Should the U.S. Ban In-Flight Cell Phone Calls?

Many countries now allow cell phone use while a plane is in mid-flight, but U.S. airlines forbid passengers from doing the same. Is that a good idea? Should individuals be able to make cell phone calls inside the cabin—or should the U.S. continue this restriction? A current bill pending in Congress would permanently ban cell phone use on commercial flights. There are those on both sides of this debate who offer conflicting arguments about phone safety at 35,000 feet—and whether in-flight usage presents a nuisance to fellow passengers.

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“Cell Phones Create Safety Risks, Could Help Terrorists”
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Cell Phones Create Safety Risks, Could Help Terrorists

Association of Flight Attendants

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AFA-CWA is urging members of the Senate to ensure that a ban on in-flight cellular telephone usage is included in any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization legislation that passes out of the Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives has already included such a ban in H.R.915, the House FAA Reauthorization Bill. Cell phone usage in the cabin would create a new security risk by compromising your ability to maintain order in the cabin and to safely execute an emergency evacuation if necessary.

Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President, said "The use of cell phones in the cabin, by persons other than crew members and authorized law enforcement officers, poses unacceptable risks to the security and safety of America's civil aviation system."

Since all cockpit doors during flight are now locked, flight attendants are solely responsible for the safety of the passengers. Allowing cell phone use in flight would only make it easier for terrorists to communicate with each other to coordinate a successful attack. Cell phone usage could also lead to disruptive behavior by provoking air rage incidents or interfering with emergency procedures such as evacuation.

Over the past two years, AFA-CWA has been educating and mobilizing its members on this issue and, as a result, thousands of flight attendants have submitted comments to the FCC docket with the resounding message that onboard cell phone usage must remain banned.

"Keeping cell phones out of the cabin is an issue that not just concerns flight attendants. Repeatedly, studies have shown that a large majority of the American public agrees that cell phones have no place inside the cabin " said Friend.

The current generation of electronic devices with wireless transmitters (e.g., cell phones and handheld and laptop computers) produces radio signals that may compromise flight safety by interfering with an aircraft's communications and navigation systems. Furthermore, widespread use of these devices in the confined space of an aircraft cabin has the potential to compromise operational safety by increasing misunderstanding and conflicts between passengers and crew.