Personal Electronic Devices
 

With the FAA lifting the ban on most PEDs, it sounds like several airlines are planning to allow them, perhaps as early as tomorrow. Delta has apparently updated their policy on their website, and JetBlue has announced they have filed the necessary paperwork with the FAA.

Where does Alaska stand? I'd love to start using them, I can only read the in-flight magazine so many times...

Statement from AS on GeekWire:

Just got off the phone with Paul McElroy, spokesman for Alaska Airlines. He told us that while the airline wishes they could allow customers to use their devices right away, it’s going to take some time to make the proper changes. For example, Alaska Airlines needs conduct further testing that the FAA requires and update its operations manuals, passenger emergency cards and captain PA announcements.

“We are looking forward to giving customers more flexibility and are eager to do so,” McElroy said. “We appreciate their patience while we take care of these final steps.”

Considering there are still FAs touting the credit card companion fare as valid "on ANY published fare at alaskaair.com, Id assume each crew will do whatever they want :rolleyes:

Perhaps now the FAA can weigh in on the credit card pitch all together. It's distracting from my use of PEDs below 10k feet, and should be banned! :D

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 7_0_3 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/537.51.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.0 Mobile/11B511 Safari/9537.53)

Glad the silly "no electronics below 10,000 feet rule" is going away (particularly since it was so blatantly ignored by most passengers), and I am ecstatic that the FAA will continue to restrict phone conversations in the air.

+1 ^

Amen! Seems like a win-win. I certainly want to be able to use my iPad or cell phone (for surfing/games - when/if AS gets wifi below 10K) but I sure don't want to hear any phone conversations. I loathe hearing the conversations before taxi and after landing.

Ugh, why are you always so SLOW Alaska?

Delta: "as early as this Friday"
American: "as soon as we receive approval from the FAA"
JetBlue: "as early as this afternoon"

Alaska: "going to take some time [...] conduct further testing [...] blah blah blah"

Every other PreCheck airline notes PreCheck status on BP's no matter where they're issued. AS STILL doesn't have it on web, mobile, kiosk, or in-person checkin. I'm not counting on ground usage of electronics anytime in 2013.

My prediction: at least 4 of AA/DL/UA/US/WN will allow ground electronics by the end of the year, but AS will not allow it until sometime in 2014.

I suspect some carriers see this as a short-term differentiator and they're moving as fast as possible to take advantage of the promotional/PR value of being able to trumpet they're among the first.

The AS response did strike me as a bit, well (dare I say this for the first airline to sell tickets online?) Luddite.

I think the biggest challenge will be getting anyone to turn anything off after today, before this is officially implemented.

While I'm definitely not encouraging folks to ignore the instructions of a flight attendant, I do wonder if this will ultimately be what motivates some carriers like AS to move quicker on this. The annoyance of having to fight passengers who hear in the news they can play their Angry Birds/Words With Friends, yet the FA is saying no.

Why won't they allow e-mail and text messaging and other mobile phone network capabilities?

I bring along a "takeoff/landing" book, but it can be a pain to put away my ebook, get out the print book, and then do it all over again. Moreover, on a recent flight the print book turned out to be one I couldn't get into, so was very lucky to have a second one in my bag under the seat while we were stuck on the runway for well over half an hour. My e-reader generally has a dozen or so choices on it.

Candy Crush.

I NEVER want to see that be allowed.

I generally read that at home when Im bored :confused: