Virgin Australia and Qantas allow electronic devices on domestic flights
Great news for travellers who fly on either Virgin Australia or Qantas as this week it was announced that if you’re flying domestically on either of these carriers the use of personal electronic devices from the time of boarding to the time of disembarking has been declared A-okay from CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority).
From keeping in touch with loved ones to playing games or watching movies of your own choosing on laptop, you can now use your phones, tablets, laptops and music players gate-to-gate. All you have to do is to ensure your devices are switched into “flight mode” when required. If you are boarding via the tarmac, however, you will still be required to switch off your devices for safety reasons.
Virgin Australia announced the new gate-to-gate rules effective immediately for all domestic flights flown on their Boeing 737s, Embraer 190s and Airbus A330 aircraft, provided the devices weigh less than one kilogram and are stored for take-off and landing.
Qantas has now rolled out their new policy also. Qantas domestic CEO Lyell Strambi says, “These changes are an exciting development in the customer experience for the airline.”
Qantas has advised they are “working towards” a new Q Streaming App, allowing passengers to download and watch approximately 350 hours worth of entertainment on selected aircraft.
If you fly Virgin Australia that’s great news because passengers can already access their wi-fi entertainment system onboard selected flights, which features more than 300 hours of movies, television shows and music videos and is available from the moment passengers you take your seat to when you reach the gate at your destination.