WASHINGTON — The FCC's new chairman wants to keep the federal ban on cellphone calls for airline passengers.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he will seek to officially end consideration of a rule that eventually could have permitted voice calls above 10,000 feet.
Since 2013, the FCC had been weighing whether to relax the prohibition on cellphone calls.
"I do not believe that moving forward with this plan is in the public interest," Pai said. "Taking it off the table permanently will be a victory for Americans across the country who, like me, value a moment of quiet at 30,000 feet."
The FCC heard from thousands of Americans "overwhelmingly against" lifting the ban on in-flight phone calls, an FCC spokesman said.
The Association of Flight Attendants said allowing voice calls would pose unacceptable risks to security and safety.
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