Pakistan

Improving: PIA starts onboard sms, phone service

The airline also plans to provide email facility on board.

Our Correspondent January 22, 2014

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has started a phone and SMS facility on board its Boeing 777 fleet as a first step towards improving its communication and entertainment systems, the airline said on Wednesday. The airline also plans to provide email facility on board. “The services will be available at minimal charges on credit and debit cards,” it said. PIA had been aiming to upgrade its in-flight entertainment system on long-haul flights that also includes WiFi, more movies and music. This makes PIA the first Pakistani carrier to offer such services onboard. In most airlines globally, cellular services are banned for safety reasons.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2014.

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COMMENTS (2)

Imran | 10 years ago | Reply @nma Absolutey right. Actualy, i would like to update our friends here that FAA, has mad a study that PED's (portable electronic devices including cellular phones), do not really matter as far as safety reasons are concerned. Advanced aircraft like the 777 PIA is taking about, really doesnt have much effect to distort the the frequencies under which its avionics is working. New equipment has catered for much of this stuff and FAA thinks that ita safer to go ahead. They have conducted the above mentioned task analysis.

NMA | 10 years ago | Reply

I know this is good..... but the way this article is written...... " In most airlines globally, cellular services are banned for safety reasons."...... almost like saying on PIA cell phones are the least of our problems when it comes to safety.... so why bother just allow them!!

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