US federal agency affirms ban on mid-flight voice calls

Monday, 01 Dec, 2020 0

The Federal Communications Commission has finally struck down a half-hearted plan to allow the use of mobile phone voice calls and messaging during flights.

The FCC had allowed a proposal to move forward back in 2013 to permit mobile phone use above 10,000 feet but there was strong opposition to it.

In 2017 FCC Chairman Ajit Pai recommended ending the proceeding and this has now been confirmed by the agency.

Pai described it as ‘ill-conceived’ which had very little support.

Airline pilots, flight attendants, and a majority of the flying public were against it, even before the now widespread use of in-flight wi-fi.

The FCC had originally said there was ‘no technical reasons to prohibit such technology to operate’ but would allow airlines make the decision to allow mobile phone calls.

In 2016, the U.S. Transportation Department recommended regulations to ‘protect airline passengers from being unwillingly exposed to voice calls’ but it was never finalized.

In finally closing the proceeding, the FCC said it found no reasonable solution that would strike an appropriate balance of competing interests.’

Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor

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TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

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