April 7, 2008
EU unveils plans to allow mobile phone use on planes
The European Commission introduced new rules on Monday to allow mobile phones to be used on planes via an onboard network. The AFP reports.
"Under the new system, air travellers will be able to receive and make calls and messages safely with their own mobile phones while flying all over Europe, according to the EU's executive arm.
However a commission spokesman stressed that the in-flight service was not yet generally available and so passengers should heed the advice of flight crews to switch off phones while in the air.
The spokesman, Martin Selmayr, said that the 27 EU member states have six months to comply with the new rules.
At the moment that luxury is limited to a very few travellers for fear of interfering with the aircraft's functioning. Some airlines, notably Air France, have begun tests on the system."
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2008/04/019670.htm
