Committee chairman Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pennsylvania, who sponsored the bill, wrote in ‘The Hill’ this morning that passengers trying to talk over one another in a confined space can only lead to more problems in the air.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow urged swift passage by Congress.
“I always say we should think carefully whenever Congress’ impulse is to say, ‘No, you can’t,’ but both personally and professionally this move to ban in-flight mobile calls feels to me like the right thing to do,” he said. “In polls, social media and everywhere else, travelers have consistently expressed their opposition to open phone conversations on planes. The flight experience needs all the serenity it can get.”
In a poll conducted in December by Quinnipac University, 59 percent of respondents said they did not want cell phone use in-flight.
Delta, American and JetBlue have already said they will not permit cell phone usage on their respective flights, despite the Federal Communications Commissions ruling last year to lift the cell phone ban and allow passengers to talk and text while the aircraft is above 10,000 feet.”My message is simple when it comes to cellphones on planes: tap, don’t talk,” Shuster wrote in ‘The Hill.’
The FCC ruling would put the responsibility of whether to allow cell phone usage during flight on each individual airline. The bill proposed by the Transportation Committee would allow usage of mobile and tablet devices for surfing the web or watching a movie, but not to talk.
The Association of Flight Attendants also opposes lifting the cell phone ban.
“I don’t fault the FCC for finding that these calls could be permissible, but I’m thankful that Chairman Shuster and his committee have stepped in to ponder the question of whether allowing them would actually benefit the travel experience,” Dow said. “In an age of so much contention in Congress, I’m hoping this measure moves quickly and serves as a reminder that our lawmakers can still move decisively to improve our quality of life in this small but meaningful way. This is one instance where it has been a pleasure to watch the legislative process at work.
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