Industry Group Lobbies Against HANG UP Act

An industry group calling themselves the Inflight Passenger Communications Coalition (IPCC) is fighting to stop legislation aimed at keeping airplanes cellphone free.  Congress is currently considering legilation that would include internet-based calling (VOIP) in the calling ban.

IPCC is fighting a section of the FAA Re-authorization Act of 2009 (HR.915) that expands the ban of wireless communications on US commercial flights.  ANN reported on the section known as the Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace (HANG UP) Act when it was introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR) last August.

Accoring to the Center for Responsive Politics, the coalition has already spent nearly $400,000 lobbying various members of Congress, the FAA, and DOT.  So far the language has not been intorduced into the Senate version of the FAA bill.

The coalition claims that that the HANG UP act "would permanently ban all inflight voice communication services and prevent passengers from using their own mobile devices to send and receive calls."  Their website cites

While many people would prefer not to be bombarded by noisy phone calls during flights, Rep. Jon Micah (FL) admitted "You are trying to legislate courtesy, folks, and that just doesn't work."

 FMI: http://www.passengercommunications.com