Cebu Pacific, AirAsia Zest, TigerAir Philippines to allow gadget use in-flight

For passengers onboard commercial flights the long wait before touchdown to send text messages is over.

 

Cebu Pacific, AirAsia Zest and TigerAir Philippines on Friday said they will let passengers use gadgets onboard flights following a Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) resolution to allow mobile communications in-flight.

 

Cebu Pacific vice president for corporate affairs Jorenz Tañada told GMA News Online in a text message the management already read the CAAP memo and will take the necessary steps to comply with the directive.

 

"CEB will revise its manuals and procedures in accordance with the said CAAP memorandum," Tañada said.

 

In a separate text message, Air Asia Zest executive vice president and COO Joy Caneba said the airline will soon introduce services to complement the new rules on use of gadgets onboard.

 

"We welcome this new rule since we always believe in giving our passengers more options – provided that comfort and safety of all passengers are never compromised," she said.

 

When asked when will the new services be rolled out, Caneba said: "I'm keeping it in the bag first as we are still exploring this."

 

Tigerair Philippines is also in and is now waiting for CAAP to actually issue the rules and regulations on the use of gadgets in-flight, Joey Laurente, vice president for commercial, said in a separate text message.

 

An official of flag carrier Philippine Airlines told GMA News Online the company is now waiting for president Ramon Ang to issue a statement on the matter.

 

On December 31, CAAP announced that passengers onboard commercial flights may use their laptops and cellular phones to use the Internet and send text messages starting 2014 but with some restrictions on voice calls to avoid disturbing fellow passengers. – VS/TJD, GMA News