DGCA may allow in-flight mobile use

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) may soon allow domestic airlines to permit passengers to use mobile phones and access mail on PDAs while air-borne.

Sources said the DGCA is reviewing tests by the US-based Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Air Safety Agency (EASA) on mobile phone usage on board aircraft.

"We will permit domestic airlines such access as soon as EASA and FAA clear the applications of international airlines," a DGCA official said.

At present, passengers are asked to switch off their mobile phones in-flight on the assumption that telecom signals may interfere with the plane's navigational tools and ground-based communications. But tests carried out by global agencies on airlines such as Emirates and Ryan Air have shown that there is no danger or disturbance.

International players such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas are also planning to install GSM mobile technology on board aircraft.

In India, Kingfisher Airlines could be the first off the block. The airline has sought government permission and started talks with German telephone equipment company OnAir to install technology allowing passengers to use GSM mobile phones while in the air.

Under the new technology, GSM phone signals will be transferred from the cabin through a satellite to a GSM network on earth and connect the in-flight caller to the receiver of the call.