Republicans and Democrats Agree: No In-Flight Phone Calls

The Capitol Building in D.C.

Republicans and Democrats in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted on Tuesday to ban in-flight mobile calls on domestic flights. The bill provides exceptions for flight crew and on-duty law enforcement officials.

The bill was initially introduced by Pennsylvania Republican Bill Schuster following the Federal Communications Commission’s suggestion to end the ban of in-flight phone calls.

The FCC’s proposition sent frequent flyers and flight attendants alike into a frenzy of disapproval, many of whom took to Internet forums and social media to publicly voice their opposition.  One thing seems clear: political party aside, there is an overwhelming majority of those who’d like to keep airplane cabins phone-call-free.

The bill specifically calls for the Department of Transportation to uphold regulations that will “prohibit an individual on an aircraft from engaging in voice communications using a mobile communications device during a flight.”  Following the voice vote on Tuesday, the bill will move to the full House.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)