Aviation

Emirates celebrates 10 years of mobile phone connectivity on flights

Emirates celebrates 10 years of mobile phone connectivity on flights.

Dubai, UAE, 26 March 2018 – Emirates is celebrating 10 years of enabling mobile phone use on board its aircraft. As a global leader of inflight innovations, Emirates made history in March 2008 by becoming the first airline in the world to allow customers to make and receive calls, as well as send SMS messages from their own mobile phones.

The inaugural phone call was made on March 20, 2008 on Emirates flight EK751 from Dubai to Casablanca. Since then over 2.8 million calls have been made, 60% of which were made from the aircraft, while over a million calls were answered by passengers travelling on Emirates. The longest call recorded was on a flight from Orlando to Dubai on February 5, 2018 lasting 3 hours and 50 minutes. Over the last 10 years, 87 million SMS messages have also been sent or received.

Emirates has been at the forefront of innovation with connectivity and inflight entertainment on board. Besides allowing mobile phone use inflight in 2008, Emirates was also first airline to install TV screens in every seat on every aircraft in its fleet in 1992. Today, the airline provides one of the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art entertainment and communications services in the skies. ice, the award-winning inflight entertainment system, now offers over 3,500 channels of entertainment, including over 700 movies from around the world. This unmatched variety of content will continue to grow, offering even more choice.

Emirates has continuously been investing in providing connectivity and Live TV for its customers. Over 70% of all Emirates’ aircraft offer Live TV, including all its Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER fleet. Wi-Fi connectivity is available on over 98% of the fleet, including all A380s, 777-300ERs and 777-200LRs. Customers in all cabin classes receive 20MB of free Wi-Fi data, and each month nearly one million passengers connect while inflight.

As part of its recent expansion of the Wi-Fi offering on board, Emirates Skywards members enjoy special benefits depending on their membership tier and class of travel, including free Wi-Fi when travelling in First Class or Business Class.

Emirates has been recognised as the Best Airline in the World in the inaugural TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice® Awards for Airlines in 2017. It recently clinched three Regional Passenger Choice Awards for Best Entertainment in the Middle East, Best Inflight Wi-Fi in the Middle East, and the Best Overall Experience in the Middle East at the 2018 APEX Passenger Choice Awards ceremony held during APEX Asia in Shanghai, China last week.

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

China Takes the Lead in Sixth-Generation Fighters with White Emperor B

The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

India’s C-295 to Gain Advanced Weapons for Maritime Surveillance

“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”