to you on that." Although sometimes it's my boss that does it.

gopher321: Yeah, the guy was right in using VoIP in flight, but the cops were right in saying next time just do what the flight attendants say, turn it off, and then afterwards take it up with the airline management. That avoids having THE GODDAMN COPS CALLED ON YOUR ASS.

He did terminate the VOIP call immediately and turned off devices as requested. His "sin" if you would was telling the flight attendants that they were wrong about it being a FAA rule (and having the temerity to be right).

Personally I'm with the dude. When people in authority start making up bullshiat they should be called out.

This is about petty authoritarians calling the cops because they were questioned. Not because their unjustified orders weren't carried out (they were), but because they were questioned.

And that is all kinds of wrong.

I hope these flight attendant douches get a letter in their personnel files for making an unnecessary call to the police.

Seriously, if I call the police out to my house for no damn reason except to hassle my neighbor, just because I can, I'm liable to get charged with something. These flight attendants probably cannot be charged with something, but it's bad publicity for the airline in a time when airlines are getting enough bad publicity over fees and they're fighting just to keep their bottom line intact.

They don't need this shiat from employees who could have handled the problem better with a tiny bit of tact and the brains to pour piss out of a boot.

If I was their boss, there would be a letter going in their file with HR for their poor judgment in telling a customer something was an FAA rule when they knew damned well it wasn't. It's a blatant breach of integrity, it made the news, the company lost face over it, that gets you written up.

buzzcut73: IIRC, most VoIP providers are blocked from in-flight WiFi because nobody wants to share a space with a hundred other self-important douchebags that think they have to be talking to somebody or reachable by phone every minute of every day. You know, the same people that keep their phone turned on in the movie theater, in restaurants, wherever they happen to be.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that the only people that truly need to be reachable at any time are trauma surgeons and transplant candidates, and neither of those people are going to be able to do much midway through a transcon.

/I know, your call is -really- important though, and the rest of us need to hear it.


THIS!!! Let's not forget about libraries. Yesterday, a woman (of course) talked loudly on her phone for over an hour and a half, ABOUT CRAP! She was less than 30ft. from the door, and yet couldn't muster up the energy to go outside to talk. Because I had great parents who taught me manners, I always get as far away from other people whenever I absolutely (i.e. rarely) NEED to use my phone.

Curious to know if he was in 1st class or coach. That may have been a factor in the attendant's attitude.

The Irresponsible Captain: Reasonable discussion about how he followed orders immediately and inquired as to the rules and yet the police were called?

No?

Well, I must have been a fool to expect that. Sorry.

The article didn't state or imply that he followed orders, ie stopped using the voip. Though It doesn't say he kept using it either. If he stopped when asked and they still called the police that's stupid. Even then the stewardess was mistaken about it being banned. Short of confirming her knowlege of FAA rules, calling the cops and letting them sort it out would be the next logical step.

I had assumed he was an asshat about it, but it seems there wasn't anything abhorrent here by either party.

It did get Viber some free publicity. I looked up the android app, and has poor reviews. I'll keep using Skype (only for occasionall dial out), but will consider viber if I need a change.

It was stupid that they said it was an FAA rule, they didn't have to bring up that it was a gogo rule (don't know if it is), but as long as he got off his phone they shouldn't have called the cops.


/calls shouldn't be allowed on a plane.

Captain Wingo: The sound of one hand clapping: But then I consider what it would be like if even just 5 of the 40 people in my vicinity on an average flight were making phone calls. It would be disruptive. And I don't know what the average would be if they did allow phone calls. I suppose in this day and age it's possible that maybe 1 in 4 people would want to be making phone calls. That would make it hard for people who were trying to sleep or people who just wanted to concentrate on reading.

What flights are you on where fewer than "5 of the 40 people around you" aren't constantly yacking anyway? On most flights I'm on, people are constantly talking to each other all around me. Unless you're suggesting that people using VoIP shout louder than regular talkers, I can't fathom how they would make flying any worse than it already is.

What flights are you on where fewer than "5 of the 40 people around you" are constantly yacking anyway?

The majority of my flights have been very quiet during the flight. Pre-flight and post-flight majority of people are chatting away on their cell phones, but during the flight is a very different story. The only flights I've been on where what you said is partially true was a DFW->Hawaii(Family excited about vacation) and Florida->Georgia(People complaining). Other than that it's been quiet, excluding babies.

Masterstuff: What flights are you on where more than "5 of the 40 people around you" are constantly yacking anyway?

fifm

Go fark yourself subby.

Let me make this perfectly clear - NOBODY wants you to be able to make in-flight calls. I am perfectly OK with the airline just saying "it's our policy, so follow it or you're not complying with in-flight orders from crew which is a federal crime".

