A CASE STUDY: MOBILE PHONE USE IN AIRPLANES

INTRODUCTION

 1.                  The original article is about ‘listening to your customers when they disagree’. The article focuses on whether or not to allow the customers to use their cell phones during travelling on planes. Taking into consideration the strict procedures, rules and regulations made by various aviation companies on the usage of electronic devices on board aircrafts, the mobile or cell phone usage problem is not a concern to be so much debated.

2.                  Educated or not, the global principle practiced in commercial airplanes is to not use any electronic devices on board, unless with special permissions granted by the authorities. Excluding private aircrafts, during the safety briefing in any commercial airplane, it is clearly mentioned by FAA to switch off the cell phones and other electronic devices during take-offs and landings.

3.                  This indicates that airlines have more responsibility than the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the ultimate responsibility lies on the airline Managers for any event that takes place in their airplanes whilst on the ground as well as in air.

THE PROBLEM

1.                  In order to proceed with the problem it was necessary to refer to other relating articles on the same issue. Hence, there are many problems in this case study, beginning from the customers’ disagreement to the issue of usage of cell phones on board airplanes; some customers need and others do not want cell phones inside airplanes during flight. The main problem of this case is the public divide and the airline industry should turn in their customers.

clear picture of this divide

VALUES AND POINTS OF VIEWS

1.                  Throughout the USA, almost all citizens use cell phones and they frequently travel both within the States, as well as internationally. These are busy people with a lot of communications – person to person, person to companies, company to company, both official and personal – takes place every single minute.  Therefore, technologically speaking, the usage of cell phones is their second nature. For some businessmen, missing one call it is like losing a huge Project of the company worth millions Thus, it appears that communication through phones has become an important aspect in life, be it to a businessman, or otherwise.

2.                  Some customers believe that the airlines should also have the responsibility to implement the appropriate guidelines, so that FCC alone would not have to face this challenge. Thereby, reducing the existing greater burden on FCC and making the enforcement process rather effective than it is currently.

3.                  The chart below explains customers views on the implementing guidelines:

.                  On the other hand, the airlines are very strict in their rules and regulations especially during takeoff and landing of the airplanes. According to Kang, C. and Halsey, A (2013) the Federal government has allowed the use of cell phones during flights, but the passengers cannot use the devices to make cell calls. With this incentive, the airlines are keen to give access to the passengers with the safety considerations of the aviation authorities.

2.                  Management of the FCC has a special interest in lifting the restrictions on the use of mobile cell phones during airline flights. In an article on SkyNews (2014) Tom Wheeler, the new chairman of FCC has proposed to allow the passengers to use their smartphones to send email and download data, but it would apply to flights when they are over 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) in altitude. And the restrictions of use during takeoffs and landings make the FCC’s values ambiguous.

3.                  The original case study did mention about one of the important players working in airplanes, i.e. the flight attendants. Hence, considering that their values are different from most of the customers. They are worried that the chattering passengers may lead to undermining of safety and security. "Passengers overwhelmingly reject cell phone use in the aircraft cabin. The FCC should not proceed with this proposal," the Association of Flight Attendants said in a statement in response to the FCC chairman's comments. Also the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently lifted restrictions on the use of most personal electronic devices during takeoffs and landings, but not cell phone calls, which fall under the FCC. (Sky news, 2014) According to the original article what people think the flight attendant should be responsible is indicated by the following chart:

1.                  Considering some anonymous point of views, some say “in theory it seems so easy to say that authorities in charge can set a middle ground, but in practice it is not feasible i.e. there cannot be a middle ground. In essence, it is not possible to make all the customers happy and at the same time set a middle ground. Because, at the end of the day, there will always be a portion of people who cannot come to a consensus. (Anonymous. 2014)

1.                  Looking at the chart above the middle ground cannot be established as different people think differently, and so do their priorities and interests.

2.                  According to some viewers of the article: “The option of allowing only data services, and barring voice calls, may not be very sensible - especially in the era of Apps that provide free calling services (e.g. Viber). Even if you put firewalls and other checks, people will somehow find a way around the system to make voice calls. And if one person gets through your fences, he/she will end up not only irritating the rest of the crowd but also creating a wrong impression about the ability of the carrier to implement robust systems”.

The chart above shows more customer views

LEGAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES

 1.                  Legal ground is a broad issue. The FAA and the FCC should set a specific law not to permit mobile phone usage, except in special circumstances. But again‘what amounts to or what can amount to special circumstances’ must be well defined by the authorities so as to not arouse ambiguity. The article does not indicate any strict legal matters as it has mentioned “evidence suggested that the risks are low, so airlines may find that passenger education can relax some of those worried opponents.”

2.                  Consequently, this has become a social issue. Do not know when there will be a worst case scenario of this matter. For example: a riot… This will definitely lead to producing serious legal documents. As yet no agency have authorized the use of mobile calls, security matters may not arise. But if they authorize calling or activation of cells, it may lead to severe security and safety issues because, through cell phones there can be unusual and unsafe communications may occur due to the fraudulent activities, and anonymity.

CONCLUSIONS

1.                   The electronic devices can be allowed in airplane flights. When considering cell phones the cell signal should be disabled (airplane mode to be activated). Since the majority of the people believe that, it can be a security threat.

2.                  During takeoffs and landings, the prohibition of the use of all electronic devices is to be implemented as a safety measure of the aircraft.

3.                  Hence, there is a divide within the public and there can be no middle ground on this issue. Either it should be banned or approved with particular restrictions like ‘no calls allowed’.

4.                  The article has become an important eye opener for airline industry and not only in USA but to other countries as well since, the same issue is being evaluated. Having said this, it might well be worth considering to review what International preparatory measures are in place to resolve the issue at hand and adopt the same so as to unanimously implement the same to all airlines irrespective of which country the airline belongs to.

5.                  The judgment on the security and safety factor of the aircraft is important to look back to the history of the issue that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had asked the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA), an independent industry standards organization, to study the issue of electronic devices on airplanes in 1992. The RTCA had not found any interference and eventually recommended allowing the use of laptops, gaming devices and music players. Nevertheless, it has been suggested by RTCA on the precaution of banning the use of any and all devices during the critical takeoff and landing phases. (Hsu, J. 2009) This explains that there is a safety factor during the aforementioned phases.                 

REFERENCES

1.       Hsu, J. (2009). The Real Reason Cell Phone Use Is Banned on Airlines. Available at: http://www.livescience.com/5947-real-reason-cell-phone-banned-airlines.html [Accessed 21 Feb 2014]

2.                  Kang, C. and Halsey, A. (2013).U.S. considers cellphones on flights but no calls. Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/us-considers-cell-phones-on-flights-but-no-calls/2013/12/12/17b171ec-635e-11e3-aa81-e1dab1360323_story.html [Accessed 19 Feb 2014]

3.                  Sky news (2014). Rules On In-Flight Phone Use Reconsidered. Available at: http://news.sky.com/story/1172076/rules-on-in-flight-phone-use-reconsidered [Accessed 19 Feb 2014]