Emirates Becomes First Commercial Airline to Allow Mobile Phone Use in Flight

Emirates Airlines used a flight between Dubai and Casablanca to successfully become the first commercial airline to allow mobile phone usage while in flight. The airline equipped an Airbus A340 with a system designed to stop mobile phones from interfering with the plane's electronics, and plans to equip more airliners with the system soon.

The system is flexible, and allows the crew to control usage of the system, such as only allowing use once the plane has reached cruising altitude, or eliminating the ability to make voice calls. Passengers will be able to send and receive SMS messages and will be asked to keep the ringer on their handsets set to silent.