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In-Flight Calling: DOT Considers Passing New Rules

Brian Sumers

Photo Credit: The DOT is considering new rules to regulate in-flight phone calls using an airplane's WiFi system.  Delta Air Lines / Delta Air Lines

Skift Take

The DOT doesn't have as much regulatory power as other government agencies, so it's doing what it can to try to protect consumers. At the least, if an airline permits voice calls, it will have to tell consumers what it's doing — before they buy a ticket.

Should U.S. airlines allow passengers to make phone calls at 35,000 feet? And if they do, what rules should they follow to ensure all travelers have a reasonably peaceful journey? The U.S. Department of Transportation said Thursday it will ask those questions as it considers whether to add new guidelines for the nation's airlines and ticket agents. In a notice of proposed rulemaking, the government said it wants to protect consumers from "from being unwillingly exposed to voice calls within the confines of an aircraft." But no matter what it decides, the DOT will not ban calls. At least for now, the Federal Communications Commission still

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