News: Emirates to allow in-flight mobile phone usage
Flights > News > # 1054 (08/11/2006)
The prospect of being able to make mobile phone calls on long-haul flights is set to become reality in the new year.
Emirates will become the first airline in the world to offer mobile phone services on long-haul flights, although passengers will have to make sure their mobiles are switched to text-only mode to allow passengers to sleep on overnight flights.
Passengers will be told to use phones in silent or vibrate-mode throughout the flight, and only five calls will be able to be made at any one time.
Emirates chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said: “We are delighted to offer the choice of mobile phone use to passengers who would like to make contact with friends, family or colleagues while flying.
“The option of mobile phone use will be available under guidelines that recognise and respect the privacy of all our customers.”
Passengers on US airline JetBlue can already use their phones during flights, and budget giant Ryanair will be fitting mobile satellite technology on 50 of their planes next summer. The remainder of the airline’s 200-strong fleet will be updated from early 2008 onwards.
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