British Airways (operated by Comair) announced on Thursday that its customers may now use their portable electronic devices (PEDs) at all times during their journey within Southern Africa. Hallelulia!
This means that both airlines operated Comair – British Airways and budget carrier kulula.com – permit the 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 says, “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.”
When using PEDs onboard, passengers should always:
- Make safety your first priority.
- Devices must be used in airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled.
- Short-range Bluetooth accessories, like wireless keyboards, may be used.
- 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.
- During the safety briefing, put down electronic devices, books, and newspapers and listen to the crewmember’s instructions.
- Always follow crew instructions and immediately turn off your device if asked to do so.