Why? Because I can't get away from you and your inane chatter with Aunt Margaret while the plane is in flight. So stick to email or text over wi-fi and shut the fark up.

TheGogmagog: The article didn't state or imply that he followed orders, ie stopped using the voip. Though It doesn't say he kept using it either. If he stopped when asked and they still called the police that's stupid. Even then the stewardess was mistaken about it being banned. Short of confirming her knowlege of FAA rules, calling the cops and letting them sort it out would be the next logical step.

He wound up posting in the comments

the dude: I actually did obey. Didn't even say goodbye (maybe it was the shock..). What irritated them is the fact that I questioned the legitimacy of their claim that this was FAA. It just made no sense to me that the FAA would make such a rule..

Apparently, I was violating the terms of service of AirCell/Gogo - the same company that introduced an Android inflight PHONE last year:

redmid17: nu lamb fen: fireclown: buzzcut73: IIRC, most VoIP providers are blocked from in-flight WiFi because nobody wants to share a space with a hundred other self-important douchebags that think they have to be talking to somebody or reachable by phone every minute of every day. You know, the same people that keep their phone turned on in the movie theater, in restaurants, wherever they happen to be.

The ban on phones on planes was never about making the ride nicer.

You're missing the point, he's not talking about phones in general, just VoIP service. In this particular case I agree with the flight attendants. In fact, I believe anyone that wants to talk on the phone mid-flight should be sent straight to jail. Obnoxious.

So when you talk to your friend sitting next to you, you're in favor of sending yourself to jail?

You know damn well talking to another passenger is completely different than trying to talk on a phone on an already noisy airplane. People practically yell into their phones under normal conditions when jet engines aren't present.

And yes, people talking loudly on airplanes to other passengers is obnoxious too.

Captain Wingo:
What flights are you on where fewer than "5 of the 40 people around you" aren't constantly yacking anyway? On most flights I'm on, people are constantly talking to each other all around me. Unless you're suggesting that people using VoIP shout louder than regular talkers, I can't fathom how they would make flying any worse than it already is.


People talk louder than normal on cell phones. Film at 11.

I don't get you people, really. What is the big deal about somebody being on their phone? Are you this upset if someone is having a conversation with someone else on the plane? Or is it just the use of technology involved that turns a perfectly normal activity into the action of a "self-important douchebag"?

A plane isn't a movie theater, and it isn't a library. It's public transit. You shouldn't be expecting absolute silence, because you're sure as hell not going to get it, no matter how much tech you ban. People are social creatures, and when you're stuck in a metal tube for hours at a time, you're going to look for distractions.

/besides, we all know the real reason for this ban is so you'll pay $5 a minute for a skyphone call.

Too bad someone couldn't use science or something to determine if the frequencies of the internet traffic could interfere with the frequencies of the aircraft.

/Science, how work it.

The real mistake here was flying Delta in the first place. Surly crews, old broken down planes that cause delays... all my worst flight experiences have been aboard Delta flights.

FWIW, American tells you not to use VoIP for the consideration of other passengers. They don't have those airphones on board (at least the planes I've been on with WiFi) either so I don't see that as trying to sell their own service.

gopher321: he guy was right in using VoIP in flight, but the cops were right in saying next time just do what the flight attendants say...

Funny, the sky waitresses i last saw didn't wear police badges.

I'm weary of giving so much power to people who have so little (or, none) training in using that power.

redmid17: nu lamb fen: redmid17: nu lamb fen: fireclown: buzzcut73: IIRC, most VoIP providers are blocked from in-flight WiFi because nobody wants to share a space with a hundred other self-important douchebags that think they have to be talking to somebody or reachable by phone every minute of every day. You know, the same people that keep their phone turned on in the movie theater, in restaurants, wherever they happen to be.

The ban on phones on planes was never about making the ride nicer.

You're missing the point, he's not talking about phones in general, just VoIP service. In this particular case I agree with the flight attendants. In fact, I believe anyone that wants to talk on the phone mid-flight should be sent straight to jail. Obnoxious.

So when you talk to your friend sitting next to you, you're in favor of sending yourself to jail?

You know damn well talking to another passenger is completely different than trying to talk on a phone on an already noisy airplane. People practically yell into their phones under normal conditions when jet engines aren't present.

And yes, people talking loudly on airplanes to other passengers is obnoxious too.

Seriously, I fly twice a month and I very rarely hear people speaking loudly into their phones on a noisy plane. Maybe it's just me. And if people speaking loudly to each other on an airplane is obnoxious but allowed, there's really no grounds to ban cell phone conversations.

