The government has amended the aircraft rules allowing customers to now access Wi-Fi services in flights, upon permission from the pilot-in-command.
The amended aircraft rules have been published in an official gazette issued on February 29, 2020. However, the government skipped the mention of allowing mobile communication on flights, which was mentioned in the draft rules published by the government on August 14, 2019.
The new amendment allows the pilot-in-command to permit the access of internet services by passengers on board an aircraft through Wi-Fi on board when laptop, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, e-reader or a point of sale device is used in flight mode or airplane mode, provided that the director general shall certify the aircraft for usage of internet in-flight through Wi-Fi on board subject to procedures as specified in this behalf. However, the gadget is to be used in flight mode.
Besides this, the new rules consider an aeroplane as in-flight if its external doors are closed, as per the latest amendment.
