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AIRLINE PASSENGERS WILL soon be allowed to use a range of mobile electronic devices in flight with very few restrictions after US aviation authorities gave the go ahead today.
The new, more relaxed rules issued by the Federal Aviation Administration will take effect on most airlines by the end of the year, the agency said.
“Passengers will eventually be able to read ebooks, play games and watch videos on their devices during all phases of flight, with very limited exceptions,” the FAA said in a statement.
However, mobile phones still cannot be used for voice communications while in flight, due to regulations by another federal agency, the Federal Communications Commission, that prohibits airborne cellphone calls.
The new rules mean that passengers will be able to “safely use their devices in airplane mode, gate-to-gate,” said the FAA.
Electronic items must be stowed in the seat pocket during takeoff and landing.
Browsing the Internet will still be possible on air carriers that provide Wi-Fi in flight, and Bluetooth technology for wireless keyboards will also be allowed.
The changes, which came after more than a year of study by outside experts on safety concerns related to portable electronic devices.
I hope there will never be phone calls on a plane it’s bad enough on buses and trains with people shouting down the phone never mind on a plane.
Who is is the muppet that red thumbed this comment?
Its the Tayto rule, there is always one!
Dom Joly perhaps?
Dom Joly takes the boat now, didn’t you hear?
How does this differ from now?
I’m the same, at the bottom it says they must be stowed for take off and landing. I’ve been using all kinds of devices on flights in the past so I’m not sure what has actually changed with this.
Would rather see a relaxing of the liquid rules and withdrawal of the body scanners
Body scanners are necessary and I’m delighted they have them.
Really then why aren’t they in every airport around the world ?
They have been proven to be infective with detecting guns/knives ect several times.
When did a body scanner stop/foil an attempted act of terror ?
Stealth, maybe they’re not planning to attack aeroplanes because the security is too tight., Relax it and they ill.
Was this prohibited before? I always left my kit on airplane mode on every flight for a few years now
I have often been told to turn off my ebook reader during takeoff and landing. Silly given that when in flight mode it could not possibly interfere with plane electronics.
Glad to see sense taking priority over stupidity for a change.
I think it has more to do with passengers having as little distractions as possible in case the poo hits the fan. Taking off and landing are the high risk times during a flight.
If you can’t go ten mins at the start and ten mins at the end of a flight without a gadget in hand I seriously worry about where the world is headed! Soon we’ll never need to speak to one another.
Reading a book is the same as reading from a kindle/e-reader… Books are sometimes heavier than kindles if we’re talking about safety. If I’m reading something, I don’t want to have to stop just because I’m reading from a kindle!
I was once chased across the area between the plane and terminal by a jumped up Ryanair hostess screaming at me to turn off my phone lol i told her it was off and im trying to turn it on she kept shouting no you cant now turn it off, she followed me for about 20mtrs shouting
Did you not tell her to f**k off and leave you alone? :-)
Forgive my ignorance but why are phone calls not allowed?
There is a very small chance that the phone could interfere with the planes electronics. So for safety they put a ban on them being used.
When mobile phones don’t have a signal, or have a weak signal, they go crazy searching for a signal. So if you have a plane full of people with all their phones sending out massive amounts of radiation it could affect the electronics or radio on the plane. Because at 30k feet you aren’t too close to a phone mast, and cellular networks aren’t really designed for people travelling at that speed. Plus it’s annoying having to listen to people shouting on the phone
Thanks gents, appreciate it.
I’m not getting into conspiracy theories here but how come those on Flight 93 were able to make such clear and distinct phonecalls?
Phones can transmit signals to explosive devices thats one reason
Accidentally, I left my phone on in the overhead cabin on a flight from Belfast to Vienna. When I arrived in Vienna I had welcome messages for the Netherlands and Germany. So you can get a signal, albeit weak, travelling at cruising speed and altitude. Those on Flight 93 made their calls while the aircraft was flying far below cruising speed and altitude, so the signals were reliable and consistent, thereby allowing such clear calls.
Planes used have phones at the back of each chair which you could use by swiping your credit card.
Obsolete at this stage.
So just like every flight in China then
have your say