Last week we reported that the FCC had decided that they would propose the relaxation on the restrictions of phones being used inflight to make calls. It was a proposal and wasn’t necessarily a guarantee, but it seems that many did not take too kindly to the idea, and while the FCC Chairman did originally state that such rules were considered “outdated and restrictive”, he has since had a change of heart.In a statement made on the FCC’s website, Chairman Tom Wheeler was quoted as saying, “We understand that many passengers would prefer that voice calls not be made on airplanes. I feel that way myself. Ultimately, if the FCC adopts the proposal in the coming months, it will be airlines’ decisions, in consultation with their customers, as to whether to permit voice calls while airborne. The European Union has had a similar policy since 2008. That experience has demonstrated that it is possible to adjust the on-board communications equipment not to handle voice traffic, thus effectively shutting down any calls.”
While this follows the FAA’s decision to allow personal electronic devices to be used throughout all phases of the flight, we raised the question as to whether allowing phone calls to be placed inflight would be such a good idea. After all we can only imagine that this could result in an annoyance to other passengers who might otherwise prefer a relatively peaceful flight. What do you guys think?
Filed in . Read more about FCC.