Ryanair launch Onair phone service

From today passengers on 20 of Ryanair's mostly Dublin based aircraft will be able to make on board data and voice calls. The service provided by Swiss based Onair (an Airbus / Sitel joint venture) will cost between €2 and €3 per minute for voice calls, €0.50 for SMS messages and €1 to €2 per email. The tariffs are set by each mobile service provider. The service will initially be available to O2 and Vodafone customers.

Over the next 18 months the service will be rolled out across the 170 strong Ryanair fleet. The service operates by creating a mini cellular network aboard each aircraft which allows a maximum of 6 concurrent calls to take place. Mobile devices will still have to be switched off for takeoff and landing. Ryanair have not disclosed how much of the roaming income they will earn but it is thought to be a small percentage of the total.

It is unlikely that we will see 'Roaming' and 'Non Roaming' seats on Ryanair soon. CEO Michael O'Leary says that the airline's flights are noisy anyway with flight attendants selling scratch cards, sandwiches and cigarettes. "We've no interest in quiet zones. It will make a break from in flight announcements on a Ryanair aircraft", he told journalists.