Air passengers will be able to use their mobile phones on flights, in a deal announced today by Dubai-based airline Emirates.
The arrangement, with the Aeromobile, will also involve flight crews ensuring that phones are switched to text-only mode to prevent noise on overnight flights.
Emirates, whose flights includes services between London and Dubai, hopes to introduce the new facility in January 2007.
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 at any one time, the same number as for the current in-seat phones used regularly by Emirates' passengers.
Ryanair announced a couple of months ago that it planned to launch a similar service in mid-2007, subject to regulatory approval.
PA