Passengers on Singapore carriers can use mobile devices from take-off to landing: CAAS

Singapore carriers now have the option of allowing their passengers to use portable electronic devices (PEDs) during take-off and landing except for voice calls, following the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore’s (CAAS) amendment of in-flight regulations.

In a statement on Friday, the agency identified additional flight segments where the use of PEDs such as such as tablets, mobile phones, e-readers and mp3 players are permitted with CAAS’ approval.

Previously, passengers had to switch off all these devices during take-off and landing.

CAAS, however, said that the Singapore carriers – Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot, Tigerair, Jetstar Asia and Valuair – will still have to verify that the use of the devices does not interfere with the performance of aircraft navigation or communication systems.

Also, voice communications using mobile phones will still be strictly prohibited from the time the aircraft leaves the departure gate until the time before it exits the runway upon landing, it said.

The recent easing in the rules comes after other leading aviation authorities made similar regulatory changes.

Despite the changes, voice calls on mobile phones are still strictly prohibited from the time the aircraft leaves the departure gate till it exits the runway on landing.

Passengers will also be advised by cabin crew to stow bulky PEDs when taxing, take-off and landing and to switch mobile phones to ‘flight’ mode during the flight.

Tan Pee Teck, senior vice president for product and services at Singapore Airlines, added, "Singapore Airlines welcomes the move by CAAS to permit the expanded use of PEDs on flights. More and more of our customers are now travelling with PEDs and we are pleased to have implemented this for the benefit of our customers.”

Implementation of these new regulations may vary among local airlines, given the difference in Singapore carriers’ policies and aircraft capabilities.

Yap Ong Heng, Director-General, CAAS, said, “We note that all the Singapore carriers have welcomed this move, and many are already taking steps to ascertain that there would be no interference to flight operations before they proceed with implementation.”

The new regulations took effect on 31 May 2014, but CAAS noted that given differences in Singapore carriers' policies and aircraft capabilities, implementation of the expanded passenger use of PEDs on flights may vary among the airlines.