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On Thursday, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin announced that he would stop pursuing research that would allow in-flight cellular phone calls, as reported by EETimes Online. Charlie Pryor, however, a London-based spokesman for OnAir (a mobile phone service sponsored by Airbus) said just the opposite. By the end of the month, they would know whether or not the proposal to use mobile phones on European flights would be approved or not.

My brother is a commercial pilot, and I know full well that you are in fact capable of using a cell phone on an airplane. You're also able to use electronics during take-offs and landings. That being said, and also recently shown in a study by Qualcomm, I hope that it will never be allowed.

Just think of it: On top of the person next to you either snoring or trying to strike up a conversation while all you want to do is sleep or listen to your iPod; on top of babies crying and the kid behind you kicking your seat; on top of flight attendants waking you up to ask if you need a sample size beverage or pretzels that are reminiscent of cardboard; you now have that guy next to you on the phone for three hours? No way.

And what frightens me more is that now Europe might agree to this! Now that six-hour flight to almost anywhere on the continent will be full of jabbering with loved ones, fighting with partners, business calls, whatever. Rarely I find myself agreeing with new FCC regulations on this, but I'd say Kevin Martin deserves a promotion.