FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Southwest relaxes cell phone policy

Sep 4, 2003 | 2:45 pm

#5

ejmelton

Join Date: Mar 2003

Location: Midwest United States (and anywhere a cheap fare takes me)

Programs: Marriott (Gold), Hilton (Gold), SWA (CP), Hertz (5*), UA (Nobody), AA (Lifetime Gold)

Posts: 854

According to the press release:

"Southwest conducted the required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) testing to ensure that cell phones did not interfere with ground navigation equipment during taxi. Its test results showed no avionics nor ground test anomalies."

For years folks have been saying that we can't use cells in the plane because they might crash the plane. (Not to give any terrorists a new idea, but if that were true think what 100 phones in baggage ringing at the same time could do.) So now testing shows "no avionics nor ground test anomalies". Is the FCC ready to test the cell tower system for inflight cell use?

On the other hand, imagine 20 or more cell phones in use on a 737. ("CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?"). Maybe it would be better if the FCC left well enough alone.

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