Up in the air

I am going to interrupt my usual blogging about life with the kids for this little rant....

While flying to Florida for my mom's surgery, I actually had time to think on the plane.  Usually I have a kid or two with me, and never have the opportunity to think about anything other than what disaster is about to happen and how can I divert it.

I find it very antiquated in this day and age, that all electronics need to be turned off for take-off and landing.  Why can't I have an ipod on or kindle going?  I'm not talking about being connected to a wifi or messing with any radio waves (for lack of more technical term), but being able to read an e-reader should not interfere with the pilot flying the plane. This makes no sense to me.  And I lose about 40 minutes of time I could spend reading if  follow the rules.  Which by the way, I do not always comply with.  I go for the window seat and keep the kindle hidden until the flight attendant makes their final walk-thru of the cabin before buckling up. 

The other thing that makes no sense is that some planes do have the ability to offer wifi up in the air.  Why isn't this standard on every single plane, regardless of carrier or destination?  Why isn't wifi available EVERYWHERE!?!?  And for that matter, it should be completely free. 

And while I am at it.  You used to be able to make phone calls (albeit, very expensive ones) from the plane.  Maybe its just on the newer planes and the ones I fly to Florida, but I haven't seen any phone service being offered these days.  Since this technology clearly exists, why can't we all use our cell phones on every flight?  We all hear the stories of passengers who are aware they are about to crash, and make last minute, desperate phone calls from their cell phones to their loved ones.  So we know it does work.  Why then, isn't it an option for the regular, every day, non-crashing type of flights?

Just some random thoughts as I tried to play by the rules on this last roundtrip to Orlando, when I didn't have kids distracting me.