26 August,2016 07:05 AM IST | | Agencies
Air passengers may be able to use Internet on-board and even make phone calls, beginning as early as next month, with security issues being sorted out for allowing use of Wi-Fi facility in the Indian airspace
New Delhi: Air passengers may be able to use Internet on-board and even make phone calls, beginning as early as next month, with security issues being sorted out for allowing use of Wi-Fi facility in the Indian airspace.
The facility will be available for domestic as well as foreign carriers flying in Indian skies, for which the technical and operational modalities are in the advanced stage of finalisation, officials said. Globally, many airlines are already offering Wi-Fi for passengers, but they currently have to switch off the facility when they enter the Indian airspace.
Indicating that "good news" is likely in coming days, Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey Wednesday night said the ministries of Civil Aviation, Telecommunications and Home Affairs have been working on allowing Wi-Fi use in flights. "There is fairly a good chance that in 10 days, permission will be given to operate Wi-Fi in the Indian airspace," Choubey said, adding that Cabinet nod might not be required for allowing Wi-Fi facility on-board.
