DELHI: Emirates’ flyers to, from and over India may soon be allowed to make calls using their mobile phones, apart from offering onboard internet.
The Dubai-based mega airline said it will seek regulatory approvals to allow “customers to connect using Wi-Fi and mobile phones over India very soon,” reports The Times of India.
Emirates’ head of customer experience Patrick Brannelly told TOI: “TRAI recommendation to allow in-flight Wi-Fi and mobile services on flights within Indian airspace is good news for our customers. We are confident that our satellite data providers will engage with the Indian authorities to establish regulatory clarity for licensing and operations, to meet necessary requirements, thereby allowing our customers to connect using Wi-Fi and mobile phones over India very soon.”
About voice calls, the Emirates website says: “Make calls on your mobile just as you would when you’re on the ground. To make calls or use data on your mobile, your mobile phone or global roaming provider must have a roaming agreement with our service providers. You’ll be charged by your service provider in line with international roaming rates.” This is for countries that allow use of mobile phones in air, a list that India joined on January 19.
