Aeromobile: Launched today onboard Beauty Queen

[honey lamb]

It's OK Honey Lamb - we've just witnessed the provider of Virgin Atlantic's in-flight telecoms services calling their customers "a bunch of old grannies".

"Poetic justice" is the term I think!

So....
Everyone on here so far has posted as genuinely independent passengers - apart from one, who "welcome[s] this, it will give me a CHOICE to use my mobile or NOT".

Sadly, that one individual works for Aeromobile - and rather than posting as such, has taken on the fake persona of a regular passenger. Honey Lamb, don't waste the key presses.


BAD show, Aeromobile.

Personally I think the worst show of it all is the fact that it took them 6 months to find the thread to post their single 'unbiased' voice of support....

[preiffer]

Ha! Good point

This is hilarious!!! We've all been violated...

Aeromobile = probably the worst innovation in cabin amenities, ever.

Personally I think the worst show of it all is the fact that it took them 6 months to find the thread to post their single 'unbiased' voice of support....

The guy found a similar post on Trip Advisor air travel forum and made his one post wonder too.

[preiffer]

Indeed, so he has...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic- ... ravel.html

Busted!!

[buns]

Indeed, so he has...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic- ... ravel.html

Oh dear not a good way to go about things n(

Tears before bedtime methinks

buns

[Decker]

Oh Petra...

Given that it's a thread that had been dead over a year, it's pretty obvious this is a case of somebody googling aeromobile and rebutting any negativity about it.

Poor show really.

Haven't seen a single person use their phone on any of my 330 flights to JFK or MCO or indeed anyone even ask about it so as expected its there to use but very few people actually want to

[mitchja]

Instead of wasting their money on this, VS should have gone for on-board WiFi. That would generate a lot more revenue.

Instead of wasting their money on this, VS should have gone for on-board WiFi. That would generate a lot more revenue.

I could be wrong, but I'm sure i saw somewhere that wifi onboard is a problem if your going across the oceans due to not being near enough to a land based signal.

Would explain why its more popular on the US based carriers.

Technically it is possible, and Boeing Connexion (now history) tried this about ten years ago or so. There are now others actively in this space.

Broadband access is technically more demanding when flying over water. Unlike for low bandwidth voice calls, directional antennas need to be used for satellite access for the additional bandwidth required. Over the US, ground based stations are used rather than satellites.

Agreed, internet in the air far more useful and less distracting for others than voice calls. Even so, I still love those relaxing hours in the air where I know I am not going to be interrupted.

Good call on busting AeroMobile BTW! What a PR disaster!

Howard

Instead of wasting their money on this, VS should have gone for on-board WiFi. That would generate a lot more revenue.

Agreed. I thought it was great having the wifi facility on the Emirates 380 a fortnight ago and am looking forward to more of the same on the Dubai to London leg of my return from Brisbane on Monday. It is just a pity that Emirates don't have it on their 777 fleet YET or otherwise I could FB all the way from Brisbane!!!!!!! y)

[mitchja]

I remember VS even doing an IFE poll on FB a year or so ago and the number one thing that people asked for back then was WiFi so what do they go and do, offer something completely different that no-one wants!!

Oh Petra...

y) y) y)

[preiffer]

Actually - just noticed this little gem on the VS FAQ page...

Aeromobile - Where does it work?
Published 14/12/2011 02.21 PM | Updated 14/12/2011 02.42 PM
Does it work everywhere in the world?
......

Some countries like the USA don't allow mobile phone use in their air space. In these cases, the system will automatically switch off.

Errrrr - so it WON'T actually work over the US?!?! It was a #Fail to start with given passengers *really* don't want phones going off while sleeping, but now it's just laughable.

Source: http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/ ... l/a_id/675

[fozzyo]

You have to ask then ... what is the point? And that explains why it has never taken off as a technology / concept - domestic USA can't use it so no investment / development. And clearly airlines / mobile companies don't feel there is enough of a market to lobby for change.

Mat

I flew back from Orlando on the 24th April on Beauty Queen and just to see what it was like connected my Blackberry up and sent a few emails and texts just for the hell of it and to send a "Greetings from 38,000ft" message. To be honest for most of the flight there was no signal anyway!

I used it on my flight back from New York recently for texting my mother about news about my grandmother. It was a bit of a godsend, and not that expensive.

[Darren Wheeler]

I used it on my flight back from New York recently for texting my mother about news about my grandmother. It was a bit of a godsend, and not that expensive.

Texting I don't really have an issue with provided its on silent.

Aeromobile is part of the Panasonic IFE system (Panasonic now own part of Aeromobile) that Virgin bought, so would have been included in that price. They do also offer Wi-FI but as has been said at the moment coverage over the US is not allowed for the mobile phone system, it is for Wi-Fi. Shouldn't be too much of an issue to rig up the planes with Aeromobile on board for Wi-Fi as the satellite receiver should be in place, just a question of band width.

South-West airlines are fitting Row44's system for inflight wi-fi and anyone who has used Norwegian Shuttle's free wi-fi will testify it works pretty well

Actually not sure if Wi-fi coverage over the US is allowed for foreign carriers?!

I completely agree. I will attempt to avoid at all costs. If that means switching carrier, then so be it.

What are you talking about switching carrier? just don't switch on your phone!

You lot are like a bunch of old grannies complaining about nothing. The services on a flight are not designed around you personally. I welcome this, it will give me a CHOICE to use my mobile or NOT.
And anyway, sitting next to someone speaking into their phone is no different than sitting next to two people talking to one another.
If someone is being loud on their phone then ask them to be quieter if it bothers you that much but I think most people will be considerate.

But people won't be just talking normally will they? They will most likely be SHOUTING as the aircraft will noisy and the person they are talking to will be unable to hear them.[/quote]


Have any of you that are complaining about this service actually been on an aircraft that has this service?
I have traveled on Emirates on a monthly basis over the last few years with this service (not sure if it was the same company but a mobile telephony service) and it did not disturb at all and I have sat next to people when they have been on a phone.