Several Chinese airlines have begun allowing passengers to use mobile phones in flight mode from Thursday, lifting a ban on their use during flights.Other portable electronic devices could be used in flight mode, while on planes with Wi-fi, passengers could access the internet using tablets and laptops but not phones.
With more and more people traveling with smartphones and other personal electronic devices, policies surrounding the use of such devices onboard have also been evolving. Just a few years ago, you couldn’t use your phone during takeoff and landing, even if it was in airplane mode. Now, many airlines allow passengers to use their devices from gate to gate, as long as the cellular function is turned off.
Chinese airlines have long had a rule prohibiting the use of cell phones onboard. On January 16, 2018, the Civil Aviation Administration of China finally released a report detailing their new attitude towards in-flight cellphone use.
The report, which title roughly translates to “Report on Evaluation of Onboard Use of Portable Electronic Devices”, does require airlines to conduct a review to ensure devices do not interfere with aircraft electronics. However, as long as they want to and believe it to be safe, commercial airlines now have the freedom to allow the use of portable electronic devices onboard.
China Eastern Airlines and Hainan Airlines took the lead in lifting the ban from Thursday after China’s civil aviation authority in September said it would leave it up to carriers to make the call on whether to allow phones to be used on flights, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
The change also applies to Hainan subsidiary Lucky Air.
Spring Airlines, the country’s largest budget carrier, followed suit on Thursday, announcing that it will allow mobile phones to be used in flight mode from next month.
China’s restrictions on the use of portable electronic devices on flights came with tough penalties – any violation of cabin rules is deemed to be damaging the public order and can result in up to 10 days’ detention.
Last year, Beijing police detained three passengers in a month for using their mobile phones during flights, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
One of them was detained for five days for listening to music on his phone during take-off and landing.
The lifting of the ban was welcomed, with passengers sharing selfies taken on their phones during flights with the two airlines.
This will no doubt bring a world of convenience to passengers of all kind. However, perhaps more importantly, business travelers can now stay connected even while in the air with their phones.
