Emirates-Aeromobile call for inflight cell use

Mumbai, 10th November 2006 - Emirates today announced it is to become the world's first airline to introduce in-flight mobile phone use for passengers across its entire fleet.

Emirates will install a system that allows passengers the choice of safely using their own mobile phones to make and receive phone calls and text messages from Emirates aircraft. Emirates will fully utilise the capabilities of the system to ensure that passengers who wish to communicate can do so conveniently and discreetly while preserving the privacy of fellow travellers.

The Dubai-based carrier expects to launch the service on board one of its Boeing 777s as early as January 2007, once all necessary approvals are granted.

This announcement represents an investment of US$27 million by Emirates to fit its fleet with the equipment supplied by AeroMobile, the pioneering provider of inflight mobile services. The AeroMobile aircraft systems ensure that passenger mobile phones operate at their minimum power settings thereby allowing their safe use on the aircraft.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: "As the world leader in innovation for our customers, we are delighted to offer the choice of mobile phone use to passengers who would like to make contact with friends, family or colleagues while flying with us.

"The option of mobile phone use will be available under guidelines that recognise and respect the privacy of all our customers.

"Our customers are already making more than 6,000 calls a month from our in-seat phones, so we will be making life easier for those for whom staying in touch using their mobile phone has become an indispensable part of their everyday lives. Our research tells us our customers would appreciate the option of staying in touch in this way."

Emirates cabin staff and information videos will advise and encourage passengers to switch their phones to silent or vibrate mode when used in the aircraft.

Phones may only be used at cruise altitude and the cabin crew will have full control over the system, including the ability to prevent voice calls at certain times such as during night flights. The number of calls that may be made at any one time is also limited to a maximum of five or six calls, the same number as for the current in-seat phones used regularly by Emirates' passengers.

The service will also allow passengers to send and receive text messages, with charges in line with international roaming rates.

Although inflight calls have traditionally been regarded as an expensive and little used service on many airlines, Emirates' strategy of operating the service at affordable and subsidised rates has resulted in one of the highest usages in the industry. Currently, this exceeds 13,000 minutes of talk time every month from passengers' in-seat telephones connected via satellite services - reflecting the high value users place on the ability to keep in touch with their relatives, friends and business associates. The implementation of the AeroMobile system on Emirates aircraft will make this capability even more convenient with Emirates' passengers being able to use their own phones, access their address books and contact lists, and have calls billed to their regular phone bills as with any other roaming call.

Emirates and AeroMobile plan to add GPRS data and internet capability to the system as soon as the necessary satellite communications systems are upgraded later in 2007. This will allow the use of BlackBerrys®, Palm Treos® and mobile data-enabled PDAs and laptop PCs for email and Internet access from the aircraft.

AeroMobile president David Poltorak said: "We are delighted that Emirates has taken the lead in introducing our service across its fleet. This is a historic step forward for the aviation industry.

"We believe that the ability to communicate efficiently, easily and safely when on board flights will become an essential feature of business and leisure travel."

On aircraft where the AeroMobile system is not installed, existing rules banning the use of mobile phones by passengers remain in force at all times. Mobile phones must remain switched off for the duration of the flight in accordance with current aviation regulatory requirements, and passengers must continue to follow the instructions of the cabin staff at all times regarding the use of mobile phones and other portable electronic devices.

About AeroMobile:

The AeroMobile solution will initially utilise the Inmarsat 'classic' technology already fitted on over 1,900 airliners worldwide. The AeroMobile solution has been designed to take full advantage of anticipated upgrades to communications systems, such as Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband, which will allow AeroMobile to introduce services such as GPRS data transmission for PDAs and Blackberries, as well as increased system capacity.

AeroMobile was formed by Telenor ASA and ARINC Incorporated to bring their new mobile solution to the aviation market. AeroMobile is the first in-flight mobile technology to be commercially available.

About Emirates

Dubai-based Emirates is one of the world's most successful airlines. Since its inception, Emirates has continually invested in innovative passenger services both onboard and on the ground - a move which has won the airline more than 300 international awards for service excellence. Financially independent and thriving, Emirates has recorded a profit every year since its inception, except the second. Growth has never fallen below 20 per cent a year. In its first 11 years, it doubled in size every 3.5 years, and has every four years since. The airline currently operates its modern fleet of 100 wide-body aircraft to over 80 cities in 58 countries, carrying 14.5 million passengers in its last financial ye