Emirates airline has launched the world's first commercial, in-flight mobile telephone service and will spend $27m (£14) to kit out its entire fleet with the technology.
The first authorised in-flight mobile call was made at 30,000ft on 21 March on Emirates flight EK751, flying between Dubai and Casablanca. The Airbus A340-300 has been equipped with an in-flight mobile system from UK-based company AeroMobile.
The AeroMobile system automatically activates once the aircraft reaches 20,000ft. A video then informs passengers that they can turn mobile phones on. Passengers then receive a free text from AeroMobile telling them to switch their mobiles to silent mode out of courtesy to their fellow passengers.
Calls can be made and received while the plane is at cruising altitude. The service also allows text messages to be sent and received. The system allows for a maximum of five or six calls to be made at once. Passengers using AeroMobile will be charged a premium roaming rate.
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Emirates said a second aircraft in its fleet is due to be equipped with the in-flight mobile system shortly.
The airline, which signed up to the AeroMobile system back in 2006 and already offers phone calls, email and text messaging via an in-seat entertainment system across its entire fleet, said it will spend $27m to fit out its fleet with AeroMobile.
Emirates and AeroMobile said they are working to add the ability to receive BlackBerry email and other GPRS data applications to the system later this year.
Talkback
This works *so* well in the cinema, doesn't it? A little message telling people to turn their phones off or to silent is all it takes. Or not.
While it's about time the "powers that be" admitted that there's no threat to equipment, signals and the like through mobile phone use on an aircraft it's pretty obvious this was for financial reasons. Now that they can force calls through a tube and charge you a mint for it, it's suddenly OK.
So now I'm going to get annoyed by rich people on long-haul flights yelling that "I AM ON A PLANE!!!!" and mobiles going off when I'm trying to sleep as I can guarantee the "turn your phone to silent" message will be ignored.
This is probably the worst thing that could happen to air travel.
It's already stressful enough - we all know why: delays; large, confusing airports; too many people in too many queues; luggage going missing; US custom officials. And don't start me on connecting flights.
In amongst all this, the flights themselves tend to be a slightly cramped oasis of calm.
Now...
Mobile phone conversations are louder than face-to-face ones because of poor speakers, microphones and connections. Adding ambient aircraft noise, confined conditions and a larger-than-average proportion of pompous idiots, the whole thing becomes an air-rage magnet.
Text messaging might be acceptable, but only if phones were silent - ie no keypress bloops or youhavereceivedanewmessage beeps or buzzes.
And how are you going to enforce that one?