Story highlights The FCC may allow cell phone usage on airplanes 
 
 Another federal government agency might ban their use in aircraft 
 
 A new poll shows most people are against the proposal 
 
 Texting, not talking, is the way to go, says one member of Congress 
 
 The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 Thursday to consider lifting its ban on in-flight cell phone use. 
 
 On the same day, the federal Department of Transportation and three members of Congress took steps to block those calls. 
 
 Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in a statement to CNN that he is looking into the possibility of banning in-flight calls, citing its aviation consumer protection authority. The DOT will determine whether allowing calls is "fair to consumers." 
 
 Many people consider the idea of cell phone conversations annoying in the close confines of a plane, and some are casting it as a consumer rights issue. 
 
 "Over the past few weeks, we have heard of concerns raised by airlines, travelers, flight attendants, members of Congress and others who are all troubled over the idea of passengers talking on cell phones in flight -- and I am concerned about this possibility, as well," Foxx said. 
 
 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 20 rudest things people do on planes – What are the most annoying habits on airplanes? A series of seat recline skirmishes has passengers talking about the aggravations of air travel. Click through the gallery of 20 top irritants. Hide Caption 1 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 20. Abusing overhead bin space – You folded your suit coat nicely and placed your hat in the allotted overhead space. Too bad Bin Hog just mangled it all while shoving his suitcase, stroller and shopping bags into a space meant for one personal item. Hide Caption 2 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 19. Taking ages to choose a movie – Airplane movies: the opiate of the flying masses. Except when your hyperactive neighbor takes 30 minutes to decide between "Grown Ups 2" or something a little less cerebral. Such behavior earns "passengers who take too long to pick a movie" the number 19 spot on our "most annoying" list. Hide Caption 3 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 18. Compulsive leg-shaking – Coming in at spot 18 -- compulsive leg-shaking. The fidgety leg-shaker isn't all that common, but still annoying when encountered at altitude. Hide Caption 4 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 17. Boarding ahead of group number – Annoying behavior number 17? Boarding ahead of group number. Most airlines have a system for getting hundreds of passengers aboard in the least amount of time. That's why we schlep on as part of Group A or B or C. Just because you drew the short straw on this one doesn't give you the right to pretend to be dyslexic. Hide Caption 5 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 16. Babies crying – What's more annoying than people rushing to board the plane? Babies crying. Are we really blaming babies for doing what babies do naturally? Sure, as long as they're your kids, and not ours. Hide Caption 6 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 15. Getting huffy when you leave seat – "I'd learn some bladder control if I was in the window seat," runs the unspoken complaint. Number 15 on our list -- those who get huffy when you leave your seat. Hide Caption 7 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 14. Yacking on cell phone – "Hey, we just landed. ... can you hear me? ... we just landed ... I'm on the runway ... can you hear me now? ... We just landed ... " Annoying behavior number 14: Those who can't bear to wait to deplane before yacking on their cell phones. Hide Caption 8 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 13. Bringing aboard stinky food – We get it -- airlines have cut back on food service, forcing us all to bring our own snacks and meals onboard. But did you really have to clean out the back of your refrigerator? Bringing aboard stinky food isn't just annoying, it's gross too. Hide Caption 9 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 12. Loud talking – Hey, we're trying to read here. Number 12 on the rude behavior list: people who don't know how to use their inside voices on planes. Hide Caption 10 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 11. Establishing armrest hegemony – Coming in at number 11 -- elbow wars. Do you often find yourself elbowing someone else's arm off what should be a shared space? That's armrest hegemony. And it's annoying. Hide Caption 11 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 10. Poaching shared middle seat – Praise God, the middle seat is empty! Til the guy next to you employs annoying behavior number 10 and lays claim to the no man's land of the middle seat with a book, coat or inflatable neck support. Or long appendage. Hide Caption 12 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 9. Coughing, sneezing, germ sharing – Thanks for sharing your globules of diseased saliva. This lonely gentleman may have the only sensible approach to dealing with those who practice annoying behavior number nine -- germ sharing. Hide Caption 13 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 8. Playing games with sound on – Bleep, bloop, blorp. Funny how some of the most irritating things on the planet can be called "games." Even more irritating are people who play them, on a plane, with the sound turned on. Hide Caption 14 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 7. Wielding huge suitcases as carry-ons – "Sir, is that a ... carry-on?" Annoying behavior number seven: Wielding huge suitcases as carry-ons. Hide Caption 15 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 6. People behind trying to disembark first – Here we've regressed to the time before the invention of the queue. Don't you just hate people who rush from the back of the plane in an attempt to disembark first? Hide Caption 16 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 5. Cutting fingernails – Another annoying behavior that also falls into the gross category -- cutting fingernails inflight. Toenails are also trimmed at 30,000 feet, but that would have been a really offensive picture. Hide Caption 17 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 4. Baring feet – "Feet nudism" is a common complaint, earning it the number 4 spot on our list. Appalling side note: people who actually go to the bathroom on the airplane in their bare feet. Hide Caption 18 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 3. Hogging toilets – We've all encountered the toilet hogger. What are they doing in there, you wonder as you hover cross-legged by the door. Certainly not being considerate of other people. Hide Caption 19 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 2. Reclining seat – Annoying travel behavior number two: recliners. Aviation engineers, listen up: No one likes the recline button! Time to reinvent the plane seat. Hide Caption 20 of 21 21 photos: 20 rudest things people do on planes 1. Kicking seat-back – "He kicked someone's seat-back." Airplane Irritant No. 1 -- seat-back kicking -- invites a violent response. Hide Caption 21 of 21 
 
