UAE. Emirates has launched an inflight mobile telephone service in what it claims to be a world first.
The first authorised mobile phone call from a commercial flight was made last week at 30,000 ft en route to Casablanca, onboard an Emirates Airbus A340-300 aircraft – the first in the airline’s fleet to be equipped with the AeroMobile system.
The airline will be investing some US$27 million to fit its fleet with the AeroMobile system. The system ensures that passenger mobile phones operate at their absolute minimum power, thereby allowing their safe use on the aircraft. A second Emirates aircraft, a Boeing 777-300, has already been installed with the AeroMobile system and will be in operation shortly.
Emirates Airlines and Group Chairman and Chief Executive H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said: “All seats across our fleet are already equipped with in-seat phones, as well as e-mail and text messaging capabilities via the in-seat entertainment system.
“As the world leader in innovation for our customers, we are delighted to now offer them the choice of using their own mobile phones to contact friends, family or colleagues while flying with us. Our customers are already making more than 7,000 calls a month from our in-seat phones, so we will be making life easier for those for whom staying in touch has become an important part of their everyday lives.”
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Besides AeroMobile, Emirates also offers communication services such as satellite telephone, SMS and e-mail |
Over the past 18 months, Emirates and AeroMobile have worked closely with regulators and telecommunications providers worldwide, fully completing rigorous testing and certification processes.
The service will only be activated when the aircraft is at cruising altitude and the cabin crew will have full control over the system, including the ability to prevent voice calls at certain times such as during night flights. 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.
Emirates cabin staff and information videos will advise and encourage passengers to switch their phones to silent or vibrate mode when used in the aircraft [no annoying ‘Stairway to Heaven’, ‘I will survive’ or ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’ ringtones then -Ed].
In addition to calls, the service will also allow passengers to send and receive text messages, with charges in line with premium international roaming rates. Users will be billed on their regular phone bills by their own service providers as with any other roaming call.
AeroMobile Chief Executive Bjorn-Taale Sandberg said: “We are delighted to join Emirates in delivering a genuine world first for the airline industry. Emirates has set an industry-leading standard for passengers communications in launching AeroMobile services. We know that many airlines are interested in AeroMobile and will be keen to follow Emirates’ lead.
“We believe that the ability to communicate efficiently, easily and safely when on board flights will become an every-day feature of business and leisure travel very quickly. We have gone to considerable lengths to ensure that all safety and regulatory issues have been fully addressed, so we are pleased that Emirates has been able to join us in being first past the post in offering a full voice call service.”
Emirates and AeroMobile will be working to add further features for the benefit of Emirates’s passengers. These include the ability for BlackBerry-type e-mail and other GPRS data applications later this year and also to integrate AeroMobile with Emirates’ ICE inflight entertainment system.
On aircraft where the AeroMobile system is not installed, existing rules banning the use of mobile phones by passengers remain in force at all times. Mobile phones must remain switched off for the duration of the flight in accordance with current aviation regulatory requirements. Passengers must also continue to follow the instructions of the cabin staff at all times regarding the use of mobile phones and other portable electronic devices.
NOTE TO AIRPORT AND AIRLINE COMPANIES: The Moodie Report is the only business intelligence service and industry media to cover all airport and airline consumer services, revenue generating and otherwise. Our coverage now includes new Inflight Entertainment (IFE) and inflight catering sections and we embrace all airport non-aeronautical revenues, including property, car parking, hotels, hospital and other medical facilities, the Internet, advertising and related revenue streams. Please send relevant material, including images, to Martin@TheMoodieReport.com for instant, quality global coverage.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Emirates Airline Senior Vice President Service Delivery Terry Daly gave a landmark speech about onboard ancillary revenues at last year’s Middle East Duty Free Association conference. Click on the icon to download the article, reproduced in full in The Moodie Report Digital Print Edition.
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