The passengers were able to make calls because the plane was flying at a very low altitude and therefore, their phones had a signal from the cell towers on the ground. If the plane was flying at its normal cruising altitude of 30,000 feet, then passengers' cellphones wouldn't get any signal from the cell towers on the ground.
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The passengers were able to make calls because the plane was flying at a very low altitude and therefore, their phones had a signal from the cell towers on the ground. If the plane was flying at its normal cruising altitude of 30,000 feet, then passengers' cellphones wouldn't get any signal from the cell towers on the ground.