FAA lifts restrictions on in-flight electronics

Airline passengers have long been annoyed by stringent rules requiring them to turn off cell phones and laptops for takeoff, but a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy allowing expanded in-flight use of electronics means Americans no longer need to sneak behind flight attendants’ backs to grab an extra peek at their smartphones.

Following months of examination by aviation experts, the FAA has decided to lift restrictions on portable electronic device (PED) usage during takeoff and landing, permitting "gate to gate" use of everything from e-readers to iPads — so long as they remain in airplane mode.

“The FAA has determined that airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices during all phases of flight, and is immediately providing the airlines with implementation guidance,” said a statement from the FAA released Thursday morning.

The old restrictions prohibit passengers from using PEDs until their plane rises above 10,000 feet, because of concerns that radio signals from these devices can interfere with an aircraft’s navigation and communication systems. Those concerns are more or less obsolete today, as modern aircraft designed to accommodate PEDs easily withstand electromagnetic interference.

The FAA says it commissioned the safety review in January, responding in part to public demand.

“The rules have been in place for almost 50 years, and technology has evolved a lot since they were first put in place,” FAA spokeswoman Kristie Greco told Al Jazeera.

The FAA noted that the new rules would not take effect immediately — airlines will first need to be approved — but an agency statement noted that “many carriers will prove to the FAA that their planes allow passengers to safely use their devices in airplane mode, gate-to-gate, by the end of the year.”

“Each airline will determine how and when this will happen,” FAA Administrator Michael Huerta told reporters gathered at Reagan Washington National Airport.

The updated policy doesn't allow passengers to talk on cell phones while airborne, however. That rule, which comes from the Federal Communications Commission, remains in place.

Al Jazeera