FCC Terminates Onboard Aircraft Proceeding

On December 12, 2013, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to revise its rules governing mobile communications services aboard airborne aircraft, and to permit inflight voice and/or data services via mobile wireless frequencies subject to certain conditions. Based on the record in response to the FCC’s proposals, the FCC declines to pursue, and hereby closes, this rulemaking proceeding. The record is insufficient to determine any reasonable solution that would strike an appropriate balance of competing interests. There is strong opposition to the FCC’s proposals from many commenters in this proceeding, including the nation’s airline pilots and flight attendants, who argue that it “fail[s] to address significant safety and national security concerns.”