Air France has laid the first stone in allowing the use of mobile phones onboard aircraft. Air France is to allow passengers to use their mobile phones once airborne on certain flights, though only for text messaging and data applications, the airline announced last week – voice calls will not be allowed for the time being.

The service is set to launch in March 2007, three months after Air France takes possession of a new Airbus A318 aircraft. It is widely regarded that full use of mobile phones will become common place onboard planes in the next few years with the aircraft manufacturers creating and/or backing various onboard cellular systems.