Delving deeper into cell phone survey - age angst

Talk about a technology (and, perhaps, privacy) divide. When it comes to cell phones aloft, age matters. It matters a lot. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics' most recent Omnibus Household Survey finds that older flyers are far less likely to entertain the idea of sitting next to someone chattering away at 35,000 feet on their cell phone than are younger travelers.

The survey question was predicated on the premise that there would be no interference with aircraft communications systems.

BTS says a mere 26.6 percent of respondents over the age of 65 feel passengers probably or definitely should be allowed to use cell phones in flight. 56.7 percent say they definitely or probably should not. The rest - 17 percent - say they're just not sure.

Younger flyers don't appear to have much problem with airborne cell phone use. BTS says almost one-half (47.7 percent) of respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 believe passengers should definitely or probably be permitted to employ cells in those airborne aluminum tubes. 36.1 percent of that same age group say they should not, and 16 percent aren't sure.

Overall, slightly less than half - 45.2 percent to be precise - of those responding to the BTS survey say cell phones definitely or probably should not be allowed aloft. 39.7 percent believe they should, and the remaining 15 percent aren't sure.

So far, airborne cell phone use in this country is verboten. That's not necessarily the case overseas.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler