This is a good thing. Nothing more annoying than sitting next to someone yapping on their phone in a plane.
Cell service isn't for yapping anymore, it's for scrolling!
Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
11–20 of 46 posts
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#12It's not called "the tarmac" by anyone in aviation. Taxiway and ramp?
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#13Slightly related to a comment in the article about airport interiors being so big: Why is it that almost _all_ airports have those huge ceilings? Is it just for aesthetics? Personally it feels really uncomfortable and just wasteful. I can't help but think you could make airports a hell of a lot smaller and make it a better experience overall. An interesting contrast is Narita's low-cost-carrier terminal 3. It has nor…
When I go into an airport terminal with lower ceilings (e.g. parts of Melbourne Airport) I feel _noticeably_ more cramped and claustrophobic. It really does make the experience feel worse for me. I'm not entirely sure why it makes me feel that way.
Melbourne airport is the one that instantly popped in to my mind as it's the airport I've spent most time in.
And yeah, there are a couple of noticeably lower ceilings in there.
But, I wouldn't be surprised to discover that tests have shown people become much more agitated in crowded places with regular (is it 8' / 2400mm?) ceilings. I can't imagine that scenario would make me feel at ease.
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#14Slightly related to a comment in the article about airport interiors being so big: Why is it that almost _all_ airports have those huge ceilings? Is it just for aesthetics? Personally it feels really uncomfortable and just wasteful. I can't help but think you could make airports a hell of a lot smaller and make it a better experience overall. An interesting contrast is Narita's low-cost-carrier terminal 3. It has nor…
Building an airport is a huge and costly undertaking — so much so that it represents more than just a building. The airport will be the first thing people see when arriving in a place, and the last thing they see when they leave. It’s a landmark. It tries to reflect the way the city sees itself, and how it wants to portray itself to the rest of the world.
It’s important to build something that gives you an experience. There are very few places left that put effort into architecture to make you feel something, and an airport project is big enough to make it worth it. And there really is a sense of wonder in the act of flying itself.
There are plenty of smaller airports that focus on being functional, and most of them feel like little more than glorified bus stations.
And if nothing else, a nice airport makes people feel good about flying, so they do it more often. It is a business at the end of the day.
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#15This is not an issue I have ever experienced. I can’t get reliable coverage in my office but planes on the ground seem to be fine (mostly Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Des Moines). Maybe it affect some airports more than others.
I concur. I've left my phone on by accident a few times and usually I'm getting alerts right before touch down.
same I have never had an issue
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#16Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#17It's not called "the tarmac" by anyone in aviation. Taxiway and ramp?
Maybe it's not intended for people in aviation.
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#18This is a good thing. Nothing more annoying than sitting next to someone yapping on their phone in a plane.
Do you feel the same about people speaking a language you don't understand? It has the same problems of being a noise that you can't pay attention to because it doesn't make sense but you can't shut out because it's loud and filled with features.
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#19This is a good thing. Nothing more annoying than sitting next to someone yapping on their phone in a plane.
Do you feel the same about people speaking a language you don't understand? It has the same problems of being a noise that you can't pay attention to because it doesn't make sense but you can't shut out because it's loud and filled with features.
Conversations, even in a foreign language have a different feeling than monologues with pauses.
Re: Why you can't get cell service on the tarmac
#20I use an MVNO, and my roaming is frequently international. I don't notice this problem because an MVNO roaming is a recipe for a long, slow APN negotiation war with trombone data effects.
It always causes me some pain to watch others get ping-bombed by texts, until I remember they are probably locals, reattaching to their base carrier.
I am waiting for the last cab in the rank to groan, walk up, and accept the 'no speak the language' passenger who doesn't know how to behave.