| The Ability to Use Wireless Technology
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| | receive what they deem to be a very
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| during Air Travel - It's on Its Way.
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| | important business call and end up
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| In early 2007, OnAir will arrive. OnAir
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| | talking longer than they expected. Or, a
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| is a service that uses satellite
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| | mom who just wants to check on her
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| technology to enable air travel
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| | children for a minute will end up having
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| passengers to use wireless devices such
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| | to chat with each one of them before she
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| as mobile phones, Internet connections
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| | can hang up.
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| from computers and Blackberries during a
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| | It's no wonder that air travel passengers
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| flight. The debate over the use of
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| | are concerned that the use of mobile
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| wireless technology during flight has
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| | phones will become an annoyance during
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| been going on for years, and now that
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| | flights. They already are an annoyance
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| it's about to happen, the debate is
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| | down on the ground. Another concern some
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| likely to heat up.
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| | air travelers have will be the tension
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| First of all, you should know that the
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| | that all of this annoyance will create,
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| first wave of this will not be happening
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| | perhaps making already jittery flyers
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| on US flights. Airbus, the plane
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| | more frustrated and pushing them over the
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| manufacturer who is creating this
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| | edge.
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| technology, is selling it to AirFrance.
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| | Some people are already nervous just
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| AirFrance is expected to have the service
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| | about flying. Add a cramped, overcrowded
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| available to passengers in early 2007.
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| | plane to the mix, the constant threat of
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| Whether passengers will have to pay for
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| | terrorism, the restrictions on what can
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| the service like they pay for headphones
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| | be carried on, and now the addition of an
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| for a movie is not known yet. Two other
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| | inconsiderate mobile phone user sitting
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| airlines, the British airline bmi and TAP
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| | right next to that nervous flyer, and
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| Air Portugal are both considering using
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| | someone might just snap.
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| OnAir, but nothing has been finalized,
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| | What about Internet connection?
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| yet.
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| | Travelers aren't as adamantly against the
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| So what is the debate all about? Who
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| | use of Internet connections for computers
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| wouldn't want the convenience of using
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| | and pda's such as Blackberrys. Those
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| their cell phone during a long flight,
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| | devices are quiet. Many passengers
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| getting important e-mails on their
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| | already use their laptop computers on a
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| Blackberry or having the luxury of
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| | flight; it's just not connected to the
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| surfing the Internet to pass the time?
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| | Internet when they use it. Being able to
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| Apparently, lots of people and for some
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| | send and receive e-mail messages while on
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| very valid reasons.
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| | a flight could be convenient to most
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| The Safety Consideration
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| | people, particularly business travelers.
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| There has been an ongoing concern that
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| | There doesn't seem to be much of a debate
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| the use of mobile phones (cell phones to
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| | over these devices as long as safety is
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| us Americans) and other devices that use
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| | not a concern.
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| wireless technology could interfere with
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| | What Can be Done?
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| the plane's navigational equipment.
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| | When should you start being concerned
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| Recent technological advances in both
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| | with this issue? As of right now, US
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| navigational equipment and cell phone
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| | carriers don't seem to be considering
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| technology seem to negate this concern,
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| | using OnAir or any service like it. A
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| but not everyone is convinced. There is
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| | report on MSN Travel said that the
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| concern that the navigational equipment
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| | airlines that they asked - AirTran,
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| on older planes may still be affected.
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| | Spirit, and US Airways - all said that
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| The Mobile Phone Debate
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| | they have heard their passengers say they
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| Okay, suppose the safety issue is taken
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| | don't want mobile phones used on planes
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| care of and there is no concern that
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| | and are against adding the services.
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| wireless communications technology will
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| | However, the question is, if these
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| interfere with the plane's navigational
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| | services do catch on in Europe and prove
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| equipment. What objection is there to the
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| | to be a money maker for the carriers who
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| use of mobile phone's during a flight?
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| | use it, will the US carriers jump on
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| Surveys have shown that the majority of
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| | board? In an era of shrinking profits,
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| air travelers are against the use of
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| | will they be able to resist?
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| mobile phones on an airplane because it
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| | So if the trial that AirFrance is giving
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| would be downright annoying to sit next
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| | OnAir proves to be successful and the US
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| to someone who is receiving and making
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| | carriers jump on board, what can be done
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| phone calls for hours on a flight. They
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| | to make sure that mobile phone usage does
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| imagine being stuck between two incessant
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| | not become a problem on board?
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| talkers.
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| | One solution is to have no cell phone
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| Common sense would seem to tell you that
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| | usage times. Perhaps next to the little
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| people wouldn't really be so
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| | light above your seat that lets you know
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| inconsiderate as to have hour's long
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| | if you need to have your seat belt
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| conversations on their mobile phone
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| | fastened or not, there could be another
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| during a flight. But experience has shown
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| | light that lets you know if it's the
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| us when it comes to mobile phones, most
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| | proper time to use your cell phone or
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| people loose their common sense. People
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| | not. Cell phone time could be restricted
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| will hold loud personal conversations in
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| | on long flights and on flights that are
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| restaurants and grocery stores and on
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| | overnight when most people would want to
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| buses. They will drive using a handheld
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| | sleep.
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| mobile phone even states where it has
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| | Another solution is to give the crew the
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| been made illegal. So does anyone really
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| | ability to disable the voice function on
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| believe that people will use common sense
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| | devices during restricted times. During
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| and consideration during air travel? Not
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| | those times text messaging and e-mailing
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| really.
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| | would be allowed, but talking would be
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| It's easy to see the scenario. Business
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| | disabled.
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| people who intend to be considerate will
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