By Josh Parker

The ban prohibiting mobile phone use on domestic flights in China is set to be lifted. 

On Monday, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) announced plans to redraw the ban in October, leaving inflight cell phone use up to the discretion of individual airlines. 

Enforced since 1999, the Chinese aviation authority had imposed a ban relating to portable electronic devices due to concerns that the wireless signals would affect air safety, although curiously this did not extend to laptops and tablets. However, general criticism has been registered by Chinese citizens and netizens alike due to the allowed use of devices such as phones on other international airlines, so long as flight mode is enabled.

August 2016 saw the addition of a RMB50,000 fine for those unwilling to comply with the ban as well as other types of unruly behavior, which saw Beijing police detain three passengers between January and February earlier this year. 

Now the CAAC seems to have changed its mind with concerns warranting the ban seeming to have been eased. Experts attribute this to enhanced "anti-interference characteristics" on aircraft, according to the Beijing News.

While the ban is set to be lifted on October 1, passengers will not quite yet be allowed to use their phones as each airline will be required to complete an individual evaluation and submit an application of their intentions before receiving approval from the CAAC.

But don’t fret — the ability to watch cute cat videos inflight will hopefully soon be a reality.

[Image via Huffington Post]

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