Remember when you were told to turn off your mobile phone and kill the wireless on your laptop on your last flight? In 2011, Singapore Airlines will actually ask you to leave them turned on.
Developed in part with inflight mobile provider OnAir, Singapore Airlines aims to offer passengers a range of features including WiFi internet and the ability to use their mobile phones for emails, short messages (SMS), and even voice calls.
“The environment that our customers have gotten used to on the ground can soon be replicated in the air, when they fly with Singapore Airlines on aircraft fitted with this new connectivity platform,” said Singapore Airlines’ Senior Vice President Product & Services, Mr Yap Kim Wah. “Travelling on business or pleasure, they are just a click or an SMS away, with access to live information, social networking and news updates, as well as inflight shopping.”
Singapore Airlines plans to introduce the service to the large Airbus A380 aircraft in its fleet, as well as the Airbus A340-500 and Boeing 777-300ER. Pricing has yet to be announced.
