Delta Airlines pounced quickly Thursday after the Federal Aviation Administration approved portable electronic devices on flights, announcing that passengers’ usage of such devices will be allowed during all phases of their flight as early as Friday.
Delta’s decision, part of $3 billion worth of investments in customer service upgrades, seeks to build on its 160 million customers per year.
The announcement came hours after the FAA said airlines can allow passengers to use the devices — excluding cellphone calls — during takeoffs and landings on planes that meet certain criteria for protecting aircraft systems from any electronic interference.
“We appreciate the FAA’s collaboration with the industry to define a path for enabling the safe use of portable electronic devices below 10,000 feet,” said Joanne Smith, Delta’s senior vice president of in-flight service. “The Delta team is committed to always working to make flying better and thanks to their efforts our customers are the first to be able to use their devices throughout their entire flight.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.