Shelly Palmer Radio Report – January 16, 2014

Whether we’ll be able to make in-flight calls in the near future is anyone’s guess, but Delta’s CEO Richard Anderson recently sent out a company-wide memo that said Delta will not allow calls – either cellular or VoIP – on any flights in the future. The airline’s not banning smartphones altogether, though: Anderson said Delta aims to let us text, email and use other silent data transmission services from gate to gate. Delta’s stance is similar to JetBlue’s, which also recently banned in-flight VoIP calls. JetBlue was originally okay with the idea, but complaints from flyers reversed their decision. Cell phone use on planes has been a hot topic in the past few months, and many restrictions, including use during takeoff and landing, have been lifted. The FCC is in favor of allowing in-flight calls, but the decision ultimately comes down to the Department of Transportation and individual airlines, which would have the right to enforce their own rules. No matter what decision is made, flying Delta will mean a quieter, call-free flight.