Many of us travel by plane during this time to visit our loved ones, and take our arsenal of electronic devices- iPads, cell phones, laptops. As part of the safety demonstration before take-off, our reliable flight attendants inform us that you are prohibited from using some of these devices during flight. But that could soon change, if a U.S. Senator from Missouri has her way.
On December 11, Senator Claire McCaskill wrote a letter to Mr. Michael Huerta, acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration asking him to change the agency's opinion regarding the issue, and if not, there will be an official action by the U.S. Congress. McCaskill, a Democrat, said that airlines have started to allow the use of the tablet PC in the cockpit, to reduce paperwork and also the use of printed manuals. "The public is becoming increasingly skeptical of the ban on many electronic devices during the entire duration of a flight, and in turn, more and more people use these devices more and more frequently," wrote Senator McCaskill. "The ban on devices that use electricity is outdated in most cases. More importantly, such anachronistic policies increase the likelihood that passengers do not respect those of real importance." She said.
Until now, the official policy of the FAA is that the use of electronic devices could jeopardize the safety of an aircraft in flight. As I wrote in a previous post, the use of mobile phones is not allowed because the data could disrupt aircraft communication abilities. The senator said he is "prepared to proceed with legal action if the matter moves too slowly."
Have your say: Do you think the ban on electronic devices in flight are outdated? Do you think that Senator McCaskill will inspire change?
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