British Airways now allows passengers to use portable electronic devices during a flight

Travel 28 June 2019

British Airways announced passengers using the airline may now use their portable electronic devices (PEDs) at all times during their journey within Southern Africa.

This means that both airlines operated Comair – the other is budget carrier kulula.com – permit use of devices aboard their flights.

These devices include, but aren’t limited to, handheld, lightweight electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers, smartphones and other small devices such as MP3 players, electronic toys and smart watches.

Shaun Pozyn, Head of Marketing at kulula.com and British Airways (operated by Comair) said in a statement: "Safety is always our foremost priority. We have worked very closely with the South African Civil Aviation authority to approve this new policy on our aircraft, which is a significant enhancement to our customer experience."

"Previously, customers had to turn off and stow all electronic devices during taxi, take-off and landing. We’re delighted to announce that passengers will now be able to read e-books, play games, watch videos and get some business done from gate-to-gate."

Here are the rules when using your device in-flight:

1. Make safety your first priority.
2. Devices must be used in airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled.
3. Short-range Bluetooth accessories, like wireless keyboards may be used.
4. Stow heavier devices under seats or in the overhead bins during take-off and landing. These items could impede evacuation of an aircraft or may injure you or someone else in the event of turbulence or an emergency.
5. During the safety briefing, put down electronic devices, books and newspapers and listen to the crewmember’s instructions.
6. Always follow crew instructions and immediately turn off your device if asked to do so.

Written by: Staff Writer.

Guzzle Media