If it weren't illegal you might hear more people talking loudly on their phones.

redmid17: RedT: redmid17: You're missing the point, he's not talking about phones in general, just VoIP service. In this particular case I agree with the flight attendants. In fact, I believe anyone that wants to talk on the phone mid-flight should be sent straight to jail. Obnoxious.

So when you talk to your friend sitting next to you, you're in favor of sending yourself to jail?

For reasons I cannot explain when people are on the phone they talk twice as loud as they would to the person next to them. Moreover, only being able to hear half a conversation (whether you are listening to it or not) is much more distracting. Citation

So your comparison fails

I've never really noticed people speaking noticeably louder on a phone. In fact I usually see people speaking quietly into the phone if their on a plane or bus so they don't bother other people. If noise on a plane bothers you that much, get some headphones. There's plenty of other noise it will drown out as well.

I'll agree to disagree with you on the people speaking quietly on phones thing. Maybe you just haven't been in enough situations to notice other being asshats on their phones. Maybe you're just the type of person that isn't easily annoyed. Either way I really don't care. Typical plane noise doesn't bother me that much, I'm just all about keeping the flight as quiet as possible.

If you're the type of person that thinks jabbering on the phone on a plane is A-OK you're probably also the guy that likes to chat with people when they're trying to read, or brings McDonald's on the plane, or reclines his seat.

Now that I'm looking up informatin on Vibe, I also see GrooVe IP. A year ago I couldn't find anything that worked with Google Voice directly (they required extra SIP, VOIP accounts). Skype will at least give my GV number as the outgoing number now.

What apps use Google Voice on Android? How seamless is it? (I have a galaxy tablet with data only).

Headphones folks - just wondering in text here - why should I have to buy a $300 pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones on top of my $500 airline ticked when simple courtesy and consideration for others are free?

/now I must return to LaLaLand where unicorns frisk in the gumdrop forest.
//wishes people were less self-absorbed on planes

redmid17: nu lamb fen: redmid17: RedT: redmid17: You're missing the point, he's not talking about phones in general, just VoIP service. In this particular case I agree with the flight attendants. In fact, I believe anyone that wants to talk on the phone mid-flight should be sent straight to jail. Obnoxious.

So when you talk to your friend sitting next to you, you're in favor of sending yourself to jail?

For reasons I cannot explain when people are on the phone they talk twice as loud as they would to the person next to them. Moreover, only being able to hear half a conversation (whether you are listening to it or not) is much more distracting. Citation

So your comparison fails

I've never really noticed people speaking noticeably louder on a phone. In fact I usually see people speaking quietly into the phone if their on a plane or bus so they don't bother other people. If noise on a plane bothers you that much, get some headphones. There's plenty of other noise it will drown out as well.

I'll agree to disagree with you on the people speaking quietly on phones thing. Maybe you just haven't been in enough situations to notice other being asshats on their phones. Maybe you're just the type of person that isn't easily annoyed. Either way I really don't care. Typical plane noise doesn't bother me that much, I'm just all about keeping the flight as quiet as possible.

If you're the type of person that thinks jabbering on the phone on a plane is A-OK you're probably also the guy that likes to chat with people when they're trying to read, or brings McDonald's on the plane, or reclines his seat.

I fly roundtrip to clients twice a month. I'm well aware of the dynamics of plane travel. I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill to put it politely. My MO when I travel is to either read or doze off the entire flight, so I'm making about as little noise as possible.

Well bully for you, pal. Let's keep it that way. No phone conversations mid-flight.

redmid17: Carth: redmid17: nu lamb fen: redmid17: nu lamb fen: fireclown: buzzcut73: IIRC, most VoIP providers are blocked from in-flight WiFi because nobody wants to share a space with a hundred other self-important douchebags that think they have to be talking to somebody or reachable by phone every minute of every day. You know, the same people that keep their phone turned on in the movie theater, in restaurants, wherever they happen to be.

The ban on phones on planes was never about making the ride nicer.

You're missing the point, he's not talking about phones in general, just VoIP service. In this particular case I agree with the flight attendants. In fact, I believe anyone that wants to talk on the phone mid-flight should be sent straight to jail. Obnoxious.

So when you talk to your friend sitting next to you, you're in favor of sending yourself to jail?

You know damn well talking to another passenger is completely different than trying to talk on a phone on an already noisy airplane. People practically yell into their phones under normal conditions when jet engines aren't present.

And yes, people talking loudly on airplanes to other passengers is obnoxious too.

Seriously, I fly twice a month and I very rarely hear people speaking loudly into their phones on a noisy plane. Maybe it's just me. And if people speaking loudly to each other on an airplane is obnoxious but allowed, there's really no grounds to ban cell phone conversations.

If it weren't illegal you might hear more people talking loudly on their phones.

