From this press release today:

“The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael Huerta today announced that the FAA has determined that airlines can safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight, and is immediately providing the airlines with implementation guidance. ”

It shows you how established the agency’s obstinacy had become that the introduction of this completely obvious bit of common sense had to be accompanied by a press release. Practically speaking, what this means is that airlines must first prove that they can “safely handle radio interference from portable electronics” before passengers can start openly admitting that they’re not turning off their tablets, phones and laptops when they’re told to. Read the frequently asked questions here.

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