The FAA Lifts Ban on in-flight Electronic Use
Ariana Arghandewal October 31, 2013
After months of research, the FAA has finally announced an ease on the ban of in-flight electronic use during takeoff and landing. Starting as early as the end of the year, passengers will be able use laptops and tablets without interruption. Devices must be set to airplane mode and cellphone use is still restricted.
Previously, electronic device use was banned until the plane rose to 10,000 feet. As soon as the airlines are able to get their fleet certified as safe, the new rules will go into effect.
Now it is up to the airlines to prove that their planes are equipped to handle the use of electronic devices safely. Delta and JetBlue have already announced plans to get their fleet certified, and the FAA has released a statement indicating it expects the change to go into effect by the end of the year.
@dhuey Send them off to an island and don't allow them to turn their electronics on the entire flight. @sdsearch The FCC restricts in-flight cellphone use, so we'll have to petition them to get that changed.
But some laptops and tablets also have cellphone connectivity in them. So are those still allowed while cellphones in airplane mode (ie, cellphone connectivity turned off) aren't???
What will become of those finger-wagging passengers who deputized themselves to enforce this silly rule? You know, the ones who said things like, "turn that off! You're not going to endanger my life!" Do we now send them off to some island somewhere? Maybe we should, for their own protection.