Did you know that many international airline carriers now allow inflight use of cell phones and wireless devices? According to the Inflight Passenger Communications Coalition (IPCC), these carriers have offered inflight communications to passengers for more than 17 months, and have flown to over 36 countries and 162 destinations. “Inflight services have been deployed in these markets only after extensive measures have been implemented to address potential social issues,” according to IPCC. No issues have been reported to date.
Earlier this year, a bill entitled “The Prohibition Against Voice Communications Using Mobile Communications Devices on Scheduled Flights” was added to the House of Representatives bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (H.R. 915). This measure would ban the usage of wireless telecommunications on U.S. commercial flights. The bill was advanced without input from key stakeholder groups including airline professionals, passengers, telecommunications experts or any analysis or data regarding preferences, benefits or social factors.
The main rational provided for advancing the ban was “annoyance” – that is, passengers would annoy each other using their communications devices.
Should Congress move forward with this ban without further input from the flying public? Now that inflight communications is widely available to passengers on commercial flights in Europe, Asia and the Middle East “actual data is available on usage, policies and procedures that have been enacted to facilitate their safe and courteous use,” according to IPCC. Wouldn’t it make sense for Congress to consider the available data and real experiences of passengers and flight personnel before enacting an outright ban in the United States?
Business owners and entrepreneurs have a stake in this debate, and SBE Council recently wrote a letter to U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman, James Oberstar (D-MN), and Ranking Member John Mica (R-FL) urging Congress to seek input from stakeholders, and to consider all the information before banning the safe usage of wireless communications on U.S. flights. A good compromise, as I suggest, is for Congress to request that the National Academy of Science conduct a comprehensive and impartial study.
On February 15, 2009, one airline – Emirates -- announced that its 100,000th passenger made a mobile-phone call inflight. If passengers overseas are able to stay connected in the air and conduct their wireless business with courtesy, why can’t this be done in the United States?
Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO
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