It’s good to talk—unless you happen to be flying with Lufthansa. The
German airline is starting trials of a sensor that should catch passengers using
mobile phones or laptop computers during flights. Both can interfere dangerously
with an aircraft’s control systems.
The German parliament is currently debating a law that will make it illegal
to use the devises during flights passing through German airspace or on planes
operated by German airlines
(In Brief, 21 June, p 13). Lufthansa has fitted 30
of its planes with the sensor and trials will end in January.
