Fliers can continue to play their favourite game on their mobile phones during landing and take-off with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) amending the rule that bans use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight but on a non-transmitting or flight mode. “The DGCA has decided to allow the use of PEDs, including cellphones. The use of PEDs shall be in the non-transmitting mode commonly called flight/airplane mode,” said a release from the DGCA on Wednesday. With the implementation of the new rule, passengers can now turn on their cellphones, tablets or laptops on ‘flight mode’ or ‘airplane mode’ to work, play video games, listen to music, watch pre-loaded movies or type their emails. This move by the aviation regulator would put India on par with a handful of other countries, which allow use of mobiles while on board except for making calls. Airlines have welcomed the move, which was a long-pending demand. “Good move by DGCA, now will be easier to monitor device usage (no more hidden phones) and passengers benefit as well,” Sanjiv Kapoor, chief operating officer of SpiceJet wrote on social networking site Twitter. The decision was taken after a meeting on the issue last week when scheduled airlines had raised the demand to allow the use of PEDs during all phases of flight. The aviation regulator examined their demand in view of the new regulations of the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which allow the use of PEDs on flight mode in all phases of a flight.
