German Ministry of Transport Allows Mobile Phone Usage in Planes

One relaxing advantage the plane has had up to now, compared to other means of transport: you couldn’t be unnerved neither by too loud headphones nor by music-like noises from mobile phone speakers of minors. Any gadget just had to stay turned off.

This in the true sense of the word heavenly especialness is now coming to an end, at least as regards the legal basis: The Ministry of Transport recently allowed the usage of mobile phones, notebooks equipped with W-LAN, etc. above the clouds. Mobile telephony becomes harmless for the pilot’s radio communication through a specific station installed in the plane, connecting mobile phones to their nets with the lowest possible transmission power.

Flight safety is to remain first priority, and so every airline may decide on their own if their passengers are allowed to use their mobiles. For the time being, the German airlines only want to allow sending messages and surfing via W-LAN, but no telephony. Not due to technical dangers, but because “the majority of guests feels disturbed by the release of mobile phones”. This says Lufthansa spokesman Michael Lamberty. Of course the Ministry didn’t think of annoying adolescents while planning the new law – primarily business people should benefit from the stratospheric communication.

Would it really get around to a “chattering release”, the pharmaceutical companies would also benefit – when stewardesses ask their passengers for ‘coffee, tea, valerian or valium?’. As if flying wasn’t already nerve-racking enough, we’d probably have to stand the annoying business jabbering of the seatmate, the latest blasphemies of the chick at the back seats and the booming techno beats from the headphones of the man in front of us who is going to suffer an irreparable tinnitus in not more than three years later. Unfortunately way too many people are lacking the sensitiveness for a social mobile phone use. Luckily, these horror scenarios will stay unreal for the time being.

So - enjoy your flight!