This issue has been actively discussed (and still is) between TCCA, the FAA & EASA for several years - it is not going to change anytime soon. The amount of work & time needed to change & harmonize the laws between all the major regulatory authorities is just deemed not to be worth it at the moment. It took close to two years just to work on Chapter 18 for ICAO and it will take longer for the regulators to make laws based on Chapter 18.

The major thing that really rubs me wrong about all of this are the (at times) blatant lies told by the airlines about the dangers posed. Believe me, if anyone really thought that a cell phone, bluetooh device or ir device would bring down an aircraft, they wouldn't be permitted in the passenger cabin.

There are two main reasons for the prohibition

1. The devices have not been certified for use in an aircraft environment - the regs on that are very specific.

2. Safety - the cabin crew has to be sure they'll have your attention from push back until 10k ft altitude and the last 30-15 minutes of flight until touchdown and the aircraft is off the active runway.


BTW, (slightly O/T) I know many of you on here (I see it daily) feel you get away with not following the rules/laws most of the time you fly, take it for the dessert topping it is. However, when a FA reminds (asks) you to follow the rule(s), just do it without any sort of protest (I see this way too often), you never know when you'll have a FA who feels like following the letter of the law and having you walked of the aircraft in handcuffs - I have seen this happen once at LAX.

No one can make any argument for not following crew member instructions, and doing so could result in that person having a very bad day......