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Technology
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Emirates to become first airline to allow cell phone use
Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, plans to begin allowing passengers to use cell phones in flight beginning in January, if its request is approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The airline will outfit its Boeing 777 planes with technology to allow cell phones to transmit at very low power levels. This will prevent the cell-phone signals from interfering with the plane’s systems while also ensuring the plane itself doesn’t interfere with cell-phone networks on the ground when it passes above.
Emirates is taking steps to ensure that cell phone use doesn’t ruin passengers’ in-flight experiences by allowing only five calls to be made at any time. Another element that may keep flights quiet are the requirements and expense of in-flight cell phone use – cell phones must have international roaming capability and those roaming charges, which are about $3.50 per minute, will apply. This may encourage passengers to use their phones’ text messaging capabilities instead of making an oral phone call.
Sources: USA TODAY, CNN, ATA SmartBrief
