SA Airways is the only airline that can test the feasibility of using cellphones on its flights, the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Friday.

“The CAA wishes to clarify that despite reports from some media outlets, SAA to date is the only operator/airline that officially applied and received the requisite exemption to test this possibility,” spokesman Kabelo Ledwaba said in a statement.

He said SAA was granted a six-month exemption in January and that the testing phase started on 15 April. One of the conditions of the exemption was that the airline submit a detailed proposal on how it would monitor the use of cellphones during flights. The CAA would additionally conduct its own monitoring, Kabelo said.

“The initial testing phase is for six months and, depending on the results of these tests, the CAA may conclude the testing phase or may request further tests.”

The testing would take place on certain domestic routes, for each aircraft type in the SAA fleet and at certain specified times of the day.

There would also be onboard announcements advising passengers that testing would be conducted and guidelines on what the tests would entail.

He said the civil aviation regulator and the aeronautical information circular still prohibited the use of certain electronic devices, including cellphones on flights.

However, it acknowledged that technology advanced rapidly and the fact that airlines showed interest in testing the feasibility of using cellphones of flights came as no surprise. — Sapa