Alaska Airlines Working to Launch Inflight Wireless Internet
Sep 18, 2007, 7:35 pm
#17
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,318
Bystanders rated mobile-phone conversations as dramatically more noticeable, intrusive, and annoying than conversations conducted face-to-face. While volume was an issue, hearing only half a discussion also seemed to up the irritation factor.
Sep 19, 2007, 2:51 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
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This was my first thought when I read the news, too...
On another note: not to be in favor of loud VoIP conversationalists, but one way around any Skype, etc. port blocking is that corporate VPN access they tout.
Of course, anyone with enough savvy to set up a VPN (or at least use a company-provided one) would have the common courtesy to speak softly into the phone. Perhaps we give FAs the ability to slam obnoxious people's laptops shut?
(I'm the rare type: when I'm necessarily on the phone in a public space like a restaurant or an airplane (before the door shuts, of course), I speak so softly that people right next to me (if any) can't even hear me, and the people on the other end of the connection hear me just fine. I wish everyone in the world could be forced to understand that...)
On another note: not to be in favor of loud VoIP conversationalists, but one way around any Skype, etc. port blocking is that corporate VPN access they tout.
Of course, anyone with enough savvy to set up a VPN (or at least use a company-provided one) would have the common courtesy to speak softly into the phone. Perhaps we give FAs the ability to slam obnoxious people's laptops shut?
(I'm the rare type: when I'm necessarily on the phone in a public space like a restaurant or an airplane (before the door shuts, of course), I speak so softly that people right next to me (if any) can't even hear me, and the people on the other end of the connection hear me just fine. I wish everyone in the world could be forced to understand that...)
Sep 19, 2007, 8:45 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: LAX based
Posts: 315
Perhaps we give FAs the ability to slam obnoxious people's laptops shut?
(I'm the rare type: when I'm necessarily on the phone in a public space like a restaurant or an airplane (before the door shuts, of course), I speak so softly that people right next to me (if any) can't even hear me, and the people on the other end of the connection hear me just fine. I wish everyone in the world could be forced to understand that...)
(I'm the rare type: when I'm necessarily on the phone in a public space like a restaurant or an airplane (before the door shuts, of course), I speak so softly that people right next to me (if any) can't even hear me, and the people on the other end of the connection hear me just fine. I wish everyone in the world could be forced to understand that...)
Before anyone goes off on THAT tangent, know I'm laughing as I typed all this. "Excuse me sir, your yapping is too loud... <SLAM>... Thank you!
" lmao I'm the same way with my phone use in public... if my phone rings in a restaurant or similar place I either hit the 'ignore' button and silence my phone or if I answer simply I say "hold on one sec, I'll be right with you" and excuse myself to a more private location.
Sep 19, 2007, 1:02 pm
#23
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, HIlton Diamond
Posts: 801
Summary:
Bystanders rated mobile-phone conversations as dramatically more noticeable, intrusive, and annoying than conversations conducted face-to-face. While volume was an issue, hearing only half a discussion also seemed to up the irritation factor.
Sep 19, 2007, 8:23 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SFO & RNO
Posts: 595
HELLO?
No dancing around the issue here!
I don't want to hear it - half a conversation, clicks and pops and prompts to customized tones or other geeky fodder.
I hear it everywhere else - but keep the plane safe and sane!
PLEASE!
No dancing around the issue here!
I don't want to hear it - half a conversation, clicks and pops and prompts to customized tones or other geeky fodder.
I hear it everywhere else - but keep the plane safe and sane!
PLEASE!
Sep 23, 2007, 10:14 am
#25
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: AS MVPG, Hilton Diamond, MR Plat, PC Plat
Posts: 246
Although I typically hate flying American (due to no crappy seats we always get) it's kind of nice having that power outlet in the seat. Hopefully AS would consider power in FC, rows 6-9 and Emergency exit rows... please, please, please!
Sep 23, 2007, 11:37 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
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Since each plane will be out of service for presumably a relatively substantial time to get the Internet service itself installed, it can't be that much more to have some guys wire up the plane with a few (or a lot of) EmPower or, even better, standard AC outlets. Aid it certainly would be cheaper to install them in all rows at once than to install them in F and the bulkhead/exit rows and later find out that popular demand requires them to pull the plane back out of service and install them in the rest of the rows...
(I know it's not that simple, but still...)
Sep 24, 2007, 2:33 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, IHG Platinum, Avis President's Club, Hertz President's Circle
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Have to second the "on board power please" request.
Putting in wireless without putting in any power ports is pretty silly. What good does wifi do you on a flight if your computer runs out of juice?
I like Alaska a lot but not having power points (even in first) is a big reason I fly other airlines transcon sometimes even if there is an AL flight.
Putting in wireless without putting in any power ports is pretty silly. What good does wifi do you on a flight if your computer runs out of juice?
I like Alaska a lot but not having power points (even in first) is a big reason I fly other airlines transcon sometimes even if there is an AL flight.
Sep 24, 2007, 7:46 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Seattle,WA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond+, Alaska Airlines MVP, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 2,682
The issue has been raised on here many times about onboard power and it sounds like it is not going to happen. Someone even said they would pay more per ticket if they could get the outlets and someone else said take that extra money you would pay per ticket and put it towards an extra battery.
Sep 24, 2007, 8:41 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: Alaska MVP
Posts: 413
At the July 19 Gold Lunch in Seattle, the AS exec in charge of the inflight wireless project stated that because of a) the enormous expense of installing individual seat power ports and b) the current (pardon the pun) and future advances in battery technology, there are no plans to so equip any of the planes.