So... Airlines are
finally admitting that cellphones don't interfere with avionics?
I'd heard from a tech who works with airlines that mobiles
do work and
don't interfere with planes. It's just that they banned these due to security reasons.
And why not allow CPs on planes? Sure, it's irritating if the person on the CP talks in a loud voice, but that's merely a question of etiquette, and not usage. And if your seatmate is annoyingly talkative, you can at least pretend that you have an urgent call to make.
Allowing people to use CPs will give them the "security blanket" effect that such device have for some people (i.e.: as long as you're connected/reachable, you're safe). I think this is a good thing.
Next up:
un-ban cellphone use at the gas pumps. That one's even more ridiculous than the plane ban.