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# Airplane Mode
European airlines to allow gadget use during takeoff and landing
The new guidelines will allow passengers to keep their gadgets switched on throughout their flight.
Updated 21:40
ANYONE WHO IS flying across Europe will soon be able to use their smartphones and tablets from gate-to-gate.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the EU’s aviation safety body, is expected to publish a set of guidelines at the end of the month allowing passengers in Europe to use their gadgets during takeoff and landing.
The changes mean that you can now use your smartphone, tablet, MP3 player and e-reader on your flight as long as they are in airplane mode, meaning passengers cannot text or make calls during the flight. The exceptions are bulkier electronic devices such as laptops which need to be stored away during these periods.
The EASA also mentioned that it was considering allowing passengers to make calls with mobile phones while in-flight, but noted that this was a long-term goal.
The Executive Director of EASA Partick Ky said: “This is a major step in the process of expanding the freedom to use personal electronic devices onboard aircraft without compromise in safety.”
The move follows similar guideline changes in the US as the Federal Aviation Authority allowed passengers to use their gadgets during flights.
First published 16:17
Read: Airline passengers want to use smartphones, but only five per cent do >
Read: Electronic device use permitted on US flights, but what about Irish flights >
