But if there’s one thing that hasn’t changed since the early days of commercial flights, it’s the strict rule against making in-flight calls. And don’t get your hopes up about this restriction changing anytime soon.
Why Were In-Flight Calls Banned in the First Place?
The ban on cellphones and in-flight calls has been around since the introduction of mobile phones. In 1991, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a ban on in-flight use of wireless devices and cellphones. The main reason, it said, was network interference with communications on the ground.
But now that cellphones and wireless tech have evolved beyond this issue, why is the ban still on?
1. Cellphones Can Interfere With a Plane’s Screens and Monitors
While it’s easy to dismiss the effects your phone has on anything, it’s important to remember that there can be hundreds of passengers on a plane. Hundreds of phones making calls and trying to connect to Wi-Fi networks at random can have an amplified effect.
According to Simple Flying, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that certain display units and screens in the cockpit are vulnerable to interference, which can come from Wi-Fi and mobile phones.
2. Lack of Nearby Cell Towers
The average commercial airplane flies at an altitude between 30,000 and 42,000 feet. One of the many things that aren’t available at that height is cell towers. Add to it the fact the plane is moving at speeds over 500 mph.
Trying to make a call at this height means your phone would be jumping from one cell tower to the next, trying to maintain a signal. This is the reason why the FCC that issued the ban, not the FAA.
Furthermore, since the towers are farther away than usual, cellphones might transmit their signal at maximum, risking interfering with critical flight communications.
3. In-Flight Calls Can Risk Passenger Safety
Despite being the safest mode of long-distance travel, there’s still a level of risk associated with traveling by plane. Connecting to the internet or starting a phone call for personal or work reasons is a huge distraction—they’re a big reason behind car accidents, after all.
Before the airplane takes flight and during the trip, passengers need to be able to pay attention to the flight attendants as needed. From actual emergencies that require the passengers’ full attention to ensure their safety, to turbulence that would require the pilot to switch on the seat belt sign, a phone call shouldn’t distract anybody.
4. Passenger Comfort
In-flight phone calls, whether through cell towers or over Wi-Fi, can negatively affect passenger comfort.
Not only are potentially hundreds of people locked in a confined space, but the sound of the engine is constantly in the background. Adding tens of people chatting on their phones to the mix would be unbearable, especially when taking into account time-zone differences and jet lag.
Uncomfortable and annoyed passengers over long and boring flights can act up and cause problems for the flight attendants and other passengers. So while it may be an inconvenience that you can’t make a phone call for a few hours, it’s for the greater good, including your own.
Could We See In-Flight Calls in the Future?
So far, the FCC still hasn’t changed its stance on in-flight calls. But there have been several proposals to reach a middle ground, such as installing specialized micro-cell units onboard planes to safely transmission calls via satellite.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) loosened its restrictions, allowing the use of phones and Wi-Fi without airplane mode on, but it still bans in-flight phone calls, except at landing and take-off.