You are aware people jump on their phone after the the plane has landed and before the gate door is shut right? That still qualifies as on a plane

Oh ok, When you said "noisy plane" i figured you meant in the air since the wind and engine noise is what causes people to talk louder.

buzzcut73: IIRC, most VoIP providers are blocked from in-flight WiFi because nobody wants to share a space with a hundred other self-important douchebags that think they have to be talking to somebody or reachable by phone every minute of every day. You know, the same people that keep their phone turned on in the movie theater, in restaurants, wherever they happen to be.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that the only people that truly need to be reachable at any time are trauma surgeons and transplant candidates, and neither of those people are going to be able to do much midway through a transcon.

/I know, your call is -really- important though, and the rest of us need to hear it.

Personally I find the self important douchbags to be those who continually demand that other people conform to said douchbag's rules.

Earplugs are cheaper than the amount of sand in your vagina. They also work for crying babies and the chatty grandmother sittibg next to you.

HeartBurnKid: I don't get you people, really. What is the big deal about somebody being on their phone? Are you this upset if someone is having a conversation with someone else on the plane? Or is it just the use of technology involved that turns a perfectly normal activity into the action of a "self-important douchebag"?

A plane isn't a movie theater, and it isn't a library. It's public transit. You shouldn't be expecting absolute silence, because you're sure as hell not going to get it, no matter how much tech you ban. People are social creatures, and when you're stuck in a metal tube for hours at a time, you're going to look for distractions.

/besides, we all know the real reason for this ban is so you'll pay $5 a minute for a skyphone call.

Other distractions include, but far from being limited to, magazines on endless topics, (inc. news, cars, motorcycles, boating, science, crafts, hobbies, puzzles, celebrities, et cettera all of which can be bought at the airport), actual books (even picture books for you morons), playing cards, mp3 (and other music devises with headphones) sleeping, thinking, contemplating, twiddling your damn thumbs -- all of which can be done IN SILENCE !

The water was cold: THIS!!! Let's not forget about libraries. Yesterday, a woman (of course) talked loudly on her phone for over an hour and a half, ABOUT CRAP! She was less than 30ft. from the door, and yet couldn't muster up the energy to go outside to talk. Because I had great parents who taught me manners, I always get as far away from other people whenever I absolutely (i.e. rarely) NEED to use my phone.

Men do this, too. It's just when men do it, they put on this self-important air about it being a business call, and people tend to give them a pass, assuming that the asshole guy's call is important enough to be yakking away. And when you boil it down, even though it sounds like he's getting work done, it's usually stuff his subordinates or coworkers could have figured out without him--so it's still about crap. Or he's "talking to an important client" and "socializing with clients is vital"--but it's not really as vital as he's making it out to be, and it's still mostly about his ego and is still mostly a load of crap.

Men are more likely to make a big production of, "Excuse me, I have to take this," and then stand ostentatiously in a doorway where they can be seen and heard "doing business."

I think when people do this---women or men---it's usually either consciously or subconsciously some kind of attention-whoring. A lot of times it just takes someone with the balls to walk right up to them and (politely) tell them to take it the hell outside.

I am aware that most people feel an inhibition against doing that, but I've never understood why, really. For me, it's the simplest thing in the world to walk up to someone like that and say, "Excuse me, ma'am, this is a library and your conversation is disturbing others. Please take it outside. Now."

It's really rare that people won't just comply. Sometimes it takes a little firmness, sometimes it takes a little kindness or tact along with polite insistence. Rarely they get red-faced and mad. But I can't remember a time I've had to back off from raging non-compliance.

Of course, you don't ask unless someone's really being a problem and is going to know their behavior is not okay, if you approach them reasonably and politely. And you don't approach someone who's obviously lost it and is having batshiat crazy-time already.

But you could have gone up to the woman in the library and asked nicely.

In this thread: self-important douches who throw a tantrum when every one around them refuses to put their life on hold and bend over backwards to make them comfortable in a public place.

Listen, twats, if you can't stand to have your lives inconvenienced by the sound of other people around you, don't leave your house. No one is forcing you to fly, and most frequent fliers would greatly prefer that you didn't.

/20 to 30 flight hours a month

I fully support any activity from my airline that discourages morons from being loud on my flights. Hell, I would have voted 'yay' to have him thrown from the plane mid-flight.

If theaters had started enforcing rules like this maybe I would still go see movies.

Major points to the guy for getting millions in free publicity for his company.

I've used GoGo a couple of times and love it. Except mostly all I do is post on FB that I'm actually online at 35,000 ft and isn't that neat. I thought the VOIP ban was because of limited bandwidth. I ran some speed tests and was getting 80K-100K