Chinese Airlines Will Soon Let You Use Wi-Fi On Your Phone

Before taking off in China, airline passengers are treated to a lengthy country-specific legal warning stating that using mobile phones (among other offenses) could lead to detainment under the country’s laws. That might soon change however, as regulators seek to amend laws that prohibit the use of mobile phones on airlines, paving the way for in-flight Wi-Fi.

The rules banning mobile phones on fights will be relaxed by the end of the year or by early 2017, according to the director of the air transportation division at the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Zhu Tao, who spoke to Bloomberg.

Global laws regarding personal electronic devices (PEDs) on planes were significantly relaxed beginning in 2013, when the U.S. FAA removed restrictions for airlines who could prove devices were safe during all flight phases. The EU soon followed and airlines all over the world, including Asia, have since begun providing in-flight Wi-Fi and internet-enabled shopping experiences.

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