Favor In-Flight Phone Access? Depends On How Old You Are

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Jan 06, 2014, 01:01 ET

CHICAGO, Jan. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- While 79 percent of travelers over the age of 30 are opposed to in-flight cell phone usage (now under consideration by the FAA), younger travelers, 18-30 year olds, favor the new perk by 52 percent, according to a recent study.

Some 300 travelers in total were surveyed by The GO Group, LLC, an international ground transportation service provider and GO Airport Express, a GO member and Chicago-based ground transportation company serving O'Hare International and Midway airports. Of those, 33 were under 30, while the remainder were older.

Of those who added comments to the survey, most older travelers noted they would be fine if fellow passengers texted or engaged in other online activities, but not talking.

Comments one traveler: "(listening) to someone else's over-amped conversation(s) in a confined area that I can't escape from -- not my idea of a relaxing flight."

"Regardless of the FAA's decision, airlines need to review cell phone usage not only as a safety matter, but at how it will affect noise levels and passenger comfort," says John McCarthy, president of The GO Group.

The GO Group, LLC is a one-stop source for door-to-door airport shuttle services. Its members transport some 13 million passengers to and from airports in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe annually. One of the oldest companies in Chicago, GO Airport Express traces its founding to 1853 and the Parmelee Transportation Company, which provided a carriage service between Chicago's railroad stations and the downtown hotels.

SOURCE The GO Group LLC