 Meanwhile, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) introduced legislation on Thursday to ban cell phone conversations on commercial airline flights. House Rep. Bill Shuster, (R-Pennsylvania) has also introduced a bill that would prohibit in-flight voice communications but allow text messaging. 
 
 Those actions come as the FCC considers whether it should lift its decades-old ban on cell phones on aircraft. 
 
 Are the two government entities working at cross purposes? Perhaps. But each cites its individual and independent mandates. 
 
 The FCC has banned in-flight calls for technical reasons. But new technology has made that ban obsolete, the commission says, and there's no reason to continue it. 
 
 The DOT, which includes the Federal Aviation Administration, is entrusted with safe air travel, but also with protecting the rights of air travelers. 
 
 Phones on a plane: To talk or not to talk? 
 
 The FCC has been pelted with criticism in the last several weeks after the commission's new chairman made the announcement. 
 
 "I'm the last person in the world who wants to listen to someone talking to me while I fly across the country," FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler -- who proposed the change -- told a congressional panel Thursday. "But we are the technical agency, and we will make the rules for the way the new technology works." 
 
 The current requirement that cell phones may not be used in-flight would actually be expanded to include all bands, said Wheeler, unless airlines install new on-board equipment that prevents interference with terrestrial networks. 
 
 "The proposal would not require airlines to either install such equipment, or to offer mobile wireless services aboard their aircraft" he said. "Airlines would be free, within the confines of the rules of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DOT), to make their own decisions. We simply propose that because new technology makes the old rule obsolete the FCC should get government out from between airlines and their passengers." 
 
 Your view: Would allowing cell phones on flights open Pandora's chatterbox? 
 
 "If we move beyond what we do here today and actually update our rules to allow voice calls on planes we can see a future where our quiet time is monetized and seating in the silent section comes at a premium," said FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who voted in favor of the proposal. 
 
 The Association of Flight Attendants, a union that has been leading a campaign against cell phone calls in-flight, promised to continue lobbying against the proposal. "As the last line of defense in our nation's aviation system, flight attendants understand the importance of maintaining a calm cabin environment, and passengers agree," said AFA president Veda Shook, in a statement. 
 
 A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday indicates most Americans want silence when they fly, with 59% saying they don't want the use of cell phones on airplanes and only 30% saying they are in favor of lifting the ban. A mute button is also a strong option among those polled. 
 
 Even a majority of tech-reliant younger respondents, ages 18 to 29, are against using phones on planes -- 52% opposed to 39% in favor. 
 
 The FCC is taking public input on the proposal, and an agency statement says officials will consider consumer and stakeholder opinion before taking any final action. The agency offers more information on its website, including a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and a means of filing comments online. 
 
 Rep. Shuster told CNN that crying babies and snoozing adults cause enough commotion on flights, and cell phone calls will only make matters worse. 
 
 "Tap, don't talk," Shuster said. 
 
 Opinion: Phone calls on planes? Please, no! 
 
 What do you think of people using cell phones on airplanes? Please share your thoughts in the comments below or email us at CNNTravel@turner.com. 

 Airplanes are unlikely to be filled with passengers talking on cellphones anytime soon, after the Obama administration signaled it would keep a ban on calls in place. 
 
 Two separate government bodies on Thursday grappled with whether passengers should be able to make voice calls from their seats. The Federal Communications Commission, which controls wireless airwaves, voted 3 to 2 to advance a proposal that would overturn a 22-year-old...
– A bit of advice for the Federal Communications Commission: Nobody seems to want you to lift your ban on in-flight cell phone use. The Department of Transportation is firmly against the move, as are airlines, flight attendants, and, according to polls, the majority of passengers, the Wall Street Journal finds. Passengers say they would find in-flight calls annoying, flight attendants fear passenger conflict, airlines aren't interested in making the necessary investment, and Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx tells CNN that his department is considering introducing its own cell phone ban to protect consumers. "Flight attendants and passengers are united on this issue—there should be no voice calls in-flight," says the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, warning that the organization will fight to reverse any lifting of the ban. But the FCC says the ban, introduced 22 years ago, has been made obsolete by new technology and there is no technical reason to keep it in place. "I do not want the person in the seat next to me yapping at 35,000 feet any more than anyone else," FCC Chairman Thomas Wheeler told a congressional hearing yesterday. "But we are not the Federal Courtesy Commission. Our mandate from Congress is to oversee how networks function."