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FCC Kills Plan To Allow Mobile Phone Conversations On Flights (pcworld.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from PCWorld: On Monday, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission killed a plan to allow mobile phone calls during commercial airline flights. Since 2013, the FCC and the Federal Aviation Administration have considered allowing airline passengers to talk on the phones during flights, although the FAA also proposed rules requiring airlines to give passengers notice if they planned to allow phone calls. The plan to allow mobile phone calls on flights drew sharp objections from some passengers and flight attendants who had visions of dozens of passengers trying to talk over each other for entire flights. But FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Monday killed his agency's 2013 proceeding that sought to relax rules governing the use of mobile phones on airplanes. Under the FCC proposal, airlines would have decided if they allowed mobile phone conversations during flights.
Suggesting that Facetime or Skype are not a "voice call" is like saying:
But your honor! I was NOT texting and driving when I had that collision! I was using Twitter!
(Frnds dont let frnds txt n drv. A true friend will hold the wheel for the driver so he can concentrate on what is important.)
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
People don't tend to yell at each other when they're sitting side-by-side, but a lot of people feel the need to speak at max-volume when they're on a phone.
So, be like Japan?
True, but there's also the fact that it's far more distracting listening to half a conversation; your brain tries to fill in the blanks, and it's very hard to tune out like you can a normal conversation.