It will be important for airlines to manage the introduction of inflight mobile phone calling to ensure that passengers can enjoy the benefits of their mobile phones, AMTA CEO Chris Althaus said. Business people being able to keep in touch via email and text messaging will be a big benefit when travelling, he said.

Mr Althaus was responding to reports this week that Qantas will introduce new technology on its Boeing 767 aircraft to allow passengers to use their own mobiles to communicate through a low-power picocell. The airborne base station, which would eventually operate on routes between major cities, would transmit the signal through a satellite to the ground network.

Mr Althaus said it would be important for passengers on aircraft to be aware of etiquette issues to ensure that people could enjoy the benefits of mobile phones. “The normal rules will apply in the air as they do in minding your mobile manners on the ground,” he said.

“We tell people keep their conversations private. People’s sense of personal space varies in each situation. Making a call in a busy pub may be okay, but talking loudly in a confined space of an aircraft could infringe on other passengers’ personal space."

Some US carriers are advising passengers to text instead of talk to make sure they do not disturb others.

AMTA has an etiquette guide, Mind your Mobile Manners, to help people use their mobile phones in a responsible manner and to be considerate and aware of situations when using their mobile could annoy others.

The story about Qantas comes as heightened security measures are being introduced to combat terrorist threats. In response to suspected bomb plots targeting some UK flights to the US, transport and security agencies in both countries have issued strict new guidelines.

The Age newspaper reports that the UK has already banned all electronic devices such as MP3 players, mobile phones and laptops from hand luggage on all flights departing from the country, while the US has taken a more conservative step of only banning liquids, gels and beverages from in and outgoing flights.

To view The Age article click here.

To view AMTA's mobile phone ettiquette tips click here.