Etisalat, the UAE-based telecom services provider, announced that more than 56,000 of its customers have used the in-flight mobile service since it introduced that a year ago through the AeroMobile system.
According to AeroMobile, this represents 27 per cent of the total users across the world, on the AeroMobile network, making etisalat a leader in the in-flight mobile service, with maximum number of customers for this service.
The service enables passengers to safely make and receive calls and send text messages while in flight. The service was first operated by etisalat in the UAE on an Emirates flight between Dubai and Casablanca a year ago. The system has since been installed on 32 of the Emirates airline's fleet, and is available on around 25 per cent of its aircraft. Emirates currently operates more than 60 AeroMobile equipped flights in a day to various destinations.
Essa Al Haddad, etisalat's Chief Marketing Officer, said: "Etisalat's in-flight mobile service targets a niche audience who prefer to be virtually connected all the time. Since its launch last year, etisalat's in-flight mobile service has been a huge success and has received tremendous positive appreciation from its customers. We are proud to be leaders in this niche market, providing connectivity even in the sky."
"Being a leading service provider in the region, etisalat can relate to the necessity of the customer to remain connected with their business, family, and colleagues whilst they're travelling, and we're delighted to make this possible for them through our association with Emirates airline and AeroMobile, while they are in the air," Al Haddad said. "GPRS data services are also available for our customers in air, enabling them to surf the internet, download their emails, or enjoy multimedia services, while flying," he said.
Etisalat customers can benefit from the in-flight mobile service while traveling on the Emirates airline to 60 selected routes including London, Casablanca, Cairo, Sydney, Damascus, Khartoum, Karachi, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Perth, Melbourne, Paris, Rome, Milan, Munich, Nice and Bombay.
Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the Emirates Business 24|7 daily newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here.