Comments on: WiFi on Airlines: Great Idea, Bad Users

By: lex

lex — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:56:37 +0000

Late to the party, I amend: “No VOIP on Planes” except checking voicemail w/earbuds. Type everything else. Take the armrest for typing, with my compliments.
Remember when we sat down? I said that I’d prefer quiet? For the whole flight? And you agreed? That was excellent!
Silence five! Don’t keep me hangin’.

By: Oliver Starr

Oliver Starr — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:50:33 +0000

OMG are people really that clueless?

“If you use a headset for Skype it won’t be that bad.”

Umm….really?

Maybe you forgot the part where YOU (the person that thinks using Skype with a headset is okay) talk? Remember, just because only YOU can hear what the other person is saying doesn’t mean that everyone in the plane won’t also be tortured by whatever you are saying in response!

Unless, perhaps, you happen to have one of those “Cones of Silence” that Maxwell Smart has? From your comment it sounds like you could use one. (or we could use YOU in one)…

Either way, think a little… headsets…Skype…jeez. Nuff Said.

By: Gavin Roskamp

Gavin Roskamp — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:55:19 +0000

Yeah, I must agree that WiFi on planes would be great, especially for the over-seas ones that take 14 hours or so (L.A. to Sydney, they have built in tvs for games and movies but having wifi would be a lot better)

As for Torrents, the airline could block them and they could nicely tell you not to use them, that way most people won’t try but the few that do try will fail :P

Porn…. yeah, self explanitory!

And for Skype/other Vid/Audio chat services, they should do the same as torrents. For one, it is probably the most annoying thing. :P secondly, think of all the bandwidth that gets sucked up… yeah :D

Also, sites like UStream and possibly YouTube (Maybe just put a limit on the speed it downloads the movie?) should be blocked or something, because they take quite a bit of speed. Maybe they could put a speed limit on each device so that you only get so much kbps that way everyone gets the same no matter what and it would scan every minute to see how many people are connected and give equal parts of the bandwidth to each person. That would be TOTALLY ideal for me :) (iPod Touch, 3 laptops, yeah, I’d be happy lol)

By: James Madison

James Madison — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:45:42 +0000

Drudge pointed to an article about this on his site this AM. The US is a day late and a dollar short to implement the service. Several European carriers have been offering it for years. Delta and American have been offering the services on their 767s for a month or two. The price is reasonable($10 for a three hour flight) and more for longer flights. Did you think it would be free? Already filters have been installed to filter out the objectionable sites. How long before someone defeats the filter? As soon as that happens, bye-bye internet. Can you imagine the lawsuits? Now it is a novelty and limited to the larger planes but can you imagine it becoming popular and available on every podunk airline we have? How about coast to coast on JetBlue in the middle seat with two tyrpe A personalities on either side of you for 5 hours. Not a pretty picture. Most of the comments posted in the article were unfavorable because the flyers wanted to disappear for a few hours. Sounds reasonable to me. Add that to cellphones and why fly unless you really have to? And then wear earmuffs and blinders and wake me when I get there. The first time I saw a fellow talking on his cell phone on the street I was intrigued. Now we have so many people using them anytime and anywhere that we have to have rules to control the user. Wait until the internet usage becomes popular. Chalk up another paragraph or so to the safety demonstration by the stewardess.

By: Frank Schnyder

Frank Schnyder — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:44:22 +0000

Elranchero, I think it’s pretty unlikely that someone would be wishing a girl named ‘Edna’ a happy valentine’s day!

By: gypkap

gypkap — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:13:05 +0000

Simple solution on planes.

Aaron has it right. It all comes down to courtesy.

The biggest problem is interference with electronics on a plane. The next worst problem is phone usage when people are trying to work or sleep. Finally, there are bandwidth hogs like BitTorrent.

Solutions: only Ethernet cable connections to the Internet unless WiFI can be certified not to interfere on that plane, and blocking all phone services like Skype or cell phones.

If possible, block porn sites and BitTorrent. Passengers can wait til they get to their hotel rooms.

By: John Chorley

John Chorley — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:48:44 +0000

I think it’s a good idea for business men/women. But on the other hand it can be a bad idea since people can use them for illegel activites like downloading music illegally.

But that whole business about skype not being allowed is a load of ….. (you know what I’m going to say so why should I say it) I do think that skype calls should be allowed, but on the basis that you use a headset.

so in my opinion wifi on planes is a good idea in theroy.

By: Zach Mitchell

Zach Mitchell — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 11:06:34 +0000

I think as long as users had a headset Skype would be ok, unless it’s more of a bandwidth thing.

By: petes2cents

petes2cents — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:21:12 +0000

A few months ago I purchased the iPod Touch and I can’t live without it. Having WiFi on an airline flight would be great. Waiting and ready.

By: Ninesvnsicks

Ninesvnsicks — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:01:56 +0000

No Skype because the person sitting next to you doesn’t want to hear a conversation your having with another person, it’s like sitting next to someone talking on a blue tooth lol.

By: Elranchero

Elranchero — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:25:04 +0000

Here’s another example. It’s valentine’s day. Judy is on a flight to Los Angeles. She starts calling her girlfriends.

Angela? Oh hi sweetie. I just wanted to call and wish you a happy valentine’s day honey. I love you!

Betty? Oh hi sweetie. I just wanted to call and wish you a happy valentine’s day honey. I love you!

Cathy? Oh hi sweetie. I just wanted to call and wish you a happy valentine’s day honey. I love you!

Darla? Oh hi sweetie. I just wanted to call and wish you a happy valentine’s day honey. I love you!

Edna? Oh hi sweetie. I just wanted to call and wish you a happy valentine’s day honey. I love you!

Fran? Oh hi sweetie. I just wanted to call and wish you a happy valentine’s day honey. I love you!

on and on… the whoooooole flight!!

By: Elranchero

Elranchero — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:21:49 +0000

all thru the flight you’ll be hearing

“great, great, then it’s a deal. Our people will be calling your people bright and early tomorrow morning. No, no don’t worry about a thing. Schwartz from New york will take care of everything. Eh? no, no, it’ll be okay.. I’ve already talked to Finkelstein about that. He went down to Omaha and took care of those guys. Yeah, yeah, you know how the Omaha office is. alright then, we’ll keep talk to your team tomorrow. Great job there MaGilacuddy, you’ll win salesman of the year for sure!”

By: Aaron Tanner

Aaron Tanner — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:48:42 +0000

Personally, I think this would be/is a fantastic idea.

I would personally use it, especially on long trips..

I have had to fly anywhere for a while now because most of my trips are now done by car.

I think your comments on BT, Adult Sites and Skype are all very obvious give-ins.

Personally, I wouldn’t want to be interrupted by someone talking/talking loudly using skype while I’m trying to sleep, or even just sitting next to them not doing anything.

Adult sites.. well that’s pretty self explanatory.

and BT, another obvious one.

Lots of users + lots of bandwidth usage = SLOW INTERNET. Simple.

Follow these simple rules, be courteous. Use your brains.
Seems pretty easy to me..

Only as you know, some won’t follow the rules.. so it’s a matter of being able to enforce the policy.

Just my two cents, anyhow.

Cheers,
Aaron

By: sandy

sandy — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:47:39 +0000

I agree, no Skype on planes. It’s bad enough to have to sit next to some stranger for several hours but to have to listen to their entire conversation with someone would be torture. Sometimes I just want to read or take a nap in peace.

By: mark

mark — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:33:29 +0000

the ironic thing is that airlines have for years have told us to the turn wifi off on laptop claiming that it interferes with crucial systems.

but yeah its about time airlines offer wifi,