New rules for phones on Qantas

Qantas will relax its rules on mobile phone usage on domestic flights, it has been reported.

Under the new rules Qantas domestic passengers will be allowed to make mobile phone calls once their flight has landed and as it approaches the airport terminal, according to a report in The Australian.

Business passengers will also be able to use mobile phones and personal digital assistants equipped with "flight mode" during flights, once the seatbelt sign has been turned off.

Flight mode switches off the transmitter in a phone or PDA but allows the device's other functions to be used.

The new policy, which has the approval of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, will take effect on June 7 and initially apply only to domestic flights.

The airline reportedly plans to expand the change to its international flights and to other airlines in the Qantas group.