AMTA has welcomed the announcement by Qantas and V Australia that they are introducing mobile phone services to their passengers on selected Australian flights and services across the Pacific, Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, said this week on radio 2UE.

He said AMTA supported the introduction of the services, which had been fully tested to ensure that they met all safety standards and complied with aviation authority requirements.

Mr Althaus explained to 2UE host Clive Robertson that the aircraft systems, supplied by UK-based Aeromobile, formed a very low power cellular communications system which controlled all mobile phones to operate at their absolute minimum power levels.

The system is connected to the aircraft satellite communications system and once SMS and emails are linked to the ground via the satellite system they are delivered to the normal phone and telecoms networks.

To use their phones passengers need a normal GSM mobile phone with international roaming capacity. Passengers simply switch on their phones, select silent operation as a courtesy to other passengers and then use it exactly the same way as they do on the ground.

Mr Althaus said passengers could be assured that the system was safe and had been fully tested by aviation and communications regulatory agencies.

“For business and other travellers in-flight access to the rapidly growing array of data services via 3G technology is an important new communications opportunity,” he said.

“Mobile etiquette in such a confined space will be very important. People will need to be aware and respectful of other people’s space. We are simply highlighting that etiquette will be an issue and people need to be responsible and respectful of other people when they are using a phone.

“Passengers can enjoy the benefits of their mobile phones while recognising the specific characteristics of phone use in a confined environment. It will be important for airlines to manage the introduction of in-flight mobile phone calling to ensure that passengers can enjoy the benefits of their mobile phones.”