Majority say no to ‘dial-high club’

A new survey from flight comparison site Skyscanner has revealed that 86 per cent of people do not want mobile phone use to be permitted on planes, as it’s “annoying to have to listen to other people’s conversations”.

The overwhelming result comes just after Virgin Atlantic announced it would be the first UK airline to allow mobile calls during flights, on its London to New York route.

The calls will cost £1 (€1.24) a minute and sending a text will be 20 pence (25 cents), significantly more than costs on the ground.

Even though many people welcome improvements in general internet connectivity allowing them to jump online in more and more places around the world, there appears to be a markedly different attitude when it comes to mobile phone conversations in confined spaces.

If mobile use was available onboard, 48 per cent said they would send texts, 35 per cent said they would surf the web, 10 per cent would send e-mail, while only six per cent would actually make and take calls.

Furthermore only one per cent of those polled said they would pay more to fly with an airline that offered mobile calls.

Skyscanner travel editor Sam Baldwin said: “In a world where we are now almost always ‘on call’, it seems people don’t want to say goodbye to their last sanctuary of non-connectivity.

“Flying allows us to switch off for a few hours, both from our own calls, and other people’s calls.”

However, Mr Baldwin thinks Virgin’s move into onboard mobile is the beginning of the end of the no-phone zone.

“I think it’s inevitable that within a few years, making mobile calls at 30,000 feet will be commonplace on all airlines,” he said.