FlightWifi

Which airlines let you take a call on board?

Two things have to be true before you can take a call at 35,000 feet: the connection has to be quick enough to hold one, and the airline has to permit it. As of August 2026, of the 23 airlines that publish a policy, 16 fly a link fast enough and only 4 allow the call.

Stated policies (23)

AirlinePolicySourceIs the link fast enough?Fleet verdict
Aer LingusCalls allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
airBalticCalls allowedAirline's own pageYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftFast enough for calls
British AirwaysCalls allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
Qatar AirwaysCalls allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftNot on every aircraft
Virgin AtlanticVoice only, no videoAirline's own pageYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftEmail & browsing
Air CanadaCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftEmail & browsing
Air FranceCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
Air IndiaCalls not allowedReportedNo, high-orbit onlyNot on every aircraft
Air New ZealandCalls not allowedAirline's own pageNo, high-orbit onlyNot on every aircraft
Alaska AirlinesCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
American AirlinesCalls not allowedReportedNo, high-orbit onlyEmail & browsing
ANACalls not allowedReportedNo, high-orbit onlyEmail & browsing
DeltaCalls not allowedAirline's own pageNo, high-orbit onlyEmail & browsing
Hawaiian AirlinesCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftNot on every aircraft
JetBlueCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftEmail & browsing
LufthansaCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
QantasCalls not allowedReportedNo, high-orbit onlyEmail & browsing
SASCalls not allowedAirline's own pageYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
Singapore AirlinesCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftEmail & browsing
SouthwestCalls not allowedReportedYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
Turkish AirlinesCalls not allowedReportedNo, high-orbit onlyEmail & browsing
UnitedCalls not allowedAirline's own pageYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft
WestJetCalls not allowedAirline's own pageYes, on the fast-equipped aircraftVaries by aircraft

What this list does not cover

212 of the 235 airlines in the registry publish no call policy at all. Absent means unknown here, never permitted. Of the 23 rows above, 7 come from the airline's own page or contract of carriage and the rest are marked reported, meaning the policy is consistently described in aviation reporting but we could not retrieve the carrier's own wording. The methodology explains the distinction, and the underlying data is open.

Calls on planes: questions

Can you make phone calls on a plane?

Rarely, and for two separate reasons. Of the 23 airlines that publish a policy, only 4 permit voice and video calls: Aer Lingus, airBaltic, British Airways, Qatar Airways. Separately, only 16 of those 23 fly a connection quick enough to carry a live call at all. A fast link on an airline that bans calls gets you nowhere, and permission on a high-orbit link gets you a call that will not hold.

Why do airlines ban calls if the Wi-Fi is fast enough?

Because it is a cabin-comfort rule, not a technical limit. Low-orbit systems like Starlink carry a video call fine, and several carriers still prohibit voice and video over Wi-Fi as a term of carriage so that the cabin stays quiet.

Can you use WhatsApp or iMessage on a plane?

Usually yes, even where calls are banned. Most airlines that prohibit voice and video still allow messaging, and many sell a messaging-only tier as their free option. The ban is specific to live audio and video.

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