Transport Canada today announced new rules that will make it easier to use portable electronic devices, including electronic games, tablets and computers as well as cameras, during flights in Canada. The change, announced by Minister of Transport Minister Lisa Raitt, will allow passengers to use their devices during all phases of flight, including while an aircraft takes off, climbs, descends and lands, as long as they are in a non-transmitting or flight mode. That means no phone calls or use of Wi-Fi (unless you use services offered by the airline).
According to Minister of Transport Minister Lisa Raitt,
“This is great news for air passengers, and an exciting day for the Canadian aviation industry. By collaborating with our aviation partners, we are able to offer airlines the tools they need to safely enable passengers to use portable electronic devices on airplanes, while still maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.”
Airlines will need to meet certain Transport Canada safety conditions to prove that their aircraft will not be affected by the use of the devices before they can allow their passengers to start using devices thoughout their flights. It’s not clear how long this process will take but we can expect airlines to make announcements once they get approval to go ahead.
Before this announcement, passengers were require to turn off their devices before take-off and before landings. The new rules follow similar ones in both the U.S. and Britain.
Source : Transport Canada