Hey, what's going on with phone calls on planes these days? I remember older movies where people could make use of sort of a payphone on the plane, for a premium, but looking for it on Google just now I don't find a lot of mention of it. I've got a guy on a plane (LA - Washington) who needs to call ahead urgently. I need a conversation to happen, so texting is not an option. Also, I'd prefer him to remain in his seat, but if he needs to get out, so be it. What are his options, without breaking the already pretty tensed suspension of disbelief.
Yeah, they used to have those corded phones in the back of the headrests but I haven't seen those in years. Now they almost all have in-flight wifi, maybe he could use that somehow? Still costs a premium.
Yeah, I read about in-flight wifi. That's definitely an option, but I've just never encountered somebody making a call on a plane. Granted, I don't fly very much at all, but since people are apparently obsessed with having pointless conversations, you'd think I would have seen it at least once. Edit: Turns out I've never encountered it because it's just plain illegal. Thankfully, I might add, but it doesn't help my story.
Might I ask you to elaborate? Through wifi, I assume? Did the cabin crew have any strong opinions on that? Is it considered weird, or inappropriate?
Some airlines now have free in-flight wi-fi (like JetBlue). Combine that with a phone capable of wi-fi calling, and you can make calls on planes without data. Still very on and off signal, though.
When does this take place? I would think in the past twenty years, the proximity to a cell phone tower is the main factor. Weren't there many phone calls on Flight 93? Edit: I read that the two regular cell phone calls that occurred on Flight 93 wouldn't be possible today, as the communication systems today won't connect the call if it detects the personal phone is in flight. Don't know if that is true or not.
Also, an unrelated point, but if it's a really urgent moment, making it a tense one may not be a bad idea, if it fits into the tone of your story. He hurries to the airplane bathroom, hard to hear with the loud sounds of the plane. The turbulence throws him a bit off balance, and the person on the other end of the phone notices he staggered speech and lots of ambient noise coming through on his end. The man says what he needs to say, but maybe a big bout of turbulence then knocks his phone into the toilet (airplane toilets don't have sitting water, FYI), and he misses telling the other person something important to the story.
I made the call using the aircraft's own system. I forget which airline it was with, but you could use the media handset to make a call, presumably over the aircraft's wifi. But it was pointless. The engine noise is too loud to hear anything, and the connection kept dropping.
I'm already plastering the story with thick coats of artistic license (now also available in biodegradable acrylic!), I'm not gonna stop at the quality of a wifi signal. ;o) Present day. Maybe a couple of weeks into the future. Read about that, yes. I kinda thought those were more aircraft-system-handset based. There is definite urgency. This guy has seen the end of the universe coming and he needs to let the president know he's coming, so the relevant authorities can be conviened (and we're just not gonna talk about conference calls). But I prefer absurdism, and the idea of a quasi-celebrity sitting in coach, calling the president seemed amusing. Especially from the POV of other passengers, who are just annoyed at this disheveled man yelling into his telephone that he needs to talk to the president. Ah, thank you. That would most likely also negate any reason for the flight crew to intervene. I'm going with the wifi-route. Gives me some more options for hijinks.
Think there should be wi-fi phones available, or at least he should be able to make a wi-fi call. Would be easier in Europe since you could just use your cellphone. More and more flights allow it and the EU-level ban was repealed way long time ago.
Its allowed on some flights in some parts of the world. The US doesnt allow it, the UK does allow it IF the plane has the right technology and IF the airline has said they will allow it, otherwise it remains banned. Needs to be a wifi call such as whatsapp
