Kingfisher joins hands with OnAir

NEW DELHI: Kingfisher is going full steam ahead preparing for its global flights. On Wednesday, it tied up with Airbus-owned OnAir for providing in-flight mobile and internet service to passengers on the long haul planes. Beginning 2008, Kingfisher will provide web-mail and chat facility to passengers on A-330s that are to be used on European and Asian routes and on A-340s that will fly non-stop to US.
From 2009, it will provide internet and mobile service — that will allow passengers to make and receive calls and send and receive e-mails — on these planes.OnAir will provide passenger communication services on 10 new longhaul planes to begin with. ‘‘Business travellers can stay in touch with their offices in flight also. Leisure travellers can stay in touch on their phones, check mails and chat via inflight entertainment system,’’ said an airline official. The tie-up came at the ongoing Aircraft interiors Expo Asia in Hong kong.
The fee will be based on data downloaded for internet usage and the cost of inflight mobile will be similar to international roaming rates, with passengers being billed by their operator in their regular bills.
While the technology for providing inflight mobile phone service is available, not many airline are opting for it for the fear of disturbance being caused to other passengers.