For many years, the FAA has banned electronics on planes because it is unknown how these electronics affect the flight. It would be bad if someone used a cell phone to look at mobile advertising, and it caused the flight to drop. Most flights allow you to play games and turn on electronics but only after the plane has reached 10,000 feet. By the end of the year, assuming all tests go well, you will be able to use your phones, tablets, and laptops during any part of the flight.

All about the tests: take your time

The only thing that could stop this change from happening, at this point, is if testing didn’t go very well. Testing will have to prove that having these devices in use won’t negatively impact the flight before it can go into full effect. It will also take time to get into the swing of things, so the rule may not apply to all carriers at once. According to the FAA: “The decision is based on input from the PED Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) which concluded that most commercial airplanes can tolerate radio interference signals from PEDs.” The tests, at this point, are mostly just to make sure that everything goes well, though the decision has really already been made.

Can I make calls? Or use the internet?

It would seem pretty convenient to have the ability to make calls on the flight, but that is still prohibited. The FCC is still unsure how phone calls affect a flight and don’t want to cause any problems due to a phone call. The only other restriction is internet usage. You will not be able to use the internet below 10,000 feet, but otherwise, there are no internet usage restrictions. So, you may have to turn off the data at the beginning and end of the flight, but games are good the whole time. No more telling your kids to sit in silence while the flight goes up in down. You can distract them with a good old fashioned electronic device.

Texting privileges

Fortunately, it is perfectly okay to text on the flight. Though it hasn’t been specifically prohibited or allowed, one must assume the government would say no if they were concerned about it. Now, you can text your loved ones from the time you get off the ground until the time you land without a worry that something has gone wrong. Play a game, text a friend, and even use the internet at certain heights. You won’t get in any trouble.

Business advertising

It used to be that advertising to plane passengers meant advertising in the plane or trying to find some way to advertise out their windows, but that is not the case anymore. Now, you can advertise to those bored airplane passengers by simply sending them a text. They will even get it while they are on their flight. Hopefully, their boredom will bring them to your site to make a few purchases. Now, mobile advertising can fly even higher than before.

Sources:

USA Today

FAA