On March 20, 2008, the first ever authorized in-flight mobile phone call was made from an Emirates Airlines Airbus A340-300 flying at 9,000 meters from Dubai to Casablanca. Passengers were so quick to use the service that an Emirates representative on board meant to make the first call was beaten to it instead — by a matter of seconds — by two speed-dialing passengers. Airlines in the Middle East see this kind of behavior as confirmation that they are going down the right path by installing the new in-flight mobile phone capability. Emirates has long had in-seat phones available, as have other airlines, but the prohibitive cost, at around $7 per minute, and the credit card swiping hassle made them all but an added decoration to the seat-back for many passengers. But Emirates, catering to the communication hungry business traveler, sees demand for an expanded and convenient in-flight communications package.
