Wed, Apr 23, 2014 MUMBAI MIRROR AHMEDABAD MIRROR PUNE MIRROR

Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Apr 23, 2014, 02.00 AM IST

The Holi celebration aboard a Spice Jetplane that caused a
furore
By: Adi tya Anand
Soon, passengers won't have to switch off their mobile phones inside the aircraft
Air passengers will soon have a reason to cheer, as the DGCA has agreed to amend rules for
smartphones to be kept in aircraft mode instead of switched-off mode. It will pave the way for
passengers to type out important mails, play games or watch movies mid-air and kill time.
A long-standing demand of the Air Passengers Asssociation of India (APAI), the issue of mobile
phones was sucessfully lobbied for by chief executives of domestic carriers at a meeting with DGCA
chief Prabhat Kumar on Tuesday.
A provision in the Aircraft Rules, 1957, bars the use of mobile phones mid-air despite there being no network available. "Flyers are required to switch off
their phones completely, and not keep them in aircraft mode, when the aircraft begins taxiing, before takeoff.
They are allowed to switch on their phones only when the aircraft lands," the Spicejet spokesperson said. The issue of passengers not switching off their
phones came under the scanner when during Holi aboard six Spicejet flights, passengers (and in one case the co-pilot) were seen recording a dance gig by
the crew. DGCA issued a show-cause notice to the airline.
"This is an important decision because most low-cost carriers do not offer any in-flight entertainment," an office-bearer of the Federation of Indian
Airlines said. Airline sources said that the DGCA had agreed to constitute a team that would study the finer details of amending the act. "This team,
comprising operators and DGCA officials, will decide of the type of phones that can remain in aircraft mode. A draft proposal will be out in the next few
weeks," an officer said.
According to aviation experts, Rule 29B of Aircraft Rules 1957 disallows the use of portable electronic devices on board an aircraft in flight in any form. It
says no one will be allowed to operate any such device and the pilot in command of the aircraft will also not permit their use during flight. In 2010, this
rule was changed to allow mobile phones to be switched on after landing. Though use of laptops/ tablets is allowed, use of mobile phones is not once the
flight is airborne.
Sudhakar Reddy, president of the APAI, said, "We only hope that there is clarity on using the devices for photography as well. The worry comes from past
experience because several aerodromes are still being shared with defence establishments and are no-photography zones."
It has always been suspected that the radio frequency emitted by cellphones could lead to a malfunction in a plane's equipment systems. In the US,
numerous airlines have reported disruptions in cabin pressure, compass function, and wireless navigation systems associated with the use of cell phones
on board. Newer smartphones available today are capable of operating on low power settings, and may not interfere with the aircraft much.






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