In-flight phone use

Australian airlines Qantas and Virgin Australia have decided to __________ their customers permission to use their mobile phones and other electronic devices during flights.

The new rule will affect tablets, e-readers and small game consoles, as well as smartphones, and it will apply __________ international and domestic passengers flying the two Australian airlines.

Passengers were previously asked to switch off these types of devices during flights for __________ reasons.

Qantas and Virgin Australia thus followed the new trend of some airlines in the United States, Europe and New Zealand, when the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) __________ applications from both Australian airlines late on Monday.

The new rule for the Australian airlines means passengers can continue to play games or draft emails on their phones during take-off and __________.

The reason for the change is that aircraft are now designed and manufactured so that smartphones and other electronic devices do not __________ with flights.

Nonetheless, the permission does not include passengers being allowed to speak on their phones from gate to gate. And larger devices such as laptops will still need to be stowed away due to risks of turbulence, said CASA spokesman Peter Gibson. __________ the change, at some point crew will ask passengers, probably before the safety briefing is given, to turn off their electronic devices.

They’ll have to either switch them off or put them __________ flight mode. Once a smartphone is in its so-called flight mode, it means passengers can no-longer send text messages or make calls.

Introduction of that kind of technology will be the next step, __________ to Mr Gibson. It would replace satellite phones which have been enabled on flights for many years, but the connections are extremely expensive.

Newer technology will make in-flight calls more __________ and enable connection to the internet during flights.