Smartphone users on planes should consider others

ONE AFTER ANOTHER, domestic airlines have lifted the ban on using cellphones on flights. However, there have already been complaints about the noise nuisance as people are using their smartphones without using earphones. Beijing News comments:

Jessie J, a UK-based singer, recently posted several video clips online showing a Chinese flight, in which two other passengers on her flight watched videos on their smartphones without using earphones.

That incident aroused fierce discussion online. To quote one hot comment, "Our last quiet hours－during a flight－are gone".

It should be noted that the civil aviation industry has made huge progress by allowing passengers to use smartphones on flights. However, that does not mean flights should be without order. Those who watch videos without using earphones are violating the rights of others.

According to a media survey last year, 54 percent of the respondents said they suffered from others watching videos without wearing an earphone on buses and the subway. Months ago, there were even reports about several passengers doing square dancing on a train. If such uncivilized behavior is not corrected, it will likely lead to quarrels even fights among passengers.

In order to solve that, it is impossible to rely on people's own awareness of what is acceptable behavior. It is necessary for the authorities to draft proper regulations that regulate people's behavior on public transport and airplanes and strictly enforce these regulations so that people's legal rights are protected.

Especially, the civil aviation industry must improve the regulations for passengers on flights. Data show that the number of flight passengers in 2017 had reached 552 million, 13 percent higher than that of 2016. Only with proper regulations will the public order on flights be maintained.