Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73

§41725 Prohibition on certain cell phone voice communications

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › Subpart subpart ii— - economic regulation › Chapter CHAPTER 417— - OPERATIONS OF CARRIERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - REQUIREMENTS › § 41725

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must make rules that ban people on a plane from making or taking voice calls on portable wireless devices during scheduled passenger flights inside or between states. The ban does not apply to flight crew on duty, flight attendants on duty, or federal law officers working in an official role. A "flight" means from takeoff until landing. A "mobile communications device" means a portable wireless device used for voice calls and does not include a phone built into the aircraft.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §41725

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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 or intrastate air transportation; and

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

(A)member of the flight crew on duty on an aircraft;

(B)flight attendant on duty on an aircraft; and

(C)Federal law enforcement officer acting in an official capacity.

(b)In this section, the following definitions apply:

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

(2)(A)The term “mobile communications device” means any portable wireless telecommunications equipment utilized for the transmission or reception of voice data.

(B)The term “mobile communications device” does not include a phone installed on an aircraft.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 41725

Title 49 — Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73