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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
Bristol, United Kingdom, 2008/09/26 - Hot on the heels of Emirates, Ryanair has just announced that passengers will be able to make mobile calls during flights within weeks. However, accordingly to a recent poll by Wanderlust Magazine, the vast majority of travellers are strongly opposed.
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Mobiles on planes? We hate the idea - over 75% of travellers say no
Hot on the heels of Emirates, Ryanair has just announced that passengers will be able to make mobile calls during flights within weeks. However, accordingly to a recent poll by Wanderlust Magazine, the vast majority of travellers are strongly opposed to the move.
The poll of over 1000 of the magazine’s readers, showed that three-quarters of respondents (76%) said that they would never use a mobile phone in the air. Only 2% of those questioned said that they would happily use their phone on a plane regularly and 17% said they might be tempted, but only if they were delayed.
Wanderlust readers didn’t hold back when it came to revealing just why they wanted to halt the handsets, citing the constant ‘bleep bleep’ as an interruption of ‘me time’ with one respondent commenting ‘…imagine the loud and pointless mobile calls induced by two or three in flight drinks. Ban them all.’
The introduction of mobiles may cause some travellers to stop flying all together ‘I find flying unpleasant enough these days, add mobile phones and I will never fly again!’ commented on traveller. Hailed as a triumph for technology, the move looks likely to be less of a triumph for Ryanair’s already busy customer complaints team.
Dan Linstead, Editor of Wanderlust comments “The message from our readers, who are all seasoned travellers, is loud and clear. Planes are one of the last sacred mobile-free havens and they want it to stay that way – let’s hope the airlines start listening.”
Dan goes on to say “The interruption is one thing but people also need to realise that mid-air chats won’t come cheap. Emirates say the average call costs more than £2 a minute, so someone’s making quite a bit of money out of it too.”
Emirates became the first commercial airline to allow passengers to make mobile calls during flights back in March 2008. Other airlines to have trialled the service include Air France, who is yet to decide whether to continue with the service. Air Berlin has decided not to allow voice calls as they do not want to disturb their passengers during flights.
See Wanderlust’s next issue out on 9th October for a full report on the mobile phone debate, plus tips on places where you are guaranteed not to get a signal including Okavango Delta, Botswana.
Lyn Hughes, Editor in Chief, and Dan Linstead, Editor, at Wanderlust are available for comment or interview on this issue.
For further information or to set up interviews please contact Fiona Reece or Emily Enright at Fiona Reece PR on 0117 330 7282,
About Wanderlust magazine
Wanderlust was launched by Paul Morrison and Lyn Hughes in 1993. The couple were bored on a long flight from South America and decided to sketch out their dream travel magazine on the back of a sick bag. They soon decided that they could it do themselves and there was no other name for it than Wanderlust. Over the last fifteen years the magazine has established itself as the bible for independently-minded travellers.
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