FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler defended the agency’s rulemaking...
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler defended the agency’s rulemaking that may open the possibility of cellphone conversations on airplanes and emphasized the technical role of the agency. The Federal Aviation Administration decides on safety, and the airlines make the call on…
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what to allow, Wheeler said. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, had voiced his objections in a Nov. 22 letter (http://fcc.us/1hwhhLx), joining other lawmakers who have criticized the proposal. “While the thought of listening to the constant babble of phone conversations during commercial flights already makes my head hurt, I am writing not about the annoyance such calls would bring, but rather about the more serious topic of in-flight safety,” Begich wrote. He said “an already-distracted flying public would pay even less attention to safety-related announcements. They could miss announcements related to pending turbulence, preparations for landing, or even more serious in-flight emergencies.” He cited “incidents of ‘air rage'” and asked the FCC to withdraw the NPRM, slated for consideration at the agency’s Dec. 12 meeting. Wheeler replied in a Monday letter, released Tuesday (http://fcc.us/IKjzbE). “As a frequent airline passenger, I would prefer that voice calls not be made on planes,” Wheeler told Begich. “However, the responsibility of the Commission is to make technical judgments, and on that matter the evidence appears clear. Nothing in this proposal limits the ability of airlines to ban voice conversations.” Wheeler expects “months of public comment and debate on the specific issues raised in the proposal,” if adopted, according to his letter. Airlines can even “disable the ability of devices to make voice calls should the airline so determine,” he said.