Get your iPad and get ready for take off! The Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday that passengers will now be able to read, play games and watch movies on their approved electronic devices from gate-to-gate, without turning them off for takeoff and landing.

The devices will still have to be in airplane mode and anything heavy like a laptop will still have to be stowed. The changes won’t happen overnight. Each airline will be able to implement the new changes on their own schedule in order to make sure the transition is done safely.

The FAA has also issued guidelines for airlines to follow to help with the process. The Portable Electronic Devices Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which is made up of pilots, passengers, and flight attendants, examined safety issues with mobile devices on airlines. They issued a report last month giving detailed guidelines for airlines to follow to ensure their planes are within regulations.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants called the news a “win-win” and said flight attendants won’t have to be “hall monitors”during takeoff and landing anymore.

What do you think of the new regulations? Will flight attendants now be required to check if each device is in airplane mode before takeoff? Are we one step closer to being able to use cell phones on planes? What changed to make the FAA approve this?

Guest:
Julie Frederick, Government Affairs Representative for Association of Professional Flight Attendants