In-flight cellphone calls unlikely to fly in Canada

Link: TheStar.com – In-flight cellphone calls unlikely to fly in Canada

Just caught this on TheStar.com

Passengers of European airlines may soon be allowed to talk on their cellphones at 30,000 feet, but so far, there’s little evidence the controversial move by regulators will be mirrored on this side of the Atlantic.

The European Union approved a plan yesterday that would allow airline passengers to make and receive calls through an on-board base station, provided the equipment is approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Passengers would be allowed to turn their phones on after the plane reaches 10,000 feet, when other devices such as portable music players and laptops are permitted.

In Canada and the United States, by contrast, regulators currently prohibit the use of cellphones on flights because of concerns the devices could interfere with on-board communications and navigation systems.

However, Transport Canada said yesterday it is considering relaxing the rules slightly to allow passengers to make calls once their plane has landed and is taxiing to the gate.

Bring on the “YES YES, I’M NOW IN CANADA! YES! CANADA!”

I’ll keep my earphones on 😉