This story is a month old, but it’s still remarkable: Emirates to allow in-flight mobile phone service. Starting next January, using cellphones will be allowed on board, both for making calls and receiving messages (and hopefully, also for accessing the Internet and e-mail).
The measure won’t be immediate, due to the need to install a protection system in the planes, in order to prevent interferences. The first Emirates’ airplane will be a Boeing 777, and the system will be progressively extended to the whole fleet.
However, some limitations apply:
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Mobile phones will only be used at cruise altitude, like in the case of other electronic devices, while cabin crew will have full control over the system.
"The number of calls that may be made at any one time is also limited to a maximum of five or six calls, the same number as for the current in-seat phones used regularly by Emirates' passengers," the statement added.
The service will also allow passengers to send and receive text messages, with charges in line with international roaming rates.
Therefore, international rates will apply.
Related to the above, Mobile calls allowed on half of all airlines by 2008: by mid-2008, 59-percent of airlines will allow using cellphones on board. The first European ones are Air France, TAP and Ryanair.
More details on these issues is available in the Airline IT Trends Survey report, that covers how technology adoption is impacting the airline industry operations: 89-percent of carriers are already offering e-tickets, providing electronic check-in, either via ATM-style machines or websites.
(original story in Catalan)
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