Thoughts? No more airplane mode on European flights

[Deleted]

If you've ever been annoyed at having to turn your smartphone off during a flight, rejoice! The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has just announced that it will now allow airlines to permit the use of mobile phones though out the flight.

Before this announcement you would have to either turn off your device or put it into Airplane Mode. Recent relaxations in the policy meant you would only have to do this during take off and landing.

Now, however, you won't have to turn off or use the Airplane Mode at all, so you'll be able to make and receive calls, or browse the internet, through all stages of your journey.

Cloud service



The relaxing of the rules doesn't just affect smartphones either, with tablets, laptops, ereaders and other personal electronic devices being allowed to remain on throughout the flight.



However, this doesn't mean that all flights will allow you uninterrupted use of your phone. EASA is leaving it up to each airline to decide the level of use of personal electronic devices.

Each airline will also need to go through an assessment process to make sure that aircraft systems are not affected in any way by the use of electronic equipment.

These measures will only affect European flights, with rules regarding the use of personal electronic devices in the US and Australia remaining the same, so you won't see the Airplane Mode setting disappear from your phone any time soon.


www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/airplane-mode-no-longer-needed-on-european-flights-1267138?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=airplanemode&utm_campaign=project

What are your thoughts on this? 

[orriskitten]

I know there are some domestic us flights that already do this. We flew from NYC to dc and never had to go into airplane mode.

Didn't myth busters bust the cell service interference myth? Maybe I'm not remembering correctly.

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2014 4:53:22 GMT -5 orriskitten said:

I know there are some domestic us flights that already do this. We flew from NYC to dc and never had to go into airplane mode.

Didn't myth busters bust the cell service interference myth? Maybe I'm not remembering correctly.

Yeah, I remember seeing that myth busters too.

A friend of mine who's a commercial pilot told me that they tell everyone that because they need people paying attention during take off/landing because those are the most likely times for an accident. He said he usually keeps his phone on in the cockpit and there isn't a problem.

[v]

Question: can you actually get a cell signal up there?

[v]

Sept 30, 2014 7:53:51 GMT -5 @stpete said:

Sept 30, 2014 7:10:55 GMT -5 v said:

Question: can you actually get a cell signal up there?

I'm thinking it would have to be wifi calling. I've left my phone on and there is never a signal at cruising altitude.

So if it is wifi only, it is no different from flights that currently have wifi for sale, right? Except maybe that it will also be available during takeoff and landing?

[cheezer]

I've never been able to get a signal after about 90 seconds after takeoff as it gets too high for phone or internet.

[stellarose]

They better restrict phone calls....how annoying!

[GilliC]

Some planes offer their own cell service, like they do on cruise ships these days. I was on a RyanAir flight that had the service a few years ago (not during takeoff and landing). It wasn't cheap, so it didn't get much use, and I think they phased it out pretty quickly because I haven't seen it since.

Remember back when most planes actually had phones? I can't remember ever seeing anyone pay to use one!

Someday I may feel foolish for having said this, but I don't really see it catching on. With web-based messaging services like iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook messaging, etc. even ground-based mobile communication is moving to mobile data. Since there's already a huge demand for in-flight WiFi, I don't see a huge profit in providing in-flight cellular service. But I guess we'll see!

[CloudBee]

I was on a recent international flight that didn't require us to disable devices. We merely had to stow laptops and iPads.

I believe the FAA is in the process of amending the policy.