In a bit of disheartening news for U.S. travellers, the FCC Chairman has suggested that the FCC hold off on lifting the ban placed on cell-phone use during flight. The technology designed to allow cells to function on planes apparently cannot completely eliminating the potential interference some phones could cause with flight control towers on the ground. While it doesn't mean the FCC may indeed keep the ban in place, a suggestion of this nature doesn't bode well. However, the issue with interference of that sort can apparently be fixed:

Word has it the picocells can be tweaked to fix the CTIA's concerns, and if that holds up, airlines will decide individually whether to let customers dial (or, at the very least, access data services) mid-flight. From there, we'll all be voting with our dollars.
The airliners themselves have no reason to pass up cash, especially after the numerous bailouts and borderline bankruptcies that have dotted them the past few years.