News
Mobile use to be enabled on aircraft
27 March 2008
UK communications watchdog Ofcom has announced plans to enable mobile phone use on aircraft.
The decision to allow air passengers to use their mobiles was made alongside other EU countries and the development will relate to flights in European airspace.
People on board planes will be able to connect their mobiles to a base station which will become operational when the aircraft reaches a minimum height of 3,000 metres.
There are still a number of regulatory issues to be resolved and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that airlines would have to develop operating procedures related to the use of mobile phone systems on planes.
A spokesman for the CAA told the BBC: 'It's down to the airlines to decide whether they want to fit the systems, then they would have to get approval for that.'
There have been complaints that allowing mobile use on planes could create more noise and disruption during flights. David Tansley, telecoms partner at business advisory firm Deloitte, told the Guardian that many people may not even want to use their phone while flying.
'Social norms, as well as excessive background noise, may dissuade most people from making phone calls in crowded planes,' he said.
Opodo is a leading online travel company offering flights, hotels, rental cars and holidays worldwide. Search for travel deals.
The decision to allow air passengers to use their mobiles was made alongside other EU countries and the development will relate to flights in European airspace.
People on board planes will be able to connect their mobiles to a base station which will become operational when the aircraft reaches a minimum height of 3,000 metres.
There are still a number of regulatory issues to be resolved and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that airlines would have to develop operating procedures related to the use of mobile phone systems on planes.
A spokesman for the CAA told the BBC: 'It's down to the airlines to decide whether they want to fit the systems, then they would have to get approval for that.'
There have been complaints that allowing mobile use on planes could create more noise and disruption during flights. David Tansley, telecoms partner at business advisory firm Deloitte, told the Guardian that many people may not even want to use their phone while flying.
'Social norms, as well as excessive background noise, may dissuade most people from making phone calls in crowded planes,' he said.
Opodo is a leading online travel company offering flights, hotels, rental cars and holidays worldwide. Search for travel deals.

![]() | ![]() |
Related stories
04 September 2008
- Govt 'can do more to protect air passengers' >
02 September 2008
- New Orleans spared the worst of Gustav >
01 September 2008
- Airlines put measures in place as Gustav nears >
- Early bookings 'could save customers thousands' >
29 August 2008
- Sixty thousand on lookout for transatlantic flights >
20 August 2008
- Tourists 'can return to Florida Keys today' >
- Govt 'can do more to protect air passengers' >
02 September 2008
- New Orleans spared the worst of Gustav >
01 September 2008
- Airlines put measures in place as Gustav nears >
- Early bookings 'could save customers thousands' >
29 August 2008
- Sixty thousand on lookout for transatlantic flights >
20 August 2008
- Tourists 'can return to Florida Keys today' >
Latest news
Other stories on the day
27 March 2008
- Austrian continues growth with 5 new destinations - >
- T5 opens for business - >
- Air passengers 'can expect mobile availability soon' - >
- Brazil already looking forward to 2014 World Cup - >
- National Maritime Museum plans new wing - >
- Continental to launch from New York, Houston to Heathrow - >
- Austrian continues growth with 5 new destinations - >
- T5 opens for business - >
- Air passengers 'can expect mobile availability soon' - >
- Brazil already looking forward to 2014 World Cup - >
- National Maritime Museum plans new wing - >
- Continental to launch from New York, Houston to Heathrow - >

