CAA and Qantas at loggerheads over phones

Qantas and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) appear to be on a collision course over in-flight cellphone use.

CAA communications manager Bill Sommer said Instrument Flight Rules prohibited the use of cellphones, including those which had a "flight" or "plane safe" mode.

Airlines wanting to allow passengers to use them had to apply to the CAA for an exemption. Before that was granted, they would have to prove it was safe.

Qantas has no such exemption but until a week ago was allowing cellphone use on New Zealand domestic flights, in line with its Australian operation.

Mr Sommer told NZPA a CAA member on a Qantas flight noted an announcement allowing cellphone use, and the company had since been told it was not allowed.

But Qantas spokesman Lloyd Quartermaine today said he was not aware of that and believed cellphones with flight or plane safe modes were allowed.

In August, Qantas released a statement saying it had extended its policy on the use of cellphones to include all of the airline's international services, New Zealand domestic operations and Australian Airlines services, effective immediately.

"Under the new policy, 'flight mode' capable mobile phones and personal digital assistants, such as Blackberries and Palm Pilots, can be used from the time the seatbelt sign has been extinguished after take-off until the aircraft has begun its descent," the statement said.

"However, 'flight mode' must be activated prior to turning the device off."

Customers could continue to use mobile phones on airbridges at departure and arrival, it said.

"It is important to note, however, that most electronic equipment must still remain switched off during both take-off and landing."

Mr Sommer said there would be no exemptions until the CAA was satisfied it was safe.

"It's up to the airlines to come back and show us that the exemption is justified -- it's not for us to prove it, it's up to them to come back and give us that information," he said.

Air New Zealand has applied for an exemption.

- NZPA