Lagging Behind in Airborne Cell Phone Use

As wireless phone technology remains taboo on American airline flights, foreign carriers have been experimenting with in-flight wireless phone technology with surprising success.  A recent New York Times article points out that a number of foreign countries, in regions ranging from Asia, to the Middle East, to Europe, are permitting passengers to use cell phones throughout the duration of the flight.

In the United States, in-flight mobile phone communications are prohibited by the Federal Communications Commission due to possible interference with aircraft equipment. But as safety concerns are being eased by testing and industry experience, some industry and passenger groups are lobbying for a prohibition on the grounds that loud phone talkers on planes would create a nuisance for flying customers. Interest groups are also citing safety concerns: The Association of Flight Attendants claims that onboard phone use would “create a new security risk by compromising (flight attendants’) ability to maintain order in the cabin and to safely execute an emergency evacuation if necessary.”

The House of Represenatitves’ FAA reauthorization bill contains a ban of passenger use of mobile phones, however such legislation may be ill-conceived. The Times article indicates that current use has not led to turmoil in the skies or safety problems, and there have been remarkably few complaints so far. Emirates Airlines even had to convince skeptical pilots and flight attendants on quiet flights that the airline’s cell phone technology was actually available and working properly.

If other airlines’ experiences with this technology are any indication, a legislated ban may have costs that far outweigh the benefits. For example, the foregone commercial opportunities for a businessperson who is disconnected on a four-hour flight may be significant. And airlines with dedicated cell phone service may actually foster better security by allowing passengers on the plane to communicate with authorities in the case of an onboard terrorist or other threat. It sounds as if many of the concerns are simply coming from groups that don’t want to be bothered on their flight, but perhaps U.S. airlines should be allowed to conduct trials before a blanket ban by Congress crushes this burgeoning technology.

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