I received an email from a proud Zain (Ex-Canar) employee some time ago informing that they now provide roaming onboard Emirates airlines. I stopped myself from replying in order not to hurt the feelings of loyal Zain members on my email list. However, I could not keep my mouth (actually my fingers) shut any longer.
Imagine this scenario, you board London-Dubai night flight and everyone tries hard to get a couple of hours sleep so they can be as fresh as possible when they reach Dubai in the morning. The cabin is always so quiet and peaceful in those flights, right?!!! Now, imagine active mobile phones on those flights :-S
The first and only response to this news that i can think of is "there goes the last place where you can ligitimately be offline :-(."
You see, when you tell someone that you cannot call, or be called, on mobile for any reason they would probably roll their eyes and go something like "Whatever!!!". BUT when you tell them that you will be flying or onboard aeroplane, they will understand, smile, and wish you a safe trip.
Not anymore ladies and gentlemen, because now you will get one of two reactions. Either you will be flying on Emirates, in which case you will get the same eye rolling and "Wahtever!!" attitude. OR you will NOT be flying on Emirates, in which case you will get the sympathitic look and the attitude of "Poor guy, he cannot afford a decent airline with GSM connectivity onboard."
Emirates had always had the satellite telephone on board, so it is not completely communication-free sanctuary. However, the costs of the calls are so high that you have to be one of two persons to justify using the service. You will either be a business person with enough resources or business oppurtunity to justify for the call and its urgency. OR you are missing somone so much that you cannot wait till you land to say Hi!!!
So what shall we do now?!!!! hmmmmm... we should take a stand and demand to have a mobile-free aeroplanes!!! we should fight and boycott all telephone companies that are roaming onboard aeroplanes!!! we should never fly airlines with mobile telecommunication onboard!! well, maybe in the future, when the excitement is over, we will have reactions like these...
For the time being, i will be brave and declare that I WILL have my mobile switched off throughout the journey for my own "mental" safety. Unless, of coarse there is someone who i really miss and cannot wait till landing to say Hi. Business calls?!!! naaah, they can wait.
Keep smiling...
