Phones, tablets cleared for take-off, landing

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Passengers on approved local carriers will now be allowed to use their electronic devices during take-off and landing under new regulations, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) yesterday.

Mobile phones, tablets and various other transmitting portable electronic devices (PEDs) may now be used in those phases of flight, provided they are set to flight mode and their transmitting functions are disabled.

Those who want to use their device in non-flight mode will have to wait until the plane is cruising above 10,000 feet.

The new rules have been in effect since May 31 and the eight local carriers involved are Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Tiger Airways, Scoot, Jetstar, Valuair, ST Aerospace and Singapore Airlines Cargo.

Before implementing the rules, the carriers will have to ensure that their aircraft meet the certification requirements and conduct the necessary safety risk assessments, said the CAAS. This is to verify that the use of the PEDs would not interfere with aircraft navigation or communication systems.

The CAAS said the amendments are in line with recent regulatory changes made by leading aviation authorities.

The authority’s move followed similar decisions last year by the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency to relax rules and expand passenger use of electronic devices during flights. Both authorities allowed mobile phones set to flight mode to be used during take-off and landing.