Air France gives thumbs-up to mobile use

Air France has become the world’s first airline to allow inflight use of mobile phones in a six-month trial aboard a single Airbus A318 aircraft. The airline began the trial on a flight between Paris and Warsaw on Monday. It will allow passengers to send and receive phone messages and emails, but bar calls until…

Air France has become the world’s first airline to allow inflight use of mobile phones in a six-month trial aboard a single Airbus A318 aircraft.

The airline began the trial on a flight between Paris and Warsaw on Monday. It will allow passengers to send and receive phone messages and emails, but bar calls until a later date.

The use of mobiles is only permitted above 10,000 feet and the cabin has been fitted with ‘switch off your phone’ signs.

Air France will permit calls later in the trial, but can control phone use and will limit availability of the service.

The Mobile OnAir technology that allows mobile use cuts out interference with an aircraft’s radio-navigation instruments. Mobile use remains banned on all other aircraft.