American Air Now Allows Gate-to-Gate Device Use on Mainline, Regional Fleet

American Airlines today became the third airline to gain FAA approval to allow gate-to-gate use of electronics. Passengers onboard American flights after 6 pm ET today will be allowed to keep e-readers open, iPods playing, and any electronic device on during takeoff and landing.

Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways were the first two airlines to gain FAA approval on Friday after the U.S. aviation authority announced one day earlier that it would approve in-flight device usage on aircrafts that passed the test. The announcement passed the burden of proof that device usage did not interrupt flight operations to the airlines.

In addition to its mainline fleet, American will also allow extended use of electronic devices on all regional aircraft operated by American Eagle. Delta's more than 550 regional aircraft are not expected to gain approval by the FAA until the end of the year.