RIYADH, 10 July 2003 — Saudi Arabian Airlines has said it will continue to ban the use of mobile phones on board its flights, despite a study by Airbus and Boeing that has concluded that the usage of mobile phones on board aircraft while engines are off would not disrupt communication between the carrier and the tower.
Capt. Saad Al-Shihri, general inspector of safety regulations for Saudi Arabian Airlines, told Arab News yesterday that the airline would continue with its policy that states that passengers are not allowed to use mobile phones during the flight even when the aircraft’s engines have not been turned on. The decision, he said, was for the safety of both aircraft and passengers.
A new study discussed the hazards of using mobile phones on board aircraft. The study, in which aviation giants Boeing and Airbus participated, concluded that there were was no threat to communication between the aircraft and the tower when mobile phones were used inside terminals or on board the plane as long as the engines were not running and the doors remained open. The report also concluded that certain safety regulations would be needed should airlines allow passengers to use their mobiles in such conditions.
One of the regulations is that the captain must report to the IATA agency any malfunction in the equipment when passengers are using their mobiles on board the plane, defining the error specifically.
Al-Shihri said he was satisfied with the cooperation of passengers on board Saudi airliners, and violations of the ban were almost non-existent.
Mobile phone companies have highlighted the risks of using the devices on planes, and the US Federal Bureau for Aviation and IATA support the ban on cell phone use on board, whether the engines are on or off and whether the doors are open or closed.
