Mobile phones OK'd in Europe for planes

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Union on Monday opened the way for air travelers to use mobile phones to talk, text or send e-mails on planes throughout Europe's airspace.

With the EU approval, airlines will now be able to offer onboard service for cell phones that use the European GSM technology later this year. The United States and many other countries still ban the use of cellular phones and other mobile devices in the air because of concern they could disrupt a plane's instruments.

Viviane Reding, the EU's telecommunications commissioner, warned phone operators not to set rates for the service too high and urged airlines to protect passengers from excessive phone use.

"In-flight mobile phone services can be a very interesting new service especially for those business travelers who need to be ready to communicate wherever they are," Reding said. "However, if consumers receive shock phone bills, the service will not take off." The European Commission, the EU's executive body, said it will keep a close eye to ensure pricing is transparent.

The EU also urged airlines to set in-flight etiquette and ensure a balance between those wanting to make calls and others who want a few hours of quiet-time during a flight.

"Almost everybody will want to use this service. We hope that also some people will still use the aircraft as a moment of tranquility and not disturb other passengers," EU spokesman Martin Selmayr said.

Several airlines, including Air France-KLM, have already launched a trial of in-flight mobile phone services on some European routes. British Midland Airways Ltd., also known as bmi; Portugal's TAP, and low-cost airline Ryanair are also planning to offer services later this year.

Germany's Lufthansa, however, said Monday it does not want to introduce the service because a majority of its customers saw no need for phone calls during flights. Surveys had shown that a large majority of customers were against it, Lufthansa spokesman Jan Baerwalde said.

"People don't want to be disturbed," Baerwalde said. Lufthansa will, however, look at providing fast Internet access on its planes, a service it already offered from 2004 until the end of 2006. The airline is currently looking for a new service partner to reintroduce the service.

The EU regulation sets a common standard by which passengers can safely use their mobile phones during flights and airlines will only need to get one national license to launch their services. Those licenses will apply across the entire 27-nation bloc.

The equipment airlines install will also have to be approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency to ensure the onboard cellular network will not conflict with other in-flight systems.

Mobile phones had been banned for fear they might interfere with a plane's navigation system as they attempt to log on to terrestrial networks.

Users of mobile phones and other wireless devices with roaming capability will be able to make and receive calls using a base station within the airplane. They will be allowed to turn their phones on after the plane reaches 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), when other electronic devices such as portable music players and laptops are permitted.

Selmayr, the EU spokesman, said the phone services will not be available during takeoff, landing or during turbulence. He said the captain and crew of the plane can control when they want to switch off the onboard network.

"It doesn't mean you can leave your mobile phones switched on now during the flight, we have to make that absolutely clear," Selmayr said. "First wait what your airline tells you when you board the plane. Until further notice the usual reminders to switch off your mobile phone on the aircraft will remain in place."

EU officials said the onboard network also made sure that callers could not link to terrestrial ones providing added security for the flight.

Most services that are being rolled out this year are being provided by OnAir, a unit of planemaker Airbus. Their services allow in-air telephone calls above 3,000-meter (9,800-feet) altitudes.

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Associated Press Writer Barbara Schaeder contributed to this report.