Passengers flying with Aeroflot may soon...
The issue will be discussed at a governmental commission meeting on February 19.
Russian airlines have so far banned mobile phones from their flights. The reason given is that they can disrupt aircraft systems and interfere with the crew"s headsets.
The solution is an onboard antenna which creates a local GSM network inside the aircraft and minimizes the risk of interfering with the airplane"s navigational equipment.
A source in Aeroflot said the airline had requested a permit from the Russian Communications and Press Ministry to provide Internet access on its flights later this year, but no further details were disclosed.
Delta, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates Airlines, Ryanair and other airlines already offer their passengers in-flight mobile service provided through Swiss communications company OnAir and Norway"s Telenor Mobile Aviation.
The world"s first authorized in-flight mobile calls took place on an Emirates Airlines flight in March 2008.