S. 1450Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Commercial Flight Courtesy Act of 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 4:41 PM UTC

The Commercial Flight Courtesy Act of 2017 would ban passengers from making voice calls on mobile phones while on scheduled passenger flights, both interstate and intrastate. It directs the Secretary of Transportation to create regulations to enforce the ban. The rule would apply to all travelers on commercial flights, but it would not affect flight crew members or federal law‑enforcement officers acting in an official capacity.

Key Provisions

Adds a new section (41725) that prohibits any individual on a scheduled passenger aircraft from using a mobile communications device for voice calls during the flight.
Exempts flight crew members on duty and federal law‑enforcement officers from the prohibition.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations to implement the ban.
Defines “flight” as the period from take‑off to landing and defines “mobile communications device” as any portable wireless equipment used for voice transmission, excluding phones installed on the aircraft.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

June 28, 2017

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

June 28, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

June 28, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued June 28, 2017

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1450

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 28, 2017

Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mr. Markey) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To prohibit cell phone voice communications during passenger flights.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Commercial Flight Courtesy Act of 2017.

Prohibition on cell phone voice communications during passenger flights

(a)

In general

Subchapter I of chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

41725.

Prohibition on certain cell phone voice communications

(a)

Prohibition

The Secretary of Transportation shall issue regulations—

(1)

to prohibit an individual on an aircraft from engaging in voice communications using a mobile communications device during a flight of that aircraft in scheduled passenger interstate air transportation or intrastate air transportation; and

(2)

that exempt from the prohibition described in paragraph (1)—

(A)

any member of the flight crew on duty on an aircraft; and

(B)

any Federal law enforcement officer acting in an official capacity.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Flight

The term flight means, with respect to an aircraft, the period beginning when the aircraft takes off and ending when the aircraft lands.

(2)

Mobile communications device

(A)

In general

The term mobile communications device means any portable wireless telecommunications equipment utilized for the transmission or reception of voice data.

(B)

Limitation

The term mobile communications device does not include a phone installed on an aircraft.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections for chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 41724 the following new item:

41725. Prohibition on certain cell phone voice communications.