"Attention All Passengers: Please DO NOT turn off your Cellular Devices"

The announcement comes over the speaker, just as you are putting away your tray table and making sure your seat is in an upright and locked position. And then the dreadful request, “cellular phones must be turned off and remain off for the duration of the flight.” You begin sweating, panicking, and thoughts of being unconnected to the rest of the world begin to fill your head – how will you make it without your cell phone? Will you survive through this 1 hour and 45 minute flight?
Worry not – a new resolution and wave of technology may soon be available to you on your favorite airline provider. Airline carriers such as Virgin Atlantic and Malaysian Airlines recently announced that 1,000 of their aircrafts will allow for use of cell phones including in-flight mobile calling within the next three years. And these may not be the only in the industry to follow suit – experts suggest that the use of cell phones and in-flight connectivity will become standard for most airlines moving forward.

So how will this affect your flight experience as well as the experiences of leisure travelers? While many individuals may value the connectivity provided on flights – those non-business travelers may feel the negative effects en route. Mary Kirby, editor of Airline Passenger Experience magazine, went as far as stating that Americans seem to be against allowing access in-flight due to the disruption they may cause. Despite this perspective, some passengers may just be out of luck – it seems that the more important our cell phones become the more likely they will become a part of our day to day lives – whether on ground or in the air.
For more information on the in-flight cellular debate visit http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/18/travel/flight-mobile-business-traveller/index.html?hpt=tr_c2.

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