Cell Phones on Planes: Why Not?

Sept. 16, 2009 — -- Has this happened to you? You're on a plane, prepping for the big meeting on your laptop, and a problem arises. You need an answer, fast.

So you reach into your pocket, grab your cell … and it hits you: no calls allowed.

Many of you think that's just terrific, but the "cells-on-planes" landscape is shifting. Just a couple of weeks ago, Mexico OK'ed cell phone calls in its airspace, and Aeromexico immediately said, "We're on it."

Why not? Dubai-based Emirates airline has been offering this service since last year. So has Malaysia Airlines. Plus, the European Union has OK'ed it, and Ryanair says, they're good to go. Still others are working on it.

But in the U.S. cell phone calls in flight are still banned, by both the FAA and the FCC (the FAA worries about the safety of planes, while the FCC worries about the safety of the cellular service). But for how long? Is a domino theory at work here?

It kind of looks that way. But what about our safety?

For more air travel news and insights visit Rick's blog at farecompare.com

Let's ask the obvious question: Will a cell phone call interfere with critical airplane functions?

I wish there was a clear-cut answer. Some say, it's likely not a danger, but the FAA still considers it a potential safety issue (according to its "Fact Sheet" on cell phones -- dated 2005).

So why do some airlines allow it? Well, on Emirates, for example, you have to use their onboard picocell network, which isolates the cell communications from the pilot's.