Following a recent announcement by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), airline passengers will now be allowed to use their smartphones throughout the duration of flights, including take-off and landing. A recent study came to the conclusion that mobile phones do not pose any risk to the safety of a flight.

 

Until now, aircraft passengers have been required to turn their phones off, or enable ‘airplane mode’, during a flight, restricting any signals from being sent to or from the device. However, the new EASA policy will allow airlines to make their own rules regarding mobile phone use on their flights.

 

Before being able to permit the use of smartphones and other internet-enabled devices on their planes, airlines must complete an assessment process to ensure that their systems are not affected by mobile transmission signals. Once they have passed this test, airlines can install special equipment which will allow passengers to connect to their phone network, even in the high altitudes that today’s aircraft reach.

 

When interviewed about the new policy, EASA spokesperson Ilias Maragakis told that the change was “more about being able to offer gate-to-gate services”.

 

Although some airlines have allowed passengers to use mobile devices during the cruising part of the flight for years, such as British Airways and Lufthansa, it has not been permitted during take-off and landing. “The bits at the beginning and the end are critical phases”, said Maragakis, “you want to make sure safety is not compromised in any way”.

 

It is likely that we will see the majority of European airliners introducing the necessary equipment to support in-flight mobile phone use in the near future, which will have significant implications for business travellers. No longer will business mobile phones be limited to offline use during flights, and passengers will be able to remain fully productive and connected for the duration of the journey.