Air France
Just completed tests using OnAir mobile phone technology on one Airbus A318 aircraft, which flies within Europe. Air France claimed to be the first airline to test in-flight mobile phone useage on international flights. The trial included questionnaires that are distributed among passengers to gauge reaction to the service. The results from this survey will influence whether the service is continued beyond this summer. So far, more than 80 per cent of passengers have been in favour of the text and email services, according to the airline. Results of the reaction to the voice calls will be collated this summer.

Air Malta
No plans to allow mobile phone calls in-flight.

American Airlines
No plans to allow mobile phone calls inflight owing to current US Federal Communication Commission regulations that prohibit the use of mobile phones in-flight. Currently testing technology on selected domestic US flights that allows customers to use data features of wi-fi enabled phones and PDA devices. This is for text data only, not spoken calls.

BA
Does not allow passengers to use mobile phones onboard for both technical and social reasons. A spokesman added: “Even if the CAA allowed the use of new mobile phone technology on British aircraft we would have to think very carefully about whether or not we want to allow customers to use them onboard as it could devalue the whole customer experience."

Airline survey: where we stand on in-flight mobile phone calls

Times Online asked 14 international airlines about their plans for mobile phone calls onboard - here's what they said

• Mobiles on planes: who's doing what

Qatar bans inflight mobile phone calls

Middle East airline reacts to customer opinion; Gas-to Liquids fuel in pipeline to reduce emissions

• Inflight mobile phone trials slammed

British airlines to pioneer mobile calls

Ryanair may be planning mobile use on European flights after the European Commission sets out rules for in-flight use

• Coming soon: mobile phones on the plane

• Emirates allows passengers to use mobile phones in-flight

BACKGROUND

• Inflight mobile phone trials slammed

• Ofcom grants approval for in-flight mobiles

• Young business travellers want on-board wireless

• Mobile loudmouths look to the skies

• USA says no to midair phonecalls

Related Links

• Mobiles on planes: who's doing what

"Surveys have indicated that the strength of feeling against the use of such technology outweighs that in favour." However, following favourable results of preliminary surveying among business passengers in BA's Executive Club, a new London City - New York route being introduced next autumn will trial technology allowing passengers to use PDAs, BlackBerrys and other devices to send and receive text data only. If successful, the service may eventually be rolled out on other routes.

BMI
Bmi will begin testing mobile phone useage on one UK aircraft from October. A spokesman told Times Online: “The important thing to bear in mind is that we will be trialling the system and the purpose of that trial is to establish what will and won’t work – nothing is set in stone. "We will take a common-sense approach and customer feedback will be at the centre of if and how the system is eventually used.

“The technology we are using gives us the flexibility to turn off voice capability, so nobody should be making the assumption that voice calls will form part of the trial. We have identified that many customers would appreciate being able to use SMS messaging and PDA emails whilst onboard and this is where our main interest lies.”

He added: “Our policy on the etiquette of how devices are used is still being finalised, but our objective will be to minimise disruption or annoyance to customers who don’t want to use the service, whilst making it easy for those who do.”

Cathay Pacific
No current plans to allowing mobile phone calls in-flight, but a spokeswoman made the following statement: "At this stage there is no definite roll-out plan for enabling inflight mobile phone use. We are currently exploring new technology in the market and actively approaching potential suppliers to identify the technology that can best meet our passengers' needs.".

easyJet
No plans to allow mobile phone calls in-flight. A spokeswoman added: “We have had detailed discussion about mobiles but we are not planning to introduce them onboard. It’s a combination of there not being enough money in it and we think there would be an adverse passenger experience. EasyJet will obviously still continue to monitor the market and the subsequent technological developments.”

Emirates
Launched mobile phone useage in-flight on March 20 on flights between Dubai and Casablanca. There are plans to roll out the service across the Emirates fleet. According to Emirates, feedback from passengers has been positive. A spokesman added: “However, as the service is still in its infancy, we don’t have any substantial market research as yet. We haven’t received any negative feedback, though – Emirates passengers are already well used to communicating whilst in the air, and make over 7,000 calls a month from the at-seat phone system.”

Flybe

Considering a trial for mobile phone calls in-flight.

A spokesman said: “Flybe is constantly looking at ways it can enhance passenger choice through the introduction of new and innovative onboard products and can confirm it is in the process of concluding talks with its mobile communication suppliers to determine the start date of an imminent trial for on-board usage."

Simon Lilley, Flybe’s Director of Marketing says: “Given Flybe’s strong popularity with business travellers, obviously an early roll-out of on-board mobile phone usage is of interest. However Flybe’s business model is based on frequent short sector travel where the demand for such a service is not necessarily such a key consideration to our passengers and we do need to be assured of sufficient demand.

We take customer opinion seriously and are also reviewing additional services that would include SMS and mobile phone check in, SMS flight booking and flight updates."

JAL
In-flight mobile phone use has not been approved by the Japanese government, so the carrier has no plans to trial the technology, but plans to gauge customers' views on the subject in the future.

Qatar Airways
Despite equipping its fleet of 62 aircraft with mobile-communications technology, the airline says it will ban in-flight mobile phone calls owing to a survey of passengers that showed 80% were against the service.

“We don’t want people to start speaking loudly in the cabin on a night flight,” said Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar al Baker. “I am sure other airlines will introduce it, but, in time, they will turn it off.”

Ryanair
Ryanair plans to introduce an in-flight calling service on 25 of its fleet from June.

SAS
SAS is currently running new tests in Norway on mobile phone useage but it is not widely available yet.

Virgin Atlantic
No plans to allow mobile phone calls onboard. A spokeswoman told Times Online: “We will continue to monitor the developments in onboard mobile phone use and technology. We want to ascertain how such technology would be perceived from a social perspective."

“We will look into how it is developing and how it is accepted with other carriers and if we do bring it in we will do it in the most socially acceptable way. We’re not convinced this is something that passengers want.”