cell phones on planes

Quick chat with an airline employee last night who told me the reason why they say 'mobile phones may interfere with navigational instruments' is for a customer relations - because they do not want people talking and making a lot of noise in a confined area when taxiing or after landing.

That cannot be supported as true... but I would think, hope and prey that the airline communications are just a little more sophisticated than the old staticky radio comms from WWII... It would be pretty amazing that every consumer can talk pretty clearly on a cell phone and pilots have to keep saying "sorry, control tower.. must be a crossed line - you're breaking up...you said the runway was where ?"

So most airlines in the US now let you use your mobile phone right up until the plane turns to go down raunway. Then as soon as the plane lands and turns off runway, you can do the same. So any airline not doing that, is doing it for old skool reasons - and if you are a business traveller that depends on being connected for voice and data you should probably make your decisions based on that.... but boy, do those airline people get some joy in telling you off about it!!