Home

Back to Index

Emirates to allow personal mobiles

      London: Dubai-based airline Emirates has become the first airline to allow its passengers to use personal mobiles onboard. Under the deal with telecom company "AeroMobile", the airline will introduce the new facility from January 2007 with a "Boeing 777". Phones would only be used at cruise altitude above 20,000 feet, but not during take-off, landing and during climbs or descents. Banning the use of mobiles during take-off and landing is to eliminate distractions than with electronic interference. Airline sources said that charges would be "in line with international roaming rates". The airline promised calls at the rate of around 2 pounds per minute, which is cheaper than the cost from on-board phones which start at around 3 pounds a minute.

      According to the Daily Mail, flight crews will ensure that phones are switched to text-only mode to prevent noise on overnight flights. The system can also block voice calls at certain times. Passengers will be instructed and encouraged to switch phones to silent or vibrate-mode at all times throughout the flight. Up to five calls may be made on any one plane at any time. But, they can send and receive text messages any time they like. The airline, whose flights include services between London and Dubai, would introduce the technology across its entire fleet from early January, beating its rivals - Air France and Ryanair - who are also said to be planning to allow mobile phones in flight. British Airways is so far resisting the trend. The system uses five small electronic 'black boxes' hidden from view behind the plane's inner casing. These boxes are connected to two half-inch-thick wires - each running the length of the plane, above the windows and luggage bays. Each wire, in close proximity to passengers' seats, acts as Internal antennae allowing phones to operate at very low power levels. The wire effectively channels all the mobile phone signals into the plane's own satellite system, which in turn connects to the ground. The system also blocks out stray signals from outside the plane by channelling all calls to and from the plane via the super-antennae. The move is said to be a welcome boon for workaholics who suffer withdrawal symptoms every second they are deprived of their mobile phone connection or their laptops.

      The airline also plans to add Internet and other satellite capabilities by 2007-end to allow passengers to use popular palm pilots and lap-tops. "We want to ensure that passengers who wish to communicate can do so conveniently and discreetly while preserving the privacy of fellow travellers. We will be making life easier for those for whom staying in touch using their mobile phone has become an indispensable part of their everyday lives," the paper quoted An Emirates spokesman as saying. Emirates said its customers were already making more than 6000 calls a month from dedicates phones in their seats. AeroMobile president David Poltorak said: 'This is a historic step forward for the aviation industry. "We believe that the ability to communicate efficiently, easily and safely when on board flights will become an essential feature of business and leisure travel," he added. The telecom company is also talking to 'a number of other airlines' about extending the service to their fleets.
-Nov 9,  2006

List of Leading Indian News Papers