US regulators looking to allow Wi-Fi-backed phone calls on flights
The United States Department of Transportation has made a bold proposal that is already proving to be divisive for travelers and airlines. It is looking to change current air travel norms so that, under certain conditions, passengers could make Wi-Fi-backed in-flight phone calls.
Phone calls on flights represent a sort of grey area in terms of America's federal regulations. The country's Federal Communications Commission prohibits ordinary phone calls to be made on planes—as do most nations, primarily due to signal-related safety concerns. But theoretically, there is no such pressing threat when a Wi-Fi-backed phone call is made. Many airlines now offer Wi-Fi on flights, and with that perk comes the possibility of using FaceTime, Skype, and other Internet-enabled calling services in the air.
However, it is a highly disruptive method of communication for people that are flying. From a comfort and relaxation standpoint, a nearby passenger's phone call could be highly detrimental to someone's travel experience. Some have also brought up the point that it could potentially incite conflict and perhaps pose an indirect security threat.
This is why any regulation to allow in-flight phone calls would come with a caveat where passengers must be informed in advance of the fact that they will be on plane where it is an option. That way they could still have the right to avoid phone calls and choose a different flight if they wanted to.
Even if the regulation is passed, some airlines may still choose to outlaw in-flight calls individually. Delta Air Lines Inc. and JetBlue Airways Corp. are two that have previously been on-record as saying that they will continue to prohibit calls if the Department of Transportation allows them.