DGCA may allow mobile phone use in Indian flights after landing

DGCA proposes a new law for usage of mobile phones on aircraft

Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA has proposed a new law, wherein the passengers in the aircraft can switch on or use their mobile phones soon after the flight lands and clears active runway. DGCA has invited comments and suggestions on this notification till August 20, 2010.

Other devices such as portable voice recorders, hearing aids, heart pacemakers, electric shavers, etc will continue to be permitted like earlier, ie., only after the flight lands.

There had been debates on usage of mobile phones on air. But DGCA hasn’t taken any stand on this. However GGCA is reviewing on this matter and might come up with a decision soon.

Presently, we are asked to switch off the mobile phones as soon as aircraft is ready to take off to avoid interference of telecom signals with the navigation tools and ground based signals of the aircraft. But we see a lot of people grinning over this law.

DGCA is reviewing tests on mobile usage on board aircraft with US-based Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Air Safety Agency. Aircrafts like Emirate and Ryan Air had conducted such tests and shown that there isn’t any danger or disturbance in using mobile phones inside the flight.

But according to the law in case of low visibility conditions, mobile phones cannot be used even after a flight has landed.

But tests carried out by global agencies on airlines such as Emirates and Ryan Air has shown that there is no danger or disturbance. Infact, Kingfisher Airlines has moved a step ahead by taking permission from the government on usage of phone inside the aircraft. It is in talking process with the German telephone equipment company OnAir to install a technology that will avoid all hindrances of using mobile phone on air.

The DGCA is also setting up a working group to prepare a Draft Civil Aviation Requirement on various aspects of emergency response.

Director General of Civil Aviation Naseem Zaidi said, “We are setting up a working group to evolve a comprehensive civil aviation requirement that will lay down various regulatory aspects dealing with emergency response including planning, preparedness, review, and training. It should be in place over the next 8-12 weeks.”