Read on, read on: British Airways has become the first airline in Europe to permit phones, iPads and Kindles to remain switched on during takeoff and landing. You’ll still need to activate airplane mode because texts and calls will still not be permitted. This I don’t mind. Despite my penchant for all things technical, I draw the line at having to share a cabin with garrulous phone callers. Nevertheless, this is a big step in the right direction, overturning one of the most irritating and pointless little rules which, more than any, is resented by passengers.
Now, I suspect, airlines face another problem. How to check that all these devices are actually switched to airplane mode? There’s no surreal halo to hover above the heads of compliers and I am sure that the majority of passengers will simply not bother. Actually, that’s no different to the current situation. Few actually turn off their devices and many do not even know how to access the airline mode setting. How many ebook readers, for instance, are actually switched to airline mode? Probably none.
Today marks another victory in the face of pettiness and I am sure we will see universal relaxation within a few months.