The US Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Wednesdaythat there will be expanded use options for Personal Electronic Devices (PED). The FAA has concluded, after a rigorous study beginning in January of this year, that most planes in commercial airline fleets can withstand the radio interference made by PEDs, including tablets, eBooks, video game consoles and MP3 players.

The FAA stresses that this is not an all-encompassing approval as it is based on many different variables: plane design, flight and weather patterns, and the devices themselves. Some devices like cellphones may continue to be subject to regulation as they are designed to put out a higher quality of signal that may still interfere with the plane, especially during take-off, landing, and moments of poor visibility. While the use of in-flight wireless internet is approved, cell phones and smart phones must be placed in “airplane mode.” San Diego business travelers using heavy items like laptops will still be required to be stow them under their seats or in overhead bins, as they are potential obstacles during evacuation and turbulence.

There will be some delay in the implementation of these rules because each airline must first pass a safety assessment in order to change the individual policies governed by each carrier. As a result, San Diego travelers should keep in mind that the use of electronics during take-off and landing might not be permitted for upcoming travel in or out of San Diego. Te FAA does however state that they expect all major airlines to be on board with the changes by the end of the year.

So what does all this mean? Those planning on taking a flight out of San Diego can look forward to being able to use their e-books, tablets, and DVD players throughout their flight time. In-flight wireless internet and low-range bluetooth have also been given the stamp of approval. So you’re flight just got a lot more entertaining.

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