The Flying Kiss

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Ever felt sick of having to switch-off your cell phones while traveling on air? Well, that procedure could be history soon. Emirates and RyanAir are set to introduce in-flight mobile phone use for passengers. The move follows AeroMobile, the mobile phone service provider to airlines, announcement in late 2006, to introduce its first-of-a-kind facility on-board Emirates.

As of now, passengers are asked to switch off their mobile phones once on the airplane. It was believed that such telecom signals would interfere with ground-communication and navigation abilities of an airplane. However, AeroMobile, based in the
UK, has developed an aircraft system which controls the power output of all mobile phones down to the minimum level allowing their safe use onboard aircraft. Apart from this, the flight-crew would be able to control and regulate usage of passengers, like allowing only text-only mode (no voice) mode on night-flights for passenger convenience.

The first step would have to be, of course, to establish a reliable communication system. Signal reception at high altitudes could be a problem. Under the new technology developed by AeroMobile, GSM phone signals will be transferred from the cabin through a satellite to a GSM network on earth and connect the in-flight caller to the receiver of the call. Inmarsat satellite communications system have already installed been installed on all Emirates’ aircraft.

And how much would you have to shell out for such a service? Well, that remains to be seen. But prices comparable to international roaming rates for calls and text messages, are certain.

As for Indian airliners, Kingfisher Airlines, could well start first. It is said to be in talks with an on-flight mobile service provider to enable GSM mobile technology. So the next time you take your seat on a flight, don’t be surprised if you hear those irritating Bollywood ringtones again.