Study: 105 million hours of productivity lost due to FAA electronic devices ban

The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) ban on the use of electronic devices during flights is costing the US 105 million hours of productivity, according to a recent study.

The findings, from the DePaul University Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, come as the FAA is nearing a decision on relaxing its rules prohibiting the use of electronic devices during take-offs and landings of airplanes. The agency currently requires airline passengers to turn off all electronic devices that have power switches when airplanes are below 10,000 feet. The DePaul study estimated that the amount of lost productivity due to the FAA's policy has increased by 104 percent since 2010. The report attributed the increase to a jump in the amount of passengers who are using electronic devices and a rapid increase in the technological capabilities of tablets and e-readers.