Individual airlines still have to prove to the FDA that in-air electronics during takeoff and landing are safe for their fleet.

The Federal Aviation Administration has finally relaxed the restrictions on in-flight electronics usage. New regulations allow passengers to use e-book readers, play games, and watch videos on devices as long as they are in airplane mode.

The changes are based on input from a group of experts including airline representatives, aviation manufacturers, passenger advocates, pilots, flight attendants, and the mobile technology industry. They come more than month after a formal recommendation from a federal advisory panel of government and aviation industry officials.

The only caveat here is that airlines will have to prove to the FAA that their planes allow passengers to safely use their devices gate-to-gate. While the FAA has eased restrictions, individual airlines still have to prove to the FDA that in-air electronics during takeoff and landing are safe for their fleet. Delta Air Lines, for instance, is already seeking FAA approval to allow customers to use portable electronic devices below 10,000 feet and could get it as soon as November 1.

Photo credit: Huffington Post

Via Fast Company