Ryanair to allow mobile calls on flights

Commenting on Ryanair's decision to allow mobile calls on flights, Rob Barnes, head of mobiles and broadband at moneysupermarket.com says: "It was only a matter of time before an airline began to offer this service, BMI have said they will provide the service but it'll be interesting to see which major airlines follow suit. Although it could be useful for delayed flights or urgent phone calls, the benefits could be outweighed by the problems. No one will want to be stuck next to someone chatting away on the phone; we could end up needing a ‘quiet zone' on flights as we do on trains.

"Cost will also be an issue, currently only O2 and 3 networks can use the service with calls costing up to £1.99 per minute, obviously expensive in relation to standard costs. Any calls made on flights will also be outside EU roaming caps - it'll be interesting to see if the Commission gets involved once the service takes off."