Texting on Flights Coming to the Philippines

Airline passengers in the Philippines may soon be able to enjoy playing games and watching videos using their electronic devices throughout the entire flight. However, don't expect to be able to make calls on your cell phone. The use of cell phones for voice communication will remain strictly prohibited. 

Image Source: Virgin Atlantic

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is planning to release a memorandum order permitting the use of mobile devices on all Philippine flights. According to John Andrews, Deputy Director General of CAAP, the new guidelines were established after the US Federal Aviation Administration gave clearance for airlines in the United States to permit the use of electronic devices for the entire duration of flights. 

The US Federal Aviation Administration spent several months studying the issue with a group of aviation experts that concluded that passengers can use portable electronic devices including cellular phones in airplane mode, laptop computers, tablets, and e-readers throughout the flight with some circumstantial restrictions.

The FAA had long been an advocate that the use of electronic devices during take off and landing posed a safety risk and that radio signals from the devices could interfere with the navigation, communications, and other important systems of the aircraft. However, a panel established by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2012 to study the issue determined that the majority of commercial aircraft can tolerate radio interference signals.

Andrews of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines says that the new policy is long overdue. "In the past 25 years na lumabas ang mga cellphone, wala pang nababalita na kaso ng cellphone na nag-interfere sa electronic equipment ng eroplano," Andrew said in an interview with dzMM. 

Under current regulations, passengers are required to turn off all electronic devices during take off and landing. Permission to use them is granted by the captain of the aircraft once the flight has reached a certain altitude. However, under the new policy, passengers will be able to use their electronic devices during all portions of the flight including taxi, take off, and landing. 

Andrews specified that only gaming, text messaging, and internet surfing would be permitted and that making calls will remain prohibited. He noted that a scenario of 200 passengers making calls at the same time could create a difficult situation for other passengers and the crew. Andrews added that while texting in-flight will be a convenient new feature, passengers must remember that as the aircraft ascends to higher altitudes, they may not be able to send any text messages as the signal will be poor. 

However, that may not be the case when travelling on certain international flights of Philippine Airlines. PAL recently introduced 'PAL iN AiR' - a new service that enables passengers to use high-speed internet via Wi-Fi, text, and make mobile phone calls for minimal charges. Philippine Airlines became the first airline in the world to use the service that utilizes hardware called GSMConneX, manufactured by German firm TriaGnoSys. The system enables users to connect to an on-board cell site and Wi-Fi spot allowing passengers to make clear voice calls, send real-time text messages, and enjoy high-speed internet. The system is currently installed on PAL's Boeing 777-300ER fleet but the airline plans to progressively add it to the new Airbus A330-300 fleet as well. 

Meanwhile, in the United States, the FAA is requiring each airline to determine how and when it will implement the new policy. In addition, airlines must prove to the FAA that their aircraft can permit passengers to safely use their devices in airplane mode throughout the entire duration of the flight. In other words, before the airline switches to the new rules, they must prove that their aircraft can tolerate the interference. This is particularly important where older aircraft are concerned as most modern aircraft have been built with portable electronics in mind, developing a resistance against electromagnetic interference. The FAA did indicate a single exception to the new policy where some instances of low visibility are concerned. 

The pilots and flight attendants in the United States raised some concerns about the new policy. The Airline Pilots Association released a statement indicating that their members remained concerned about relying on passengers to selectively turn off their devices in areas of extremely poor weather. Flight attendants suggested that their jobs would become even more challenging under the new policy as they will now need to ensure that passengers are only using devices in "airplane" mode. The Association of Flight Attendants requested that appropriate crew training must be developed along with specific passenger messaging to ensure that passengers comply with the new policy and pay attention to safety messages.