Irish airline to allow cell phones on flights

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A European airline plans to let passengers use their cell phones during flights starting next year, but it could be awhile before U.S. carriers get the green light from federal officials.

Ryanair, the Irish budget airline and Europe's biggest low-cost carrier, intends to outfit 50 aircraft, or about a quarter of its fleet, with OnAir mobile technology by the end of next year, allowing passengers to call, text message and e-mail during flight. Ryanair's remaining fleet will be equipped starting in 2008.

The company said it expects to receive regulatory approval, which would make Ryanair the first European airline to let passengers use their cell phones in flight.

In the United States, cell-phone service on airborne aircraft is not specifically barred by the Federal Aviation Administration, but -- as with all portable electronic devices -- airlines would need to demonstrate that it does not interfere with a plane's communication and navigation systems, FAA spokesman Les Dorr said.

"That can be a tall order," he said.

The agency allows portable devices without radio transmitters, such as laptops or mp3 players, to be used at altitudes above 10,000 feet.

In the meantime, the issue of cell phones onboard is moot since a Federal Communications Commission ban prevents it for fear that air-to-ground calls would overload the ground-based cell-phone system.

However, the commission is reviewing proposals to relax the ban, since new technology can ensure that in-flight networks do not disrupt ground networks.

For its part, the FAA in 2003 asked RTCA, a D.C. company that advises the federal government on aviation issues, to study the impact of in-flight mobile access on airline safety. RTCA is slated to issue a report later this year.

But even if cell-phone use aboard aircraft were approved, some airlines are more eager than others to embrace the new technology.

"We're very interested in offering our customers wireless access," said Tim Wagner, a spokesman for American Airlines, which has conducted tests with wireless technology company Qualcomm to prove the technology works. "If the approvals went through, we would be right on top of it."

United Airlines would provide wireless Internet access but does not intend to offer in-flight cell-phone access, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said.

"Right now, our customers are telling us that they would much rather have the ability to communicate via data communications rather than voice communications," she explained.

Asked why customers don't favor cell-phone access, she replied: "Etiquette."

The notion of aircraft equipped with in-flight calling is a nightmare for many passengers, who are wary of listening to their neighbors' loud and potentially intimate conversations during a flight, explained David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association in Potomac.

"Sometimes people don't even realize how loudly they're speaking and how disturbing it can be," he said, noting that the association does not have a position on the issue.

On the other hand, Mr. Stempler pointed out, "I've had occasions where plans have changed and I wish that I could call ahead."

The cost of air-to-ground calls might be enough to dissuade passengers from making frivolous calls: Ryanair's rates will "mirror" international roaming charges, the company said.