Talking on the phone and smoking cigarettes could soon have something in common: being legally prohibited on airplanes.

A bill introduced by lawmakers in the House of Representatives last month would make it illegal to receive phone or video calls from the air, an issue that is becoming increasingly relevant as WiFi access in the sky expands.

Former flight attendants say talking on the phone on a plane is already against some airlines’ policies, but making it law would protect both passengers and flight crew.

“They put us in a can and we launch ourselves through the sky at 38,000 feet. It’s not a normal situation,” Ally Murphy, a former flight attendant and cabin services supervisor at Virgin Atlantic, told Business Insider. “If you’re shoulder to shoulder with someone and you have to talk loudly, you’re really disturbing the other passengers around you.”

Congress voted in 2018 to require the Federal Aviation Administration to ban phone calls on flights, but it did not set a deadline and the ban was never implemented. The Quiet Skies Act, introduced by Democratic Reps. Greg Stanton and Hillary Scholten, and Republican Reps. Rick Crawford and Rob Bresnahan, would force the FAA to end the ban within 180 days.

While Congress rarely legislates on airplane etiquette (airlines can generally set their own policies), the government has weighed in on health and safety issues, or safety issues, such as banning smoking and vaping or requiring masks during the pandemic.

“With everything that happens in the aviation industry, the first underlying thought will always be how does this affect the safety of the aircraft and the passengers on board,” Murphy said.

Passengers talking loudly on the phone or FaceTiming with a friend could be a distraction, especially if other passengers make complaints to the crew, and could make it difficult for passengers to hear crew announcements.

A universal ban could help flight attendants avoid conflicts

While major US airlines including United, American and Southwest ban in-flight phone calls, British Airways said earlier this year it would allow phone and video calls on planes with Starlink WiFi. Virgin Atlantic also allows phone calls on its Starlink-equipped flights, although it asks that they be brief, and does not allow video calls.

Bobby Laurie, a former flight attendant and travel industry expert, said inconsistent or ambiguous rules can be confusing for passengers and difficult for flight attendants to enforce.

It can put crew in a difficult position, asking them to make subjective decisions about what constitutes disruptive behavior, which in turn increases the potential for conflict between flight attendants and passengers.

“When you ask people to be considerate, consideration means something different to everyone,” Laurie said, adding that a blanket ban could help flight attendants avoid the types of passenger confrontations that have become more common during the pandemic.

Paul Hudson, president of FlyerRights, a nonprofit that advocates for airline passengers, said he supports a ban on phone calls, but there could be some accommodations, such as a phone booth or a designated section where calls are allowed. Airlines, which have increasingly adopted a pay-for-service model, could charge for it.

“It would meet the need of people who want to do business or have family problems, especially on long flights, and it would also protect passengers,” he said, noting that Amtrak trains have designated “quiet” cars, as well as cars where calls are allowed.

Although safety would generally be the primary consideration for a government-imposed ban, Jacqueline Whitmore, a former flight attendant and etiquette expert, said talking on the phone while flying is often a matter of manners.

“You’re just a finger’s breadth away from your seatmate, so they can hear every word you say,” he said. “No one wants to listen to your conversation.”

While in theory you could make an occasional quiet phone call on a flight without causing problems, former flight attendants said laws and policies often have to anticipate and prepare for the worst-case scenario.

“You always have to respect the rules and regulations for the most problematic person on the plane,” Murphy said.