Canada, following the lead of the United States and the European Union, on Monday relaxed official restrictions on using mobile devices in flight while maintaining a ban on transmitting information.
Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said air passengers can now use smartphones, cameras, electronic games, tablets and computers throughout a flight. Under current Canadian rules, all such devices must be shut down during take off and landing. Passengers, however, will only be able to enjoy the new freedom if the airline they are flying on updates its safety manuals and can guarantee that during takeoff and landings all passengers are able to follow crew instructions.