"Please turn off all personal electronic devices during take-off and landing": it's as familiar a part of air travel as the safety instructions and the Ryanair bugle. Now, in a landmark and long-requested change of policy, the American Federal Aviation Administration has announced it will "safely expand passenger use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight", potentially leading the way for a global easing of restrictions.

PEDs encompass portable devices such as mobile phones, tablets, game consoles and e-readers, and the FAA revisions mean most passengers will no longer need to turn them off at any point during a flight. The FAA's refreshed guidelines also allow for the use of Bluetooth enabled devices and accessories. Airplane mode will need to be used for devices with data connections, although flyers can take advantage of on-board WiFi whenever it's offered. Cellular voice communications will not be allowed.

Talking about the change, Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx explains "these guidelines reflect input from passengers, pilots, manufacturers, and flight attendants, and I look forward to seeing airlines implement these much anticipated guidelines in the near future. I commend the dedication and excellent work of all the experts who spent the past year working together to give us a solid report so we can now move forward with a safety-based decision on when passengers can use PEDs on airplanes."

These remain guidelines, and the FAA stress implementation will vary from airline to airline. It will also take time for most operators to change their own safety guidelines and policies to reflect the new FAA stance, so the roll out will not be immediate.

In Europe, PED policies already differ significantly, with some airlines such as Ryanair even sometimes offering the facilities and technology for mobile phone calls while at cruising altitude.