COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ON MARK BEGICH AlASKA • COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON OCEANS, ATMOSPHERE, FISHERIES AND COAST GUARD CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA canitrd ~tatŁ5 ~ŁnatŁ COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS SUITE 750 The Honorable Tom Wheeler WASHINGTON, DC 20510 November 22, 2013 Chairman, Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, South West Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Wheeler, I oppose the Federal Communications Comfuission's (FCC) proposal to allow the use of cellular telephones to make phone calls on airplanes. While the thought of listening to the constant babble of phone conversations during commercial flights already makes my head hurt, I am writing not about the annoyance such calls would bring, but rather about the more serious topic of in-flight safety. I am concerned that allowing cellular phone calls during flights would mean that an already-distracted flying public would pay even less attention to safety-related announcements. They could miss announcements related to pending turbulence, preparations for landing, or even more serious in-flight emergencies. An increasingly disgruntled traveling public would also be put on edge by being subjected to annoying chatter. Incidents of' air rage' have been growing in recent years and present a serious threat to airline cabin safety. Adding an additional nuisance would certainly have the potential to make this problem worse. But don' tjust take my word for it. The Association of Flight Attendants, a group of professionals with the most experience in managing airline cabin safety, are strongly opposed to this change, on the grounds that in-flight phone calls will be disruptive and distracting. Many polls indicate that most of the travelling public also opposes allowing in-flight cell phone calls. I hope you will reconsider this ill-advised proposal and withdraw it from consideration. Sincerely, ~~~~ United States Senator SUITE 328 SUITE 308 SUITE 101 SUITE 230 SUITE 309 510 l STREET ANCHORAGE. AK 99501 101 12>H AVENUE FAIRBANKS. AK 99701 ONE SEALASKA PLAZA JUNEAU. AK 99801 80'5 FRONTAGE ROAD KENAI, AK 89611 1800 FIRST AVENUE KETCHIKAN. AK 99901 851 EAST WESTPOINT DRIVE WASILLA. A.K 99654 SUITE SR-1 11 RUSSELL BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 1907) 211· 5915 1907) ~261 19071 !>86-7700 !901)~ 1907112S-3000 19071357-9956 12021 224-3004