UK Aviation Authority Says In-flight Gadget Use Months Away
Those flying in the UK and Europe won't be using their tablets or ereaders during takeoff and landing for some time.
The USA's FAA just recently cleared gadgets for use during flights, including take off and landing. However, those hoping the UK's aviation authority, the CAA, might follow suit, will have to sit tight. According to Crave, such action is still months away.
CNet's Crave blog cites the UK Civil Aviation Authority as saying it will be 'months rather than weeks' before UK passengers can play with their phone or tablet during take off and landing. The reason behind the delay is because it's not just the UK's rules under consideration. The CAA says the European Aviation Safety Agency wants to ensure European Airlines are bound by the same regulations in order to avoid confusion for passengers flying in Europe. As such, it's necessary to consult with the EASA for a Europe-wide response.
"We will be studying the review's recommendations closely and discussing their implications directly with the FAA and also the European Aviation Safety Agency, which will be responsible for deciding a European-wide response and next steps," the CAA told Crave.
If you've flown on an airplane over the last decade or so, you've certainly scoffed at the rule that dictates you switch off all electronics during takeoff and landing. Last week, the FAA announced a major policy change that allows passengers to use smartphones, readers, and handheld consoles during all stages of flight. This means you don't have to quit in the middle of an Angry Birds marathon or power down your ereader for 20 minutes at either end of your flight. Previous rules only allowed passengers to use electronic devices once the plane had reached cruising altitude due to concerns that transmissions from personal electronic devices would interfere with the plane.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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velocityg4 What's with all these articles on being able to use electronics during take off and landing? Is it that difficult to wait 15 minutes for an airplane to descend or climb? Are people that glued to text messaging, facebook and twitter that they can't just sit back and relax for a few minutes. Making it a big enough deal for numerous articles and news reports.Reply -
g-unit1111 Reply11868269 said:What's with all these articles on being able to use electronics during take off and landing? Is it that difficult to wait 15 minutes for an airplane to descend or climb? Are people that glued to text messaging, facebook and twitter that they can't just sit back and relax for a few minutes. Making it a big enough deal for numerous articles and news reports.
Yeah seriously! Between this and that survey I read (http://www.nycaviation.com/2013/09/what-amenities-would-you-trade-for-in-flight-wi-fi/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nycaviation+%28NYCAviation.com+ ) that said that 22% of airline travelers would give up the airplane bathrooms for better Wifi, some people really need to turn off their devices for a few minutes. I am all for having faster internet access but the bathroom thing is where I draw the line.