HAMBURG, Germany-Two European airlines announced plans to trial in-flight mobile-phone use using technology from OnAir, a joint partnership between airplane maker Airbus and SITA Inc.
U.K.-based airline Bmi said it will offer a mobile-phone service to passengers traveling to major business destinations out of Heathrow airport on an Airbus A320 in late 2006. OnAir said it expects its service, along with gear from Siemens AG and other partners, will be certified and necessary regulatory approvals will be in place by that time.
In addition, TAP Portugal said it will trial the OnAir service on its Airbus A321 aircraft, also near the end of next year. TAP passengers will be able to use their GSM phones and GPRS-enabled devices to make and receive voice calls and to send and receive text messages and e-mails.
Although the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has expressed interest in allowing cell-phone use on airplanes, the Federal Aviation Administration has stated its policy against wireless phone use on airplanes will not change.
OnAir uses software from Tenzing.
