A Federal Aviation Administration advisory group has recommended that passengers be allowed to use personal electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers and smartphones during takeoffs and landings, according to an Associated Press report.
The recommendations made by the 28-member committee during a closed door meeting on Thursday would still require that some devices be switched to airplane mode. It would also prohibit talking on the phone, surfing the internet and downloading data while a plane is taking off or touching down.
What it does allow is the reading of e-books, listening to music, playing games, watching movies and generally doing work, the AP reports, citing officials who asked not to be named because the FAA asked them not to discuss the recommendations publicly.
Les Dorr, an FAA spokesman, would not discuss details of the recommendations. "The only thing we are confirming is that the FAA expects to receive the ARC report on Monday," he said.
The FAA will have to approve the recommendations.
Right now, passengers have to turn off all electronic devices until the plane reaches 10,000 feet in altitude. That requirement was made decades ago when it was believed that the devices could interfere with a jet's guidance and communications systems.
But there's been no definitive evidence that the devices tamper with a plane's systems. And in today's digital age, many passengers who are glued to their devices often ignore the flight attendants' warning to put them away at the start and end of a flight.
Some frequent fliers note that flight crews themselves are increasingly using their personal devices in-flight, making it difficult for them to abide by the warnings.
"Being able to utilize electronic devices during all aspects of the flight would be a welcome change,'' says Richard Boyd, a member of USA TODAY's panel of Road Warriors who works in the entertainment industry and is based in Beverly Hills.
"If pilots can successfully operate the aircraft using iPads in the cockpit, why are the same devices considered a possible danger in the cabin?" he says.
Al Katz, a comedian who lives in Kissimmee, Fla., says that some passengers ignore the rules against using electronics during take off and landing anyway.
"I fly twice a week and always notice passengers sneak a peek on their phones and computers once the flight attendants sit," he says. "And from all the reports that I have read about, it doesn't seem to interfere with any signals. So in my opinion, let's . . . have fun."
Contributing: Charisse Jones