It’s for your own good again

Since the inception of modern commercial air travel, we have been told to turn off electronic devices because they might interfere with the plane’s navigation. If the pilots get lost, then the plane could run out of fuel before it finds itself. In short, if you use your walkman, you might crash the plane.

Original aircraft navigational systems were pretty sensitive. But advancements in this science, and improvement in manufacturer’s engineering designs, have rendered the need to turn off your electronic devices obsolete. Has been for a very long time. Yet they still play that tired old mantra at the start of every flight.

Now airlines want to let passengers use their cell phones in the air – for the additional revenue. Cool. But what about the safety to air travel? Are they not dangerous to use after the door closes? People could die. Right?

And the high speed internet usage? Brought to you via the same 802.11.g wireless system that you use at all of those hotspots everywhere. More revenue. Cool. But what about the navigational system? Won’t this crash the plane? I mean, if it's your computer that's causing all the trouble, it won't magically stop causeing trouble just because it's on a plane. Will it?

It can’t be both. It cannot be “dangerous to the plane so don’t use those things”, and “not dangerous so pay us money to use them” at the same time. So what gives?

Now the current talk is banning cell phones and internet for “air rage” and “anti-terrorism.” Or if the beneficent FAA allows them, makes their use available only if you consent to have your connection tapped so they can listen and make sure that you’re not coordinating terrorist activity.

The truth is that just like most other airline security and safety measures; they exist to empower government, not to make you safer.