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Senators Propose Bill Prohibiting Phone Calls On Planes

Posted by Soulskill on from the nobody-wants-to-hear-your-conversation dept.

SonicSpike writes with news that two U.S. Senators, Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), have proposed legislation to ban cell phone calls while aboard an airplane. This follows a recent announcement from the FAA increasing the range of electronic gadgets travelers can use while flying, and a vote by the FCC to consider allowing phone calls during flight. However, even as those government agencies work to lift regulations on in-flight technology, the Department of Transportation is pondering a in-flight call ban of its own, saying it might not be "fair" to consumers to have to listen to other passengers talk on the phone throughout a long flight. FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said, "If we move beyond what we do here today and actually update our rules to allow voice calls on planes we can see a future where our quiet time is monetized and seating in the silent section comes at a premium."

7 of 513 comments (clear)

  1. Re:what? by SJHillman · · Score: 5, Funny

    "such as being able to forcibly disembark a passenger immediately upon violating a voice-call prohibition"

    I propose an exception - if the violation happens before take-off, they should have to wait until the plane reaches a certain minimum altitude before the forcible disembarkation.

  2. Charge $10/minute by aegl · · Score: 5, Funny

    Airline keeps half. The rest is distributed to the people sitting next to the person making the call.

  3. Re:what? by DexterIsADog · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, it would be awful if congress were to, say, spend enough time to rationally examine energy policy, and pass laws to encourage responsible nuclear power in addition to renewables.

  4. Re:what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    To be fair, those two also happened to be a priority for the President at one point or another.

  5. Re:what? by Virtucon · · Score: 3, Funny

    SO what you're saying is find the nearest emergency exit and throw her out? I'll keep that in mind.

    --
    Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
  6. Re:what? by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2, Funny

    Exactly. Correlation != Causation

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  7. Babies by x0ra · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dear Senator Feinstein,

    Could you please pass a law to create a new felony for crying on a plane. All there uneducated babies are really, but really annoying me when I am trying to browse porn sites while in the middle of a transcontinental flight.

    Kind regards,
    - x0ra