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In-Flight Cellphone Calls To Be Allowed On Virgin Atlantic Flights

by Meg Nesterov (RSS feed) on May 14th 2012 at 2:30PM

inflight cell phone service to be offered on Virgin Atlantic

Passengers on Virgin Atlantic will soon be able to make in-flight cellphone calls, send texts and browse the web on their way home from Europe, it was just announced. The new service is part of the airline's upgrade to the Airbus A330, which will also provide expanded in-flight entertainment, USB ports and a very spiffy upper class. Cellphone service will initially be available only on London to New York flights, but will be expanded to more cities by the year's end. There are a lot of caveats, however: you'll need to be on a Vodafone or O2 network, only 10 calls will be allowed at one time and service won't be cheap. Calls will cost 1 GBP per minute and texts 20p each. You'll also still need to turn off your devices for takeoff and landing, and turn them off within 250 miles of US airspace, so no flight-long games of Words With Friends.

Gadling readers: would you use this service? Do you think it's any improvement over the old-school in-flight phones? Or will it just be another amazing innovation that no one appreciates?

[Photo courtesy Flickr user Highways Agency]

Filed under: Gear, Europe, North America, United Kingdom, United States, Airlines, News

Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)

Jerry May 14th 2012 4:08PM

For me it's too much. I absolutely hate all the cell phone chatter. I will try and
find alternative airlines who can come up with some better solution.
It seems the general quality of life is going down, with our advances in technology.
I know not all people abuse talking on phones, but look around....too many do and
are addicted. Like being around someone nonstop smoking or drinking.

JMS May 14th 2012 4:11PM

One of the last "escapes" ... gone! All clients knew and expected they wouldn't be able to reach you during this flight time - It's bad enough when you land to have 15 V.M's ... but to have no relief ... that's miserable. I'm a big Virgin Atlantic fan .... but sometimes, one should realize there's a difference from "being able" to do something... and actually doing it. In this case ... definitely a negative.
Once clients discover this ... it'll be "Oh no problem, just call when you're onboard" ... absolutely no down time.

leiw May 14th 2012 4:13PM

It would be horrible to be sitting next to someone who is chatting away on the cellphone about their kids, grandkids, wives, etc. you get the picture, and business people talking about their work. For hours. And not being able to sleep or quietly read a book. There are those who speak or laugh loudly - how annoying would that be! Very.

Ron May 14th 2012 4:17PM

I live in Italy and often travel on Eurostar trains. The experience is frequently marred by ringing cell phones and people screaming into their phones as if the person at the other end were stone deaf. What do most people do on long flights? Sleep, read, or watch movies - all incompatible with cell phone use. I feel sorry for the flight attendants who will become referees between callers and the other passengers they disturb. BAD idea.

Cari May 14th 2012 4:43PM

I can see the only good thing about that is if an airplane was highjacked. I think it would be very beneficial to have a working cellphone, to take pictures and record or to call for help.
I sure wouldn't want to listen to a 100 or more conversations going on at once.

slagwaysioux May 14th 2012 4:58PM

Cell phone use in flight ? Forget it, I am boycotting Virgin Atlanric ... Cell phone addiction should be classified as mental illness anyway.

Diane May 14th 2012 4:55PM

It would be better if they went back to serving meals..Listening to someone chatter about their problems down the aisle is most undesirable!!!

Michael Aymard May 14th 2012 4:56PM

Cell phone use, in flight ? I am boycotting Virgin Atlantic. Cell phone addiction should be cassidied as mental illness !

perryrants May 14th 2012 4:57PM

they should introduce smoking on all flights.

Isabella May 15th 2012 1:40AM

Just a few hours ago I was on the tarmac waiting for the plane to leave and had to listen to a man talk loudly on his cell phone for over ten minutes - so loud and all about his "important" business. Then in the Admiral's lounge during my layover a woman sat at the bar and talked at top volume on her cell phone about absolutely nothing. Please - we do not want to hear your conversations. You aren't that important.

Paul May 14th 2012 5:29PM

A bad idea.

hermineh May 14th 2012 6:18PM

i think thats great. But not the charging part. thats a lot. Its great because you will talk to your boyfreind, freind, family when ur bored or when you miss them.

Diane May 14th 2012 6:28PM

If this goes through and cell phone usage is allowed, I would use Virgin as a last resort. The fare would have to be hundreds lower than their competitor for me to even consider it. I hate listening to loud people on their phone when I am trying to sleep or read on the subways or trains.

erj210 May 14th 2012 7:07PM

Can anyone guess what type of problem one would have with cellphone calls from Europe to NYC? It will be like being on a public bus, people talking as loud as they can being oblivious to the people around them with their stupid ring tones going on every time you turn around. Nothing personal, but I can take eight hours of being out of contact with the rest of the world.

Judith Siess May 14th 2012 8:34PM

well, i guess i won't be flying VIrgin now. if airlines allow cell phones, i'm going to have to investigate transatlantic ship travel....

Krusher May 14th 2012 7:53PM

Now that is a real shame. Airplanes were about the last refuge from inconsiderate morons and their cell phones. I won't fly Virgin Atlantic anymore.

marty May 14th 2012 11:32PM

This could be a major pain for people to have to listen to people's loud conversations. What a terrible idea. I know this from experience on busses and of course public areas. It will create a problem I bet. Could you imagine Alec Baldwin on the plane. "Hey shuddup I'm talkin' hear. Hey mind your business alright. We have rights too." Fights ensues.. I don't think I will fly Virgin again. Well I just hope the brits are more polite about this but there will be unruly americans as well who think they are entitled to anything.