House Committee Approves Bill Banning In-Flight Phone Calls

An anonymous reader tips news that the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has approved a bill that would ban voice calls from mobile devices on airplanes. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), now goes to the full House of Representatives for a vote. Similar efforts are underway in the Senate. There was no opposition to Shuster's bill in the House committee, and the FCC received a flood of support for such a measure when they asked for public comment. In an op-ed published Monday, Shuster wrote, "In today’s world, enriched as it is by technology, we are bombarded by data, opinions, and potential distractions. Few limits to this flow of information are necessary, partly because people can typically turn it off, disconnect from it, or go elsewhere if they choose. But in the close confines of an airplane cabin – where passengers will still be able to use their mobile devices for texting, emailing, working, and more – there is no chance to opt out. So for those few hours of flight spent with 150 strangers, we can all wait to make that phone call. It’s just common sense and common courtesy."

Comments

What are they going to ban next?

[Ihlosi]

Screaming kids? Body odor? Flying with garlic breath?

Don't you love it when they're legislating "common courtesy"?

Re:What are they going to ban next?

[Bartles]

I take it by your tagline, that you can't win this argument.

Yet they've had airline phones for years

[msobkow]

They're so concerned about people making calls, yet they've had airline phones for years.

And how is it any worse to be trapped on a plane with such idiots than on a bus? At least on a plane you're only stuck with them for a couple hours, not all day on an overland trip.

If it's just "common sense and common courtesy" ..

[cowtamer]

Why must it be a law? Shouldn't airlines be free to implement their "please don't talk other passengers' heads off" policy ?

Whose phone is banned?

[duckintheface]

If there is a problem with voice calls bothering other people on a plane, why does the airline provide phones built into the seats. How does that differ from me using my cell phone? Oh yeah, I have to pay the airline to use their phone.

And does this new law ban calls from the airline owed phones? Well, thay ARE voice calls, and the airline phones are moving at 600 MPH so I guess that qualifies them as mobile divices. :)

Re:Whose phone is banned?

[cayenne8]

You know what is a real problem on planes? SCREAMING BABIES. Solution: ban babies from all public transportation. 'nuff said.

Hear Hear!!

I once had to ring the flight attendant button on an EARLY flight out, and when she came I asked if we could please put the screaming child just behind me in the overhead compartment.

Thankfully this worked, the flight attendant smiled at me and said it looked like I needed a Bloody Mary, and got me one...and the lady behind me finally started to quieten her offspring.

Re:In other words; don't let the plebs annoy us

[ColdWetDog]

Nonsense. There is no First Amendment issue here. You can talk all you want OFF the plane. There are dozens of limitations on talking / speech now that are perfectly valid - the idea behind the first amendment is to prevent the government from muzzling dissent. You can dissent all you want. Just not in the middle of the road. Not in the middle of a theatre. Not on an airplane.

Re:nobodies phone is banned

[KingMotley]

Until you can board a plane without a ticket, and without going through TSA, an airplane is not a public place, and the first amendment does not apply. Please read it, thanks.

Re:Hooray for common sense

[KingMotley]

I don't like cell phone use on an airplane any more than the next guy, I also don't feel like it is congresses job nor right to pass such a law. Airplanes are private property, owned by a private company. It should be left to the company to decide whether to allow cell phone usage on the plane or not. I don't understand how this isn't common sense.