Qantas bringing in-flight SMS and email to all AU domestic flights

It's been two years since we first heard that Qantas was bringing in-flight email and SMS to its fleet, and after a lengthy testing period, it looks like it's finally happening. The last set of test flights wrapped up in January, and allowing people to check in on the status of their Nigerian money transfers and send R U HERE texts apparently didn't cause any major problems, so the airline is moving to bring the tech to all Boeing 767 and Airbus A330 flights in Australia. Voice service still isn't in the cards, but considering how long it's taking to get any of this tech off the ground in the States, we'll take what we can get.

[Thanks, Chris]

[Jeremy K. @ Mar 20th 2008 8:14PM]

I've been waiting to find out when I get that 25.000.000 million dollars USD$ from Mr. Ogada.

[Frun @ Mar 20th 2008 8:21PM]

how long until people start texting their friends two rows up? "so, whatcha doin"

[Nathan @ Mar 20th 2008 8:23PM]

I hope that they NEVER EVER bring in flight voice service to fruition, I sincerely do. I would be very happy with in flight SMS / MMS though.

I already have to deal with a 20 minute bus ride (public transit fails becuase it smells like pee and sadness) home filled to the BRIM with yappy teens and incosiderate clods on their mobiles, I can't imagine being boxed in at 40,000 feet with those same people for 4 hours on my flights from Chicago to Los Angeles. Mark my words, it will be the begining of the new road rage.

"Man loses control and beats midwestern woman to death with serving tray after enduring 3 hours of conversation about her show dogs eating / sleeping / fecal activites"

[Ayle @ Mar 20th 2008 8:50PM]

You, sir, are a winner!

[Aguiluz @ Mar 20th 2008 9:14PM]

Maybe there should be a "ten minute" limit per call and it will "recover" over time.

Did not understand? Okay...

I talk ten minutes, then I wait a few hours and talk again. This way, calls will ONLY be used for important details only and infinite texts to fill void.

+1 to you, since I don't like somebody talking long crap next to me for hours.

[Saad Rabia @ Mar 20th 2008 8:37PM]

· · · — — — · · ·

[eggothewaffle @ Mar 20th 2008 8:48PM]

0101001000100000010101010010000001001000010001010101001001000101

[Aguiluz @ Mar 20th 2008 9:10PM]

Translation:

Saad Rabia (Morse Code): SOS
eggofthewaffle (Binary): R U HERE

+1's to both of you. I was just bored. :)

[tokyo_suicide @ Mar 20th 2008 9:34PM]

49 20 66 6F 72 20 6F 6E 65 20 77 65 6C 63 6F 6D 65 20 6F 75 72 20 74 65 78 74 69 6E 67 2C 20 65 6D 61 69 6C 69 6E 67 2C 20 66 6C 79 69 6E 67 2C 20 6B 61 6E 67 61 72 6F 6F 20 6F 76 65 72 6C 6F 72 64 73 2E

ugh. Sorry for the double post.

[Arjun @ Mar 20th 2008 9:52PM]

Tokyo_suicide, nice hex for: "I for one welcome our texting, emailing, flying, kangaroo overlords."

[Johan S @ Mar 20th 2008 8:49PM]

I want internet on flights. I used Boeing Connexion, it was great .. but it sucks that they discontinued it. I guess it was too expensive a service to provide.

[Chris @ Mar 20th 2008 9:08PM]

In flight connectivity (albeit not via phones) is getting off the ground sooner than alluded to in this post, by American Airlines' transcontinental service...

http://www.aa.com/content/amrcorp/pressReleases/2008_01/22_aircell.jhtml

[chris @ Mar 20th 2008 9:25PM]

just as long as people have there phone silenced/on vibrate

cause every one knows one person who needs to be hit with a hammer cause they have some loud ringer that goes off every text message

[tokyo_suicide @ Mar 20th 2008 9:33PM]

49 20 66 6F 72 20 6F 6E 65 20 77 65 6C 63 6F 6D 65 20 6F 75 72 20 74 65 78 74 69 6E 67 2C 20 65 6D 61 69 6C 69 6E 67 2C 20 66 6C 79 69 6E 67 2C 20 6B 61 6E 67 61 72 6F 6F 20 6F 76 65 72 6C 6F 72 64 73 2E

[Dave @ Mar 20th 2008 10:12PM]

First it was the Black box (which isn't actually black) and now in-flight sms, God we're good down here.

[mattwier @ Mar 20th 2008 11:19PM]

Dear Engadget,
Do some research buddy. You say they're bringing the service to Boeing 767's and Airbus A330's. Please tell me why you then decided to use a photo of a Boeing 747???

[moophisto @ Mar 20th 2008 11:29PM]

Qatar Airways do have in-flight email and sms on certain airplanes for a while already, I tried out the emails in August last year on the A330-300 between Doha and Narita - it costed about $1.9 each (iirc, also for receiving them... but really not sure anymore) and the length was quite limited - then again, the only way of typing was by selecting the letters on the screen via arrow keys on the remote... kind of a hassle. Also sucked that your neighbor could read it all while you wrote it, if he/she wanted to.
Nevertheless, better to be able to send mail than not :)

[Mike Jenkins @ Mar 21st 2008 12:30AM]

WTF is wrong with that plane's engines?

[dosguy @ Mar 21st 2008 1:25AM]

I will post the bail and hire a lawyer for the first person charged with air rage for tossing an inconsiderate cellphone jerk - man, woman, or child - out of a plane at 30,000 feet.

[bob sakamano @ Mar 21st 2008 11:55AM]

it looks like its jumping

[XDS @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:02AM]

Two words.

PageGetter .!

[jjpember @ Mar 26th 2008 1:31PM]

comment