Personal Electronic Devices
Oct 31, 2013, 10:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: GEG
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC, Delta Silver
Posts: 475
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...
Where does Alaska stand? I'd love to start using them, I can only read the in-flight magazine so many times...
Oct 31, 2013, 10:38 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,193
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...
Where does Alaska stand? I'd love to start using them, I can only read the in-flight magazine so many times...
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.”
Oct 31, 2013, 10:53 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: AS MVPG, CO, NW(now DL), Flying Blue
Posts: 6,554
Oct 31, 2013, 11:28 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: GEG
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC, Delta Silver
Posts: 475
Oct 31, 2013, 12:36 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,989
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.
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.
Oct 31, 2013, 1:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: AS Million Miler, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Nexus / Global Entry
Posts: 844
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.
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.
Oct 31, 2013, 1:15 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS - MVP75k, Marriott - Titanium, Hertz - PC
Posts: 225
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.
Oct 31, 2013, 2:06 pm
#8
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,732
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.”
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.”
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.
Oct 31, 2013, 3:01 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,193
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.
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.
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.
Oct 31, 2013, 3:09 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: GEG
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC, Delta Silver
Posts: 475
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.
Last edited by rybob1; Oct 31, 2013 at 3:10 pm Reason: Fixing Quoted text
Oct 31, 2013, 5:30 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
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.
Oct 31, 2013, 5:50 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: AS Million Miler since 2011, Lifetime MVPG
Posts: 853
