In-flight Chat--- Put Consumers in the Pilot's Seat

There's a bill making its way through Congress (HR 5878, Hangup Act)  that could outlaw the use of cell phones for in-flight conversations. It was passed out of committee about one week ago and now moves on for full House consideration. I'm not here to argue the merits of the proposal. Personally, I just can't imagine how painful it would be to have to sit next to some loudmouth sharing their life story on a cross-country flight. Texting? No problem. Internet access? You bet. But talking on a mobile device on-board? Not for me.

But do we really need Congress to step in, when consumers like you and me can speak with our feet and take our business to any airline of our choosing? If you don't like the way a business conducts itself, don't do business with them. That's certainly the choice you have with wireless service, and there's no reason to think those same choices wouldn't be prevalent in this case. Besides, Congress has a full plate of serious issues to deal with, and it certainly doesn't need to be taking up the 'people's time' with in-flight chat.

How do you feel about it? The Associated Press is reporting on a survey by the Department of Transportation that indicates about half of American flyers support the proposal, while about 40% oppose it. There's an impressive divide among various age-groups, with the older set (65 and over) generally supporting the proposal, while younger Americans (18-34 year olds) are against it by about 50% to 35%.

So, we're up in the air over the issue. I think we're best served by bringing it back to earth, and the sound principles of letting the market drive decisions, not government meddling.