UK: BMI trials SMS on flights

More UK travel news, this time not trains, but planes - must see if I can find a story on cars to complete the “planes, trains, and automobiles” set….

Anyhoo, back to the story at hand. The Times Online is saying that BMI (a UK operator) is enabling SMS in-flight, using a system called OnAir. OnAir uses picocells aboard the flight, which apparently minimises the issues associated with interference with plane systems (the oft-quoted reason why you can’t use your mobile on the plane).

Hmm. Okay, so that piece of reasoning is blown away then if some Flight Operators are willing to let Mobiles be used. But more than that, what about the noise? Most people have quite “unique” message alert sounds, but everyone I run in to seems to have that alert turned up to the “deafening” volume setting on their devices! Does that mean along with upset children on flights, we now have to contend with the Mobile beeping menace?

Of course, if SMS goes down well, the next things will be calls in-flight. Oh joy!

It will be interesting to see if BMI release data on the usage of this service - I bet it will end up being pretty popular….!

If you want to read The Times Online article, you can do so here.

[Original story via: The Times Online]