Ring the changes? Not all business travellers want to use their mobile phones in the air according to a recent survey. Photograph: Corbis

It's a growing debate: should air passengers be allowed to use their mobile phones on planes? According to, Emirates, customers, particularly business travellers, want to stay in touch while they fly, writes Alex Olorenshaw. However a survey of over 4,000 business people this week suggests that even they are sceptical about the introduction of in-flight mobile phone technology.

Six out of 10 business travellers surveyed by Barclaycard Business said they would not want airlines to allow the use of mobile phones while flying, even if the technology was proven to be risk-free.

Opinion appears divided within the business community and along gender lines. For instance, 43% of chief executives surveyed were in favour of in-flight phone use compared to 31% of company managers, while 62% of women were against the new technology compared to 57% of men.

What this all means, according to Denise Leleux, director of commercial cards at Barclaycard Business, is that business travellers want to preserve flying as a time to work or relax without fear of being interrupted, overheard, or having to listen to the person next to them.

So is the introduction of phone calls on flights just another revenue stream for airlines or could it actually prove quite useful? With plans afoot to introduce phone services on the tube, are we in danger of becoming slaves to the mobile? Or should we all just sit back and embrace the new technology?