Will cell phone chatter disrupt the peace and quiet up in the air?

Photo by Kevin Dooley/Flickr

The Federal Communications Commission said Thursday it will propose allowing airline passengers to make calls on their cellphones — as well as text-messages and using data plans — while the plane is in the air. FCC Chair Tom Wheeler said he is open to the idea and the commission will discuss the idea at its December meeting.

The news immediately conjured up a range of reactions of what life might be like now on a crowded flight.

Capt. Patrick Smith, a 20-year pilot who writes a blog called Ask the Pilot, told USA Today that he was worried about the safety and social impact the policy shift could have on the flying experience.

“Just imagine 250 passengers all making calls at once … I shudder to imagine how awful that would be.”

Airlines, such as JetBlue Airways, are confident they can accommodate all their flyers’ wishes. “We would prioritize making the cabin comfortable and welcoming for all,” JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin said to The Wall Street Journal. “For those who want cell service and for those who like peace and quiet.”

Calls would be allowed after a plane reaches 10,000 feet, but not during takeoffs and landings. The FCC could approve it with the backing of a majority of the five-member commission. But airlines would still have to approve it for use on their planes and put equipment on the planes to reach cellphone towers.

H/T Murrey Jacobson