Air France launches in-flight calling trial

Not even half a year after Air France enabled passengers on its single OnAir-equipped Airbus A318 to send / receive messages and e-mail, the airline has went live with the second phase of the in-flight experiment. As of this week, guests who find themselves aboard the aforesaid aircraft can make / receive calls on their mobile at 30,000 feet. Reportedly, a dozen simultaneous calls are possible "per picocell network, as well as unlimited text messages and e-mails," and while pricing details weren't disclosed, you can rest assured it won't be a bargain. Nevertheless, the voice aspect of the trial is scheduled to carry on for three months, and we're assuming the results (read: whether annoyed passengers start assaulting chronic yappers) will determine if it gets rolled out to more of the fleet or quietly buried.

[Via WiFi Net News]

[sayid @ Apr 3rd 2008 8:18AM]

You mean the plane dident explode?

[NHAnimator @ Apr 3rd 2008 8:49AM]

"Okay... Gallon of milk, head of lettuce, tampons, and uh... Oh, Babe, I gotta let you go so I can land the plane."

[kashjunk @ Apr 3rd 2008 8:53AM]

yet still the faa requires all phones be in the off position while landing :-\ its only in America in any other country they dont really care

[Dan @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:30AM]

Er, Air France does too - and every other carrier the world over. Allowing calls during flights isn't carte blanche to use them during take off and landing.

[stooke @ Apr 3rd 2008 8:57AM]

Please. Quietly bury. before May, when I take Air France for my vacation....

[rhodesy22 @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:31AM]

"has went" = has gone or went

[Jason @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:30AM]

Is that Nina?

[efitz11 @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:39PM]

OMG ITS NINA MEYERS

[Jason @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:58PM]

I knew that bitch was still alive!

[treacherous @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:30AM]

* Begin grammar nazi

"has went"

Come on, this is just silly.

* End grammar nazi

[Jeff @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:59AM]

The last thing I want to hear when I'm trapped in a pressurized tube 5 miles above the earth is some idiot's cell phone conversation.

[vlad.m @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:08AM]

What the fuck could people have so damn important that they cannot relax for a couple hours and just have a quiet time?? Being on an airplane should be like detaching yourself from the world whilst up at 35,000 feet but it will be a cold day in hell when I will tolerate "business' people showing off on their cell phones while I am trying to relax! I am actually seriously thinking that I would go up to him, take his phone and break it in half in front of him, I am 100% sure I will do this.

[Cyco @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:51AM]

Is it just me, or this exists for ages... I mean during the 9/11 events, and this is based on the official reports, people on the Pennsylania plane were sending sms all around during this horrible event, so I don't understand what is all the fuzz now... Can someone explain this to me please? Thank you

[Oli @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:08AM]

In the 9/11 situation I believe that the hijackers were flying the plane at a lower than normal altitude. At this height, passengers' phones were able to pick up the normal ground-based cell networks - hence the calls.
I once left my phone on on a flight to Egypt and arrived to find 'welcome to blah network' text messages from about 12 countries that we had flown over on the way, so I think it's fairly close to just working anyway at 35000ft.

[Cyco @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:35AM]

Thank you Oli, this makes sense!

[netsharc @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:40PM]

Actually GSM-cells have a theoretical maximum range of 35km (more than 114000 feet according to Google), so it's possible that they still see the signal of the phone. (I wonder if the aluminium plane acts as an antenna as well). The problem is, becuase the cell can transmit to a lot of cell-towers from above, the cell towers get confused/overwhelmed..

[Jimmy @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:22AM]

"Reportedly, a dozen simultaneous calls are possible "

What happens if 13 people call? Does the plane drop out of the sky at that point?

[Dan @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:32AM]

Yes, that's exactly what happens.

[vlad.m @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:53AM]

Okay here we go.....this marks the end of quiet flights....Thank you fucking Air France for promoting this. Soon we will have 200 people yapping on their fucking phones while others try to sleep.

[drylemming @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:59AM]

Give me data, give me voicemail. Do not give the people around me permission to talk.
Technological feasibility good manners for tight spaces.

[x3qt0r @ Apr 4th 2008 3:51AM]

that girl is cute.

[paakofi @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:23AM]

that's not a girl.. it's a woman that looks like she's just crawled out of a dusty tomb.

[x3qt0r @ Apr 4th 2008 4:25AM]

to sum it all it is a female entity.

[Ubuntu 7.10 WindowsXP @ Apr 3rd 2008 1:08PM]

Does anyone watch Mythbusters? Seriously, a cell phone couldn't force a malfunction in a 30+ year old piece of Airplane equipment that was not shielded. I highly doubt a cell phone is going to bring down a modern system that has better shielding than the ones from 30+ years ago.

Seriously speaking, these are dumb tests. I think the math from Mythbuster broke down to them needing something 8,000 cell phone making calls at the same time within 15 ft. of the cockpit to make the radar malfunction.

[Mr. B @ Apr 3rd 2008 1:57PM]

...at least we can hope they'll charge an arm and a leg for the service to keep the annoyance down a bit.

[PerfectC @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:20PM]

NO!!! Cell phone calls would be extremely annoying. Put them all in one section where I could sleep or do w/e. Give me internet where I can communicate silently.

[slumcat @ Apr 3rd 2008 6:19PM]

This is the single worst idea in the history of all mankind and will signal the end of modern society as we know it. Seriously.

You just know that one pompous douche with the bluetooth headset permanently pinned to the side of his face will make 11 different business calls at full volume so that everyone knows how important he is.

Oh, and let's not forget the 16 year old moron with push-to-talk who will be talking to his homies about how drunk he got last weekend and how he totally hooked up with like six different girls. I can already hear the chirp-chirp in my mind, like fingers on a chalkboard.

[Nelson @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:51PM]

After that flight I don't think anyone on that flight is going to make any calls, the plane crashed between Australia and California, its flight 8 1 5

[dosguy @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:48PM]

AIR RAGE! Coming soon to an airplane near you.

[Pi @ Apr 4th 2008 8:53AM]

Hmm... I vote for a ban on cell phone calls (talking) on the plane or the creation of the cell phone/baby section.

[c. thomas @ Apr 4th 2008 4:39PM]

Ring** Hello yes I calling from a plane AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY where going down