Irish low-budget airline Ryanair signed a deal that would allow passengers to begin using mobile phones during flights next year, an AFP report said.
The report said that from mid-2007, subject to regulatory approval, Ryanair's passengers traveling on 50 of the airline's planes would be able to call, text and email using their phones at rates that mirrored international roaming charges.
Ryanair said communications company OnAir would fit the carrier's entire fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft with onboard mobile technology from 2008, according to the report.
The airline said the deal would make it the first European airline to offer Europe-wide mobile telephone services during flights to all passengers via their own mobile phones.
Ryanair would make money by receiving a commission from OnAir on call revenues generated by passengers, the AFP report further said.