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.

Could Qantas move delay Ryanair launch of mobile services ?

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Qantas have shelved plans to launch live on board internet services on A380 aircraft next month as American Airlines has come under fire from flight attendants and customers for allowing passengers to surf porn web sites. Instead the airline has opted to offer 'cached internet content' and access to web based email and chat services. A Qantas spokesperson said that the internet plans had been pared back due to 'logistical and regulatory' issues encountered by the connectivity provider Onair. The airline said that full internet services would now be provided 'later in 2009'. Last month American Airlines started to offer full in flight broadband internet services on it's B767 aircraft but the flight attendants union were quick to request that software be installed to block inappropriate sites following complaints from FAs and passengers. The airline took the unusual view that they would rather offer unfiltered content and have flight crews monitor content for inappropriate content. Ryanair have opted to use the same provider ( as Qantas ) - Onair - as the provider of their airborne voice and data connection which begs the question - who is responsible for policing content - the user or the provider ?