Most
people I know wouldn’t dream of stepping on a plane without reading material
for the flight. In the dark ages, that meant stuffing paperbacks in your
carry-on; for many of us, this approach still works. Increasingly, of course,
many travelers rely on e-readers for their convenience and ability to download
and store untold numbers of books and other media.
Two
recent developments speak to these dual approaches to reading on the go.
An
FAA working group is considering relaxing the ban on portable electronic
devices during takeoff and landing, according to The New York Times (June 21, 2013). The group is expected to
endorse wider passengers’ use of tablets—which seems only fair, as pilots now
routinely use an iPad in lieu of paper navigation guides in the cockpit.
So
what does this mean to you? An extra few minutes to finish that chapter or find
out who-dun-it. Makes sense, assuming no safety hazard is involved.
But
at least one airline is celebrating and encouraging reading “real” books.
Qantas,
Australia’s largest airline, now offers a customized set of 10 paperbacks for
its Platinum-level frequent flyers. The collection, according (again) to The New York Times, “includes thriller,
satire, nonfiction, history, and romance titles designed to be read from start
to finish during routes that last from one and a half to close to 24 hours.”
What
a great idea! Now, if the airlines would also consider that non-elite class
passengers love to read, too…
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