I have always wondered, can I turn on my GPS while flying on a commercial airplane? I just want to know how fast the plane is going and what city I am flying above. Of course, I will turn it off when taking off or landing.
Of the 10 airlines who responded to my query, only two (Delta and Southwest Airlines) gave an outright yes about GPS devices being allowed during flights. Three (Continental, JetBlue and United) said it’s at the discretion of the pilot. The other five said no, but then added that the pilot may permit use. Those five include Alaska and American.
So, here’s our short answer: Bring your global positioning satellite system and ask the flight attendant to check with the pilot.
Also be sure to ask when you can power up the device. Some airlines have stricter rules for GPS than the traditional only after-take-off and before-landing policies for other electronics. For example, Delta greenlights use of GPS during flights only when at cruising altitude. Southwest restricts use to hand-held devices and also only at cruising altitude.
Furthermore, most airlines prohibit activating Bluetooth devices at any time during a flight, so if your GPS has this feature, check to see if you can temporarily disable it.
Of the 10 airlines who responded to my query, only two (Delta and Southwest Airlines) gave an outright yes about GPS devices being allowed during flights. Three (Continental, JetBlue and United) said it’s at the discretion of the pilot. The other five said no, but then added that the pilot may permit use. Those five include Alaska and American.
So, here’s our short answer: Bring your global positioning satellite system and ask the flight attendant to check with the pilot.
Also be sure to ask when you can power up the device. Some airlines have stricter rules for GPS than the traditional only after-take-off and before-landing policies for other electronics. For example, Delta greenlights use of GPS during flights only when at cruising altitude. Southwest restricts use to hand-held devices and also only at cruising altitude.
Furthermore, most airlines prohibit activating Bluetooth devices at any time during a flight, so if your GPS has this feature, check to see if you can temporarily disable it.
Of the 10 airlines who responded to my query, only two (Delta and Southwest Airlines) gave an outright yes about GPS devices being allowed during flights. Three (Continental, JetBlue and United) said it’s at the discretion of the pilot. The other five said no, but then added that the pilot may permit use. Those five include Alaska and American.
So, here’s our short answer: Bring your global positioning satellite system and ask the flight attendant to check with the pilot.
Also be sure to ask when you can power up the device. Some airlines have stricter rules for GPS than the traditional only after-take-off and before-landing policies for other electronics. For example, Delta greenlights use of GPS during flights only when at cruising altitude. Southwest restricts use to hand-held devices and also only at cruising altitude.
Furthermore, most airlines prohibit activating Bluetooth devices at any time during a flight, so if your GPS has this feature, check to see if you can temporarily disable it.
Most international flights feature seat-back monitors with a channel that tracks real-time flight speed and route. Unless you want to verify the information, you won’t need a GPS on these flights